Heavyweight - SB Nation Consensus MMA Rankings

Compiling the rankings of twenty top mixed martial arts web sites, the MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings present the top 25 fighters in MMA for the seven major weight classes. These world MMA rankings are the most accurate reflection of how the top fighters in MMA across all promotions like UFC, Strikeforce and ProElite are viewed by the experts who cover the sport.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted August 30, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	300	UFC	1
2	Cain Velasquez	287	UFC	2
3	Daniel Cormier	258	Strikeforce	4
4	Alistair Overeem	258	UFC	3
5	Fabricio Werdum	252	UFC	5
6	Frank Mir	242	Strikeforce	6
7	Josh Barnett	218	Strikeforce	7
8	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	215	UFC	8
9	Antonio Silva	172	UFC	9
10	Shane Carwin	171	UFC	10
11	Mark Hunt	118	UFC	12
12	Travis Browne	113	UFC	11
13	Roy Nelson	109	UFC	13
14	Stefan Struve	106	UFC	14
15	Mike Russow	92	UFC	16
16	Cheick Kongo	91	UFC	17
17	Cole Konrad	89	Bellator	18
18	Ben Rothwell	88	UFC	19
19	Fedor Emelianenko	79	M-1 Global	15
20	Sergei Kharitonov	71	Strikeforce	20
21	Stipe Miocic	70	UFC	21
22	Brendan Schaub	69	UFC	22
23	Damian Grabowski	61	UFC	23
24	Matt Mitrione	56	UFC	24
25	Gabriel Gonzaga	55	UFC	25

Analysis by Richard Wade

The most exciting news in this division is that #6 Frank Mir will move over to Strikeforce for one fight to take on #3 Daniel Cormier.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted August 2, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	350	UFC	1
2	Cain Velasquez	335	UFC	2
3	Alistair Overeem	304	UFC	3
4	Daniel Cormier	300	Strikeforce	4
5	Fabricio Werdum	296	UFC	5
6	Frank Mir	279	UFC	6
7	Josh Barnett	251	Strikeforce	7
8	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	250	UFC	8
9	Antonio Silva	198	UFC	10
10	Shane Carwin	195	UFC	9
11	Travis Browne	143	UFC	11
12	Mark Hunt	136	UFC	12
13	Roy Nelson	130	UFC	13
14	Stefan Struve	124	UFC	14
15	Fedor Emelianenko	104	Retired	15
16	Mike Russow	103	UFC	19
17	Cheick Kongo	101	UFC	16
18	Cole Konrad	99	Bellator	17
19	Ben Rothwell	98	UFC	18
20	Sergei Kharitonov	81	Strikeforce	20
21	Stipe Miocic	79	UFC	21
21	Brendan Schaub	79	UFC	21
23	Damian Grabowski	71	Bellator	23
24	Matt Mitrione	66	UFC	24
25	Gabriel Gonzaga	65	UFC	26

Analysis by Richard Wade

In one of the more imaginative bits of matchmaking seen this year, #6 Frank Mir will move to Strikeforce for one fight to take on #4 Daniel Cormier.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted July 2, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	325	UFC	1
2	Cain Velasquez	311	UFC	2
3	Alistair Overeem	282	UFC	3
4	Daniel Cormier	277	Strikeforce	6
5	Fabricio Werdum	275	UFC	5
6	Frank Mir	259	UFC	4
7	Josh Barnett	230	Strikeforce	9
8	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	228	UFC	8
9	Shane Carwin	190	UFC	7
10	Antonio Silva	181	UFC	10
11	Travis Browne	136	UFC	12
12	Mark Hunt	128	UFC	13
13	Roy Nelson	122	UFC	14
14	Stefan Struve	117	UFC	19
15	Fedor Emelianenko	114	Retired	11
16	Cheick Kongo	92	UFC	15
17	Cole Konrad	91	Bellator	18
18	Ben Rothwell	88	UFC	17
19	Mike Russow	87	UFC	16
20	Sergei Kharitonov	73	Strikeforce	20
21	Brendan Schaub	72	UFC	21
21	Stipe Miocic	72	UFC	27
23	Damian Grabowski	63	Bellator	22
24	Matt Mitrione	60	UFC	23
25	Dan Henderson	59	UFC	25

Analysis by Richard Wade

Junior dos Santos remains the undisputed #1 in this division as he awaits a rematch with #2 Cain Velasquez.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted May 24, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	375	UFC	1
2	Cain Velasquez	353	UFC	3
3	Alistair Overeem	333	UFC	2
4	Frank Mir	308	UFC	4
5	Fabricio Werdum	307	UFC	5
6	Daniel Cormier	301	Strikeforce	8
7	Shane Carwin	273	UFC	6
8	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	266	UFC	9
9	Josh Barnett	253	Strikeforce	7
10	Antonio Silva	244	UFC	10
11	Fedor Emelianenko	157	M-1 Global	11
12	Travis Browne	141	UFC	13
13	Mark Hunt	126	UFC	12
14	Roy Nelson	119	UFC	15
15	Cheick Kongo	106	UFC	16
16	Mike Russow	103	UFC	14
17	Ben Rothwell	93	UFC	17
18	Cole Konrad	92	Bellator	17
19	Stefan Struve	87	UFC	21
20	Sergei Kharitonov	81	Strikeforce	22
21	Brendan Schaub	76	UFC	19
22	Damian Grabowski	68	Bellator	NR
23	Matt Mitrione	66	UFC	23
24	Brock Lesnar	65	UFC	20
25	Dan Henderson	64	UFC	24

Analysis by Richard Wade

#1 Junior dos Santos will defend his heavyweight crown this Saturday against #4 Frank Mir.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted April 27, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	350	UFC	1
2	Alistair Overeem	330	UFC	2
3	Cain Velasquez	327	UFC	3
4	Frank Mir	290	UFC	5
5	Fabricio Werdum	287	UFC	4
6	Shane Carwin	256	UFC	7
7	Josh Barnett	252	Strikeforce	6
8	Daniel Cormier	250	Strikeforce	8
9	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	241	UFC	9
10	Antonio Silva	218	UFC	10
11	Fedor Emelianenko	145	M-1	11
12	Mark Hunt	138	UFC	13
13	Travis Browne	128	UFC	15
14	Mike Russow	108	UFC	18
15	Roy Nelson	107	UFC	14
16	Cheick Kongo	105	UFC	17
17	Cole Konrad	98	Bellator	19
17	Ben Rothwell	98	UFC	30
19	Brendan Schaub	90	UFC	12
20	Brock Lesnar	87	Retired	16
21	Stefan Struve	84	UFC	21
22	Sergei Kharitonov	79	Strikeforce	20
23	Matt Mitrione	69	UFC	22
24	Dan Henderson	67	UFC	24
25	Gabriel Gonzaga	65	UFC	23

Analysis by Richard Wade

With #2 Alistair Overeem unavailable, #1 Junior dos Santos will defend his title against #4 Frank Mir.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted March 29, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	350	UFC	1
2	Alistair Overeem	330	UFC	2
3	Cain Velasquez	327	UFC	2
4	Fabricio Werdum	291	UFC	5
5	Frank Mir	289	UFC	4
6	Josh Barnett	262	Strikeforce	7
7	Shane Carwin	257	UFC	6
8	Daniel Cormier	245	Strikeforce	8
9	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	243	UFC	9
10	Antonio Silva	201	UFC	10
11	Fedor Emelianenko	149	M-1 Global	11
12	Brendan Schaub	132	UFC	13
13	Mark Hunt	125	UFC	22
14	Roy Nelson	112	UFC	14
15	Travis Browne	109	UFC	16
16	Brock Lesnar	101	UFC	15
17	Cheick Kongo	96	UFC	12
18	Mike Russow	91	UFC	17
19	Cole Konrad	88	Bellator	19
20	Sergei Kharitonov	80	Strikeforce	18
21	Stefan Struve	76	UFC	20
22	Matt Mitrione	63	UFC	21
23	Gabriel Gonzaga	55	UFC	22
24	Dan Henderson	55	UFC	25
25	Pat Barry	48	UFC	24
25	Stipe Miocic	48	UFC	26

Analysis by Richard Wade

Junior dos Santos still sits atop the heavyweight rankings as he awaits his first title defense.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted February 23, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	400	UFC	1
2	Alistair Overeem	376	UFC	2
2	Cain Velasquez	376	UFC	2
4	Frank Mir	333	UFC	4
5	Fabricio Werdum	328	UFC	5
6	Shane Carwin	291	UFC	6
7	Josh Barnett	291	Strikeforce	8
8	Daniel Cormier	284	Strikeforce	7
9	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	279	UFC	9
10	Antonio Silva	209	UFC	10
11	Fedor Emelianenko	172	M-1 Global	11
12	Cheick Kongo	171	UFC	12
13	Brendan Schaub	150	UFC	13
14	Roy Nelson	135	UFC	14
15	Brock Lesnar	118	UFC	15
16	Travis Browne	111	UFC	17
17	Mike Russow	110	UFC	18
18	Sergei Kharitonov	96	Strikeforce	16
19	Cole Konrad	83	Bellator	19
20	Stefan Struve	81	UFC	22
21	Matt Mitrione	69	UFC	21
22	Gabriel Gonzaga	60	UFC	20
22	Mark Hunt	60	UFC	23
24	Pat Barry	54	UFC	26
25	Dan Henderson	51	UFC	24

Analysis by Richard Wade

Junior dos Santos, the UFC's reigning champion, is also your reigning #1 Heavyweight.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted January 27, 2012

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	400	UFC	1
2	Cain Velasquez	376	UFC	2
2	Alistair Overeem	376	UFC	3
4	Frank Mir	330	UFC	5
5	Fabricio Werdum	323	UFC	6
6	Shane Carwin	291	UFC	7
7	Daniel Cormier	289	Strikeforce	8
8	Josh Barnett	279	Strikeforce	9
9	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	274	UFC	10
10	Antonio Silva	214	UFC	11
11	Fedor Emelianenko	169	M-1 Global	12
12	Cheick Kongo	164	UFC	13
13	Brendan Schaub	142	UFC	15
14	Roy Nelson	133	UFC	14
15	Brock Lesnar	130	UFC	4
16	Sergei Kharitonov	101	Strikeforce	16
17	Travis Browne	100	UFC	17
18	Mike Russow	90	UFC	18
19	Cole Konrad	89	Bellator	19
20	Gabriel Gonzaga	71	UFC	26
21	Matt Mitrione	70	UFC	20
22	Stefan Struve	67	UFC	21
23	Mark Hunt	64	UFC	22
24	Dan Henderson	57	UFC	24
25	Dave Herman	55	UFC	25

Analysis by Richard Wade

Following his destruction at the hands of Alistair Overeem and his subsequent retirement announcement, Brock Lesnar has tumbled down the rankings list.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted December 30, 2011

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	425	UFC	1
2	Cain Velasquez	406	UFC	2
3	Alistair Overeem	387	UFC	3
4	Brock Lesnar	354	UFC	4
5	Frank Mir	337	UFC	6
6	Fabricio Werdum	336	UFC	5
7	Shane Carwin	303	UFC	7
8	Daniel Cormier	294	Strikeforce	8
9	Josh Barnett	284	Strikeforce	9
10	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	260	UFC	10
11	Antonio Silva	202	Strikeforce	11
12	Fedor Emelianenko	176	M-1 Global	12
13	Cheick Kongo	146	UFC	13
14	Roy Nelson	135	UFC	14
15	Brendan Schaub	134	UFC	14
16	Sergei Kharitonov	107	Strikeforce	16
17	Travis Browne	104	UFC	17
18	Mike Russow	99	UFC	18
19	Cole Konrad	89	Bellator	19
20	Matt Mitrione	76	UFC	20
21	Stefan Struve	72	UFC	21
22	Mark Hunt	71	UFC	22
23	Pat Barry	59	UFC	23
24	Dan Henderson	59	UFC	24
25	Dave Herman	57	UFC	26

Analysis by Richard Wade

Tomorrow night, #3 Alistair Overeem and #4 Brock Lesnar are set to do battle for the right to face #1 Junior dos Santos.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted December 2, 2011

Rank	Fighter	Points	Promotion	Last Rank
1	Junior dos Santos	400	UFC	2
2	Cain Velasquez	382	UFC	1
3	Alistair Overeem	364	UFC	3
4	Brock Lesnar	330	UFC	4
5	Fabricio Werdum	325	Strikeforce	5
6	Frank Mir	304	UFC	6
7	Shane Carwin	287	UFC	7
8	Daniel Cormier	276	Strikeforce	9
9	Josh Barnett	265	Strikeforce	8
10	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	248	UFC	10
11	Antonio Silva	186	Strikeforce	11
12	Fedor Emelianenko	166	M-1 Global	12
13	Cheick Kongo	132	UFC	13
14	Brendan Schaub	122	UFC	14
14	Roy Nelson	122	UFC	15
16	Sergei Kharitonov	105	Strikeforce	17
17	Travis Browne	102	UFC	16
18	Mike Russow	97	UFC	19
19	Cole Konrad	87	Bellator	20
20	Matt Mitrione	74	UFC	18
21	Stefan Struve	70	UFC	22
22	Mark Hunt	69	UFC	21
23	Pat Barry	57	UFC	25
24	Dan Henderson	56	UFC	26
25	Gabriel Gonzaga	55	Reality Fighting	23

Analysis by Richard Wade

Following his 64 second destruction of former #1 Cain Velasquez on the UFC's debut on Fox, Junior dos Santos is the undisputed #1 heavyweight in the world as well as UFC Heavyweight Champion.

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About the Rankings

compiled by Kid Nate and Richard Wade of Bloody Elbow

Based on the premise that all MMA rankings are subjective but that it’s still useful and informative to know who the online MMA community as a whole ranks as the best fighters in MMA, we collect and average the rankings of the top MMA websites to produce our consensus rankings. Show more »

Sources

Jeremy Botter, Heavy MMA
Fight Matrix
Jordan Breen, Sherdog
Jim Genia, Full Contact Fighter
Jesse Holland, MMA Mania
Kevin Iole, Yahoo!
Eric Kamander, MMA Ratings
MMA Playground
MMA Weekly
Leland Roling, Bloody Elbow
Matthew Roth, Head Kick Legend
Wojslaw Rysiewski, MMA Rocks
Michael David Smith, MMA Fighting
Derek Suboticki, Fightlinker
Luke Thomas, SB Nation

Network Bar

Consensus Rankings posted August 30, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted August 2, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted July 2, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted May 24, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted April 27, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted March 29, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted February 23, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted January 27, 2012

Consensus Rankings posted December 30, 2011

Consensus Rankings posted December 2, 2011

About the Rankings

compiled by Kid Nate and Richard Wade of Bloody Elbow

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Sources