411 MMA Rankings 03.10.09: Middleweight Division

Posted by Jonathan Solomon on 03.10.2009

The MMA staff at 411 examine the vaunted middleweight division, better known as Anderson Silva's playpen. How do Nate Marquardt, Yushin Okami, Dan Henderson and co. rank to make up the rest of the list? Click to see where UFC's #1 contender Thales Leites stands just weeks from his date with glory or agony. Demian Maia is fresh off another submission victory, is it enough to crack the top 10? Where do Lawler, Belfort, Mousasi, Trigg, Lindland stand?

Welcome to another week of the 411 MMA Rankings courtesy of the staff full of intelligent and thoughtful (at least, in most cases) minds. UFC 96 has come and gone and without any top middleweights in action, it's time to go to the numbers.

Since the 411 MMA Rankings began 18-months ago, the only consistent names at the top of the lists have been Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva. Today, Silva remains atop the middleweight rankings and will continue to do so until (or if) he loses. His next fight is set for next month so no worries until then. The question has always been who is number two, and thus, ready to take over in the event Silva lost. One year ago, that man was Paulo Filho. His career has since flamed out (hopefully his personal life is in order) and names such as ...... have reached as high as two. Who will make it this month?

It's time once again for the crack staff of MMA experts here at 411mania to rank the top 15 middleweight fighters in MMA. It's no surprise that Anderson Silva has the top spot once again (like he has since I started these things over a year ago!), but who do we consider to be his top challengers? Dan Henderson just had a very impressive win against Rich Franklin and he could be the UFC's #1 contender. What about Yushin Okami? He just beat Dean Lister and sent him right out of the UFC...not to mention that Dana White has already guaranteed that Okami will get a title shot soon. But where does he stand in the rankings now? And what about the fallout from Affliction's "Day Of Reckoning"? We saw Vitor Belfort knock Matt Lindland's block off, so where do those two stand in the rankings now? So many questions......so little time......

SO LET'S DO IT!

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March 2008 Middleweight Rankings:

1. Anderson Silva

2. Paulo Filho

3. Dan Henderson

4. Rich Franklin

5. Nate Marquardt

6. Yushin Okami

7. Robbie Lawler

8. Denis Kang

9. Yoshihiro Akiyama

10. Kazuo Misaki

Cung Le and Frank Trigg were "On The Bubble."

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411's MMA Ranking Rules

- If a fighter hasn't fought in a year, he can not be ranked. It's not fair to people who are fighting to not be ranked because a fighter is taking a year off. However, if a fighter schedules a fight he is still eligible for being ranked.

- If you wish to complain about a fighter's ranking in the comments section, then please include an objective reason as to why you don't like the ranking, and include your own set of rankings if you would!

- 411's MMA Rankings are voted on by the staff of 411mania. Whether you hate us or love us, never forget, we are always one step ahead.





411's Official MMA Rankings: Middleweight Division

Middleweight Division (185 pounds)






1) Anderson Silva (23-4)

Height: 6'2

Birthday: April 14, 1975

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Patrick Cote - Win via TKO (injured knee) - UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote - October 25, 2008

- vs. James Irvin - Win via KO (punches) - UFC: Fight Night 14 - July 19, 2008

- vs. Dan Henderson - Win via submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 82: Pride of a Champion - March 1, 2008

- vs. Rich Franklin - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 77: Hostile Territory - October 20, 2007

- vs. Nathan Marquardt - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 73: Stacked - July 7, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Thales Leites - UFC 97 "Silva vs. Leites" - April 18, 2009

Comment: The man may be one of the most feared fighters in the sport, but no winning streak lasts forever, right? In the TV promotion for UFC 97, they hype the fact that if Silva defeats Leites, he will hold the record for most consecutive UFC wins. My question, in each man's prime, who would win? Anderson Silva or Frank Shamrock?

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2) Dan Henderson (24-7)

Height: 6'1

Birthday: August 24, 1970

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Rich Franklin - Win via decision (split) - UFC 93: Franklin vs. Henderson - January 17, 2009

- vs. Rousimar Palhares - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 88: Breakthrough - September 6, 2008

- vs. Anderson Silva - Loss via submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 82: Pride of a Champion - March 1, 2008

- vs. Quinton Jackson - Loss via decision (unanimous) - UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion - September 8, 2007

- vs. Wanderlei Silva - Win via KO (left hook) - PRIDE 33: The Second Coming - February 24, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Michael Bisping - UFC 100 - July 11, 2009

Comment: Henderson defeated Rich Franklin two months ago in a light-heavyweight fight and is set to return to the lighter division in the summer. He will be one of two coaches featured on a season of The Ultimate Fighter, set to begin in early April. For those looking at records and why Henderson is still #2, the only losses in his recent history were to the two champions in the 205-pound and 185-pound divisions. The question some may have about Henderson as time goes by is how or if age will play a role in his fights. He will turn 39-years old in August and will fight a powerful striker in Michael Bisping. However, Henderson should have the advantage on the ground and is not too shabby a striker himself.

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3) Robbie Lawler (16-4)

Height: 5'11

Currently Fighting With: Strikeforce

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Scott Smith - Win via TKO (kicks and punches) - EliteXC: Unfinished Business - July 26, 2008

- vs. Scott Smith - No contest (thumb in the eye) - EliteXC: Primetime - May 31, 2008

- vs. Murilo Rua - Win via TKO (strikes) - EliteXC: Uprising - September 15, 2007

- vs. Frank Trigg - Win via KO (strikes) - ICON Sport: Epic - March 31, 2007

- vs. Eduardo Pamplona - Win via TKO - IFL: Atlanta - February 23, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. TBA - Strikeforce on Showtime - May 2009

Comment: Finally, Lawler's future is starting to take shape. The last EXC Middleweight Champion (Strikeforce will not recognize the EXC straps) has joined Strikeforce and is simply waiting for a date and opponent. It sounds like he may return to the cage in May for Strikeforce's Washington-state return. Is it odd for some that Lawler won one fight last year and is in the top 3? Lawler is a great fighter and may have the best boxing out of any fighter at the top of this list but being outside of the UFC, he just has not had the opportunity to fight the very best in the division. There are still several solid fighters out there and it remains to be seen who Lawler will fight next. Since last month, Lawler and Okami have swapped spots.

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4) Yushin Okami (23-4)

Height: 6'2

Birthday: July 21, 1981

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Dean Lister - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 92: Ultimate 2008 - December 27, 2008

- vs. Evan Tanner - Win via KO (knee) - UFC 82: Pride of a Champion - March 1, 2008

- vs. Jason MacDonald - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 77: Hostile Territory - October 20, 2007

- vs. Rich Franklin - Loss via decision (unanimous) - UFC 72: Victory - June 16, 2007

- vs. Mike Swick - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 69: Shootout - April 7, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Dan Miller - UFC 98 - May 23, 2009

Comment: Okami is one of those guys who always seems to be in championship contention but for one reason or another, just cannot get that shot. Since 2004, he has only lost to Jake Shields and Rich Franklin with wins against the likes of Alan Belcher, Mike Swick, Jason MacDonald, Evan Tanner and others. Okami will have to go through Dan Miller of the famous Miller brothers. With a win, he could be in line for a shot at the Silva/Leites winner. With a loss, end of the line you go!

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5) Nathan Marquardt (28-8-2)

Height: 6'1

Birthday: April 20, 1979

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Wilson Gouveia - Win by TKO (strikes) - UC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson - February 21, 2009

- vs. Martin Kampmann - Win via TKO (punches) - UFC 88: Breakthrough - September 6, 2008

- vs. Thales Leites - Loss via decision (split) - UFC 85: Bedlam - June 7, 2008

- vs. Jeremy Horn - Win via submission (guillotine choke) - UFC 81: Breaking Point - February 2, 2008

- vs. Anderson Silva - Loss via TKO (strikes) - UFC 73: Stacked - July 7, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Currently Unknown

Comment: Nate "The Great" is back in the saddle apparently because he looked tremendous in his win over Wilson Gouveia last month. After the fight, he insisted he is a completely new fighter compared to the version who lost to Anderson Silva in 2007. I believe him. He has a newfound confidence that did not seem to exist back then. His only problem in that sense is there may be a line waiting in front of Silva' s door, assuming he wins in April. He will likely have to win one or two more fights to earn himself a shot at Silva, unless the scheduling works out in his favor. His next fight is not booked yet but I would expect to see Marquardt back in the octagon in the summer. If that is the case, camp partners, GSP and Marquardt would be training for fights at roughly the same time.

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6) Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1)

Height: 6'0

Currently Fighting With: DREAM and Affliction

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza - Win via KO (upkick) - DREAM 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - September 23, 2008

- vs. Melvin Manhoef - Win via submission (triangle choke) - DREAM 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - September 23, 2008

- vs. Dong Sik Yoon - Win via decision (unanimous) - DREAM 4: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - June 15, 2008

- vs. Denis Kang - Win via submission (triangle choke) - DREAM 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 Opening Round - April 29, 2008

- vs. Steve Mensing - Win via KO (punch) - M-1: Slamm - March 2, 2008

Next scheduled appearance:

- Currently Unknown

Comment: This is likely the last time Mousasi will appear in our middleweight rankings. By all accounts, he plans to move up in weight and fight for DREAM in the spring before coming to the U.S. and Affliction in the summer. The only reason he was not removed this month is because he has no official fight scheduled outside of the weight class. With that said, he has been arguably the best middleweight fighter in Japan. He has a good combination of striking power and ground ability. How that translates to light-heavyweight and/or heavyweight is another question.

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7) Demian Maia (10-0)

Height: 6'0

Birthday: November 6, 1977

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Chael Sonnen - Win via submission (triangle choke) - UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson - February 21, 2009

- vs. Nate Quarry - Win via submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar - November 15, 2008

- vs. Jason MacDonald - Win via submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 87: Seek And Destroy - August 9, 2008

- vs. Ed Herman - Win via technical submission (triangle choke) - UFC 83: Serra vs. St. Pierre II - April 19, 2008

- vs. Ryan Jensen - Win via submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 77: Hostile Territory - October 20, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

-vs. Currently Unknown

Comment: Maia is hands down, one of the most popular fighters in the UFC today. His dismantling of Chael Sonnen was as much a work of art as any painting or sculpture you'll see in a museum. (There is always a but) BUT, everyone is waiting to see Maia fight someone who can prevent the fight from going to the ground. Someone who has explosive hands should give Maia trouble on the feet or on the ground. Maia has earned four 'Submission of the Night' bonuses in his last five fights. Maia has also made the biggest jump of the middleweights since the last time we ranked them. Maia went from #15 in January to #7 in March.

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8) Jorge Santiago (21-7)

Height: 6'1

Currently Fighting With: Sengoku

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Kazuo Misaki - Win via technical submission (rear-naked choke) - Sengoku 7: no Ran 2009 - January 4, 2009

- vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura - Win via TKO (punches) - Sengoku 6 - November 1, 2008

- vs. Siyar Bahadurzada - Win via submission (heel hook) - Sengoku 6 - November 1, 2008

- vs. Logan Clark - Win via submission (arm-triangle choke) - Sengoku 5 - September 28, 2008

- vs. Yuki Sasaki - Win via submission (armbar) - Sengoku 2 - May 18, 2008

Next scheduled appearance:

- Currently Unknown

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9) Thales Leites (14-1)

Height: 6'1

Birthday: September 6, 1981

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Drew McFedries - Win via submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote - October 25, 2008

- vs. Nathan Marquardt - Win via decision (split) - UFC 85: Bedlam - June 7, 2008

- vs. Ryan Jensen - Win via submission (arm bar) - UFC 74: Respect - August 25, 2007

- vs. Floyd Sword - Win via submission (arm triangle choke) - UFC: Ultimate Fighter 5 finale - June 23, 2007

- vs. Pete Sell - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 69: Shootout - April 7, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Anderson Silva - UFC 97 "Silva vs. Leites" - April 18, 2009

Comment: The next man to try and stop Anderson Silva. Good luck sir. Good luck.

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10) Kazuo Misaki (21-9-2)

Height: 5'10

Birthday: April 25, 1976

Currently Fighting With: Sengoku, Strikeforce

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Jorge Santiago - Loss via technical submission (rear-naked choke) - Sengoku 7: no Ran 2009 - January 4, 2009

- vs. Joe Riggs - Win via TKO (punches) - Strikeforce "Playboy Mansion II" - September 20, 2008

- vs. Logan Clark - Win via decision (unanimous) - World Victory Road: Sengoku 3 - June 8, 2008

- vs. Siyar Bahadurzada - Win via submission (guillotine) - World Victory Road: Sengoku - March 5, 2008

- vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama - No contest (Akiyama KO'd by illegal kick) - Yarennoka - New Year's Eve 2007 - December 31, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- Currently Unknown

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11) Vitor Belfort (18-8)

Height: 6'0

Birthday: January 4, 1977

Currently Fighting With: Affliction

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Matt Lindland - Win via KO (punches) - Affliction: Day Of Reckoning - January 24, 2009

- vs. Terry Martin - Win via KO (punches) - Affliction: Banned - July 19, 2008

- vs. James Zikic - Win via decision (unanimous) - Cage Rage 23 - September 22, 2007

- vs. Ivan Serati - Win via TKO (punces) - Cage Rage 21 - April 21, 2007

- vs. Dan Henderson - Loss via decision (unanimous) - PRIDE 32: The Real Deal - October 21, 2006

Next scheduled appearance:

- Currently Unknown

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12) Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1)

Height: 5'10

Birthday: July 29, 1975

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Masanori Tonooka - Win via submission (arm bar) - DREAM 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - September 23, 2008

- vs. Katsuyori Shibata - Win via submission (GI choke) - DREAM 5: Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 - July 21, 2008

- vs. Kazuo Misaki - No contest (Akiyama KO'd by illegal kick) - Yarennoka - New Year's Eve 2007 - December 31, 2007

- vs. Denis Kang - Win via KO (punch) - K1 Olympia HERO's 2007 in Korea - October 28, 2007

- vs. Kazushi Sakuraba - No contest - K1 Premium 2006 Dynamite!! - December 31, 2006

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Alan Belcher - UFC 100 - July 2009

Comment: One of the newest acquisitions of the UFC, Akiyama is expected to debut in the summer. People have various expectations from Akiyama. Some believe he has been "damaged goods" ever since eating a massive kick from Kazuo Misaki on New Years Eve in 2007. Although his two opponents since were not world beaters, he did take care of both. Whether Akiyama is another example of Cro Cop or Fabricio Werdum or Denis Kang in terms of fighters who have not panned out remains to be seen. All I know is MMA fans in Japan and Korea will definitely check out whatever UFC card he is on. For whatever reason, he dropped the most since the last rankings. He fell from #7 to #12. If that trend continues, he may be off the list entirely by April.

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13) Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (10-2)

Height: 6'0

Currently Fighting With: DREAM

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Gegard Mousasi - Loss via KO (upkick) - DREAM 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - September 23, 2008

- vs. Zelg Galesic - Win via submission (arm bar) - DREAM 6: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - September 23, 2008

- vs. Jason Miller - Win via decision (unanimous) - DREAM 4: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - June 15, 2008

- vs. Ian Murphy - Win via submission (rear naked choke) - DREAM 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 - April 29, 2008

- vs. Wendell Santos - Win via submission - HTJ: Hero's the Jungle - October 13, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. TBA - DREAM 8 - April 5, 2009

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14) Michael Bisping (17-1)

Height: 6'2

Birthday: February 28, 1979

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Chris Leben - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben - October 18, 2008

- vs. Jason Day - Win via TKO (punches) - UFC 85: Bedlam - June 7, 2008

- vs. Charles McCarthy - Win via TKO (arm injury) - UFC 83: Serra vs. St. Pierre II - April 19, 2008

- vs. Rashad Evans - Loss via decision (split) - UFC 78: Validation - November 17, 2007

- vs. Matt Hamill - Win via decision (split) - UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion - September 8, 2007

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Dan Henderson - UFC 100 - July 11, 2009

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15) Cung Le (6-0)

Height: 5'10

Birthday: May 25, 1972

Currently Fighting With: Strikeforce

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Frank Shamrock - Win by stoppage (injury/broken arm) - Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le - March 29, 2008

- vs. Sammy Morgan - Win by TKO (kick) - Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives - November 16, 2007

- vs. Tony Fryklund - Win by KO (punch) - Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni - June 22, 2007

- vs. Jason Von Flue - Win by TKO (cut) - Strikeforce: Triple Threat - December 8, 2006

- vs. Brian Warren - Win by TKO (strikes) - Strikeforce: Revenge - June 9, 2006

Next scheduled appearance:

- Currently Unknown

Comment: Have you forgot about the reigning Strikeforce Middleweight Champion? He has not defended the belt since winning it from Frank Shamrock last year. In fact, if Le does not have a fight scheduled by next month, he will not be ranked then. In any event, he is a fun fighter to watch and it will take a fighter willing to take the fight to the ground to beat him. I have heard Frank talk about the fact he didn't want to go to the ground, whether that is simply an excuse or not, who knows.




Closing Comments: Matt Lindland, Frank Trigg, Dan Miller and Paulo Filho (yes, Paulo Filho) each received votes, but not enough to make the list above. Frank Trigg is the only fighter who fell out of the Top 15 since January.