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The Rankings: The Featherweights: Nov 9, 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 Kelsey - 2011 MMA Manifesto Pick 'Em Contest Champion, and MMA journalist (FIGHT!, UFC.com, Keyboard Kimura) E. Spencer Kyte.
*Click on fighter's name for a full scouting report*
1) (Last Ranking - 1) Jose Aldo - UFC Featherweight Champion - 40 points (out of 40)
Record: 21-1
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Mendes)
Next Fight: vs #2 Frankie Edgar - UFC 156 - Feb 2nd
Jose Aldo promises no more riding his motorcycle. Probably a good call.
2) (2) Frankie Edgar - UFC - 34 points
Record: 14-3-1
Last Five Fights: 2-2-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: vs #1 Jose Aldo UFC 156 - Feb 2nd
Frankie Edgar will have to wait for Aldo's foot to heal before he makes his long-awaited UFC featherweight debut.
3) (3) Chad Mendes - UFC - 33 points
Record: 12-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 1-1 (L-Aldo, W-Koch)
Next Fight: vs Hacran Dias - UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs Pearson - Dec 15th
Chad Mendes rebounded from the only loss of his career by KOing Cody McKenzie at UFC 148.
4) (4) Pat Curran - Bellator Featherwight Champion - 26 points
Record: 17-4
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: vs Patricio Freire - TBA
Unfortunately a broken orbital bone has delayed Pat Curran's first title defense versus Patricio Freire.
5) (5) Chan Sung Jung - UFC - 24 points
Record: 13-3
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Poirier)
Next Fight: TBA
The Korean Zombie put on the performance of a lifetime versus Dustin Poirier, showing a much-improved fighting style.
6) (6) Erik Koch - UFC - 20 points
Record: 13-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Mendes)
Next Fight: vs #8 Ricardo Lamas - UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Dodson - Jan 26th
While it is never convenient to get injured, Erik Koch definitely picked the worst possible time.
7) (7) Hatsu Hioki - UFC - 12 points
Record: 26-5-2
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Lamas)
Next Fight: vs Clay Guida - UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Dodson - Jan 26th
Hatsu Hioki passed on a shot at Jose Aldo to instead take a tune-up fight with Ricardo Lamas. He got tuned, that's for sure.
8) (8) Ricardo Lamas - UFC - 11 points
Record: 12-2
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 1-0 (W-Hioki)
Next Fight: vs #6 Erik Koch - UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Dodson - Jan 26th
Despite being a big-time underdog, Ricardo Lamas beat Hatsu Hioki in Atlantic City last summer.
9) (9) Dustin Poirier - UFC - 9 points
Record: 12-2
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-1 (L-Jung)
Next Fight: vs Jonathan Brookins - TUF 16 Finale - Dec 15th
Dustin Poirier got totally overwhelmed by the Korean Zombie in the biggest fight of his career thus far.
10) (10) Dennis Siver - UFC - 5 points
Record: 20-8
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Record vs Top 10: 0-0
Next Fight: vs Eddie Yagin - UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Diaz - Dec 8th
After some initial difficulty getting down to the 145-pound limit, Dennis Siver passed his featherweight debut with flying colours, besting Diego Nunes.
Bubbling under: Tatsuya Kawijiri, Marlon Sandro, Diego Nunes
Rankings:
Heavyweights
Light Heavyweights
Middleweights
Welterweights
Lightweights
Bantamweights
Pound for Pound
Check back on Monday for our Bantamweight rankings
