The Rankings: The Featherweights: Mar 30, 2012

The Rankings are just that - The MMA Manifesto's rankings of the best fighters in mixed martial arts today.  Check back every Monday and Friday for our rankings of a different weight class.  Next up: The Featherweights. 


Voting Panel: Jeff Fox - The MMA Manifesto, speeds - Sports Two MMA Forum, Dave Hunter - 2010 MMA Manifesto Pick 'Em Contest Champion, and Dave Kelsey - 2011 MMA Manifesto Pick 'Em Contest Champion, and Sanford & Son - old school MMA head and Slavoj Žižek zealot.





1) (Last Ranking - 1) Jose Aldo - UFC Featherweight Champion - 50 points (out of 50)



    Record: 21-1
    Last Five Fights: 5-0 
    Record vs Top 10: 2-0 (W-Mendes, W-Florian)
    Next Fight: vs TBA - UFC 149 - July 21st

Who's next to try to solve the puzzle that is Jose Aldo?  Not Frankie Edgar or Anthony Pettis, apparently, as they both plan on staying at 155 pounds.


2) (2) Hatsu Hioki - UFC - 42 points
          Record: 26-4-2
          Last Five Fights: 5-0
          Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Sandro)
          Next Fight: TBA

Next up for Aldo is probably this man, Hatsu Hioki, who took apart Bart Palaszewski at UFC 144.


3) (3) Chad Mendes - UFC - 39 points
          Record: 11-1
          Last Five Fights: 4-1 
          Record vs Top 10: 1-1 (L-Aldo, W-Koch)
          Next Fight: TBA

Chad Mendes already had his shot at Aldo and ended up the way 99% of Aldo's opponents do - on the losing end of the ledger. 


4) (4) Dustin Poirier - UFC - 35 points
          Record: 12-1 
          Last Five Fights: 5-0 
          Record vs Top 10: 0-0
          Next Fight: vs #10 Chan Sung Jung - UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs Poirier - May 15th

Dustin Poirier has the biggest fight of his career coming up - a headlining slot versus The Korean Zombie with a title shot on the line.
  

5) (5) Pat Curran - Bellator Featherwight Champion - 33 points 
          Record: 17-4
          Last Five Fights: 4-1 
          Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Sandro)
          Next Fight: TBA

Pat Curran backed up his high ranking on this list by annihilating Bellator champ Joe Warren at Bellator LX.


6) (8) Erik Koch - UFC - 20 points
          Record: 13-1
          Last Five Fights: 4-1 
          Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Mendes)
          Next Fight: TBA

Erik Koch had a big matchup set up against Dustin Poirier last month, only to be thwarted by a training camp injury sustained by Koch.


7) (9) Marlon Sandro - Bellator - 19 points
          Record: 21-3
          Last Five Fights: 4-1
          Record vs Top 10: 0-2 (L-Curran, L-Hioki)
          Next Fight: vs Alexandre Bezerra - Bellator LXIV - April 6th

Marlon Sandro is on his way to a rematch with newly crowned Bellator champion Pat Curran.  Two more wins in the featherweight tournament and Sandro will get a title shot.


8) (7) Diego Nunes - UFC - 15 points
          Record: 17-2
          Last Five Fights: 4-1 
          Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Florian)    
          Next Fight: vs Dennis Siver - UFC on Fuel TV: Gustafsson vs Silva - April 14th 

Diego Nunes will look to give Dennis Siver a rough welcome into the featherweight division when the two hook up in April.


9) (6) Kenny Florian - UFC - 13 points




    Record: 14-6
    Last Five Fights: 3-2
    Record vs Top 10: 1-1 (L-Aldo, W-Nunes)    
    Next Fight: TBA

We may have seen the last of the classy and exciting Florian fighting the Octagon, as his troublesome back might make him hang up the gloves.   


10) (NR) Chan Sung Jung - UFC - 7 points
              Record: 12-3 
              Last Five Fights: 3-2
              Record vs Top 10: 0-0 
              Next Fight: vs #4 Dustin Poirier - UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs Poirier - May 15th

One of the most exciting fighters in the world has his work cut out for him, as Chan Sung Jung headlines against Dustin Poirier in May.  The winner supposedly gets a title shot.


Dropped off: (10) Joe Warren


Bubbling under: Bart Palaszewski, Patricio Freire 


Rankings: Heavyweights, Light Heavyweights, Middleweights, Welterweights,  Lightweights, Bantamweights, Pound For Pound




Check back on Monday for our Bantamweight rankings