USAT/SBN September MMA Consensus Rankings: Lightweight

by Kid Nate on Oct 2, 2009 10:40 AM EDT in Rankings Comment 20 comments

Rank	Fighter	%	Promotion	Last Rank
1	B.J. Penn	100	UFC	1
2	Shinya Aoki	94	DREAM	2
3	Eddie Alvarez	89	Bellator/DREAM	3
4	Kenny Florian	81	UFC	4
5	Frank Edgar	74	UFC	5
6	Tatsuya Kawajiri	69	DREAM	6
7	Diego Sanchez	66	UFC	8
8	Joachim Hansen	61	DREAM	9
8	Gray Maynard	61	UFC	7
10	Sean Sherk	51	UFC	10
11	Josh Thomson	35	Strikeforce	11
12	Gesias Cavalcante	34	DREAM	12
13	Tyson Griffin	30	UFC	16
14	Gilbert Melendez	28	Strikeforce	14
15	Mizuto Hirota	26	WVR	13
16	Satoru Kitaoka	25	WVR	15
17	Takanori Gomi	21	WVR	23
18	Jamie Varner	20	WEC	17
19	Eiji Mitsuoka	20	WVR	18
20	Joe Stevenson	19	UFC	19
21	Spencer Fisher	19	UFC	20
22	Clay Guida	18	UFC	20
23	Kurt Pellegrino	18	UFC	22
24	Nate Diaz	17	UFC	25
25	Vitor Ribeiro	16	DREAM	31

Rankings compiled by Richard Wade.

Due to the fallout from the Rampage Jackson A-Team casting, fans will have to wait until December's UFC 107 to see #1 B.J. Penn defend his belt against the very formidable #7 Diego Sanchez.

This is one of those instances where rankings just fail to capture the degree to which Sanchez is the biggest threat Penn has faced since winning his title.

That's because rankings capture what a fighter has done rather than how formidable he is. Diego Sanchez, for all his accomplishments in the Octagon just hasn't done that much to impress in his two decision wins at 155lbs.

He's already an established draw so there was no need to build his credibility, rather he was rushed into a title shot after decisioning #19 Joe Stevenson and #20 Clay Guida.

Fans won't have to wait so long to see the second most highly ranked lightweight. #2 Shinya Aoki will challenge #8 Joachim Hansen for Hansen's DREAM lightweight belt at DREAM.11 on October 6.

This will be the rubber match between the two rivals. Aoki submitted Hansen via gogoplata back in 2006 only to lose by TKO last year.

#3 Eddie Alvarez will fight at DREAM.12 against hot prospect Katsunori Kikuno. It will be nice to see Alvarez back on a big league stage after his title run at Bellator, but I can't help but wish he was fighting someone more proven.

#4 Kenny Florian will look to bounce back from his second loss in a title fight against the game Guida at UFC 107. It promises to be a long, hard slog back to the top of the mountain for Florian.

#5 Frank Edgar will face #22 Kurt Pelligrino at the TUF 10 Finale in December. I have a hard time seeing a win over the tough Pellegrino propelling Edgar into immediate title contention.

Meanwhile #7 #8 Gray Maynard ~~jumped two hard won rungs up the ladder~~ is inexplicably punished for his Judo Chop worthy performance over the former #24 Roger Huerta at UFN 19 by dropping a slot. Maynard's win over Edgar seems to disqualify Edgar from an immediate title shot and Maynard says he's not quite ready.

This is the division the UFC has the weakest grip on with only thirteen of the top twenty-five. DREAM is their nearest rival with five ranked fighters. WVR is breathing down the neck of their Japanese rival with four contenders. Strikeforce is barely edging out WEC with two.

The failure of the non-UFC promotions to produce a clear champion has really helped the UFC's case to be the strongest in the division. This contrasts very poorly with B.J. Penn's utter dominance of the very tough UFC 155lb class.

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Alvarez vs Kikuno

I didn’t realize that a 12-1-1 record and a quicker knockout of a quality common opponent makes Kikuno an undeserving and unproven opponent. To be a frank, I’d rather see an up-and-comer like Kikuno get a shot at Alvarez than a washed-up, overrated punk like Calvacante whom DREAM was considering a pairing. Without question, this is best matchup DREAM could make given Hansen and Aoki are planning to meet at DREAM 11.

by aggieheaven on Oct 1, 2009 7:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would love to see the #1 LW fight the #2 LW.

for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.

by Bandaka on Oct 2, 2009 10:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, it'd be nice to see Aoki take a beating.

And it would clear up just how overrated a lot of the Japanese fighters are since there’s so little cross-pollination between them and the UFC lightweights.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 2, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah but wouldn’t you love to see Aoki doing the butt scoot toward BJ Penn?

for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.

by Bandaka on Oct 2, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, it'd be fun.

But it really would be one-sided. Pants or no pants, Shinya doesn’t stand a chance. :-)

To me Japan’s lightweight division feels like MMA before the wrestlers and strikers showed up….

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 2, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually think that Aoki would excell in the UFC lightweight division and really is a threat to BJ Penn. Imagine how effortless it would be for Aoki to butt scoot along the HUGE Burger King logo! BJ would be forced to engage in the most epic ground batlle of all time.

for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.

by Bandaka on Oct 2, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem with your theory*

…is that the octagon is too big for that to work, and the UFC refs would make him stand up. At which point he’d get knocked down.

BJ is too big for most lightweights and can compete at the highest levels of the welterweight division. We’ve seen how Aoki compares to a mid-tier welterweight.

Or should I say, fantasy

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 2, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you sure about that? I thought the butt scoot has been proven to be a good offensive position. The ref would have no choice to let Aoki do his “thang”.

for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.

by Bandaka on Oct 2, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dude, this is MMA

The refs have to consult a magic 8-ball before doing anything.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 2, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

According to the table Maynard actually dropped a spot from 7 to tied for 8. Is the table wrong or the writeup?

by FRANKIE on Oct 2, 2009 10:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the writeup

will fix. thanks!

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Kid Nate on Oct 2, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huerta is not showing as #24 either…

Creator of the FightMatrix rating system.

by JCS_FM on Oct 2, 2009 11:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

my bad

was apparently looking at last month’s numbers when I wrote this.

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Kid Nate on Oct 2, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree with Kawajiri not being in the Top 5.

1. BJ Penn
2. Aoki
3. Alvarez
4. Kawajiri
5. Frank Edgar

by Meshuggeth on Oct 2, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I have to reiterate what I said about GSP on the welterweight list here:

BJ is so far beyond the rest of the guys on that list that it’s a shame that we can’t just leave 2-5 blank.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Oct 2, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

^ NO WAY

I don’t know really look at Kawajiri’s record he has alot of W’s over mid level and lower competition but when its comes to him gettin W’s in big fights with BIG names in the devision he has come out on the loosing side alot more then got the W. His 3 BIG wins in the LW devision are his last fight JZ, Shaolin and the DQ loss to Joachim Hansen and a Draw agasint Caol Uno. I know when he beat Yves Edwards that Yves was still considered a top 10 LW. other then those wins there are not to many solid BIG name wins on his record. He really should have a W over Gilbert Melendez that decision is still on my top 5 list of worst decisions ever. I still see how the judges gave that fight to Melendez ?

by Shocbomb on Oct 2, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah Sure would I of liked to see Dream match Alvarez up with a better name opponent like Ishida, JZ, or even Shaolin Yes but don’t be fooled Katsunori Kikuno might not have the name value as the others but he is a tuff opponent and not to be taken lightly. It Should be a good fight ?

by Shocbomb on Oct 2, 2009 1:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Prodigy breaks the Daydream’s arm in round #3….no way Diego should be in there with BJ

by coachbarbour on Oct 2, 2009 2:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The best thing Aoki and Alvarez have going for them

is not being in the UFC.

Also, Gray Maynard at 8 is terrible— I can’t believe he’s so far below Edgar. Essentially the entire UFC portion of the rankings is like that penguin/escalator toy you’d play with as a kid where they’re perpetually climbing up the steps then promptly flying back down to the bottom.

by LBo on Oct 2, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HOW?!

How is alvarez number 3?!? what the hell has this guy done to be so deserving of being on the same list as Bj, Kenny, or even Edgar? i just dont get it. yes look at his record, then look at the people he has fought, then look at everyone else. the mmath does NOT add up. Huerta would destroy Alvarez, so would Diaz for that matter.

ufc fan boy all the way

by georgehouse on Oct 2, 2009 4:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs