MMA Rankings: Featherweight (145 lbs.)

January 11, 2010, at 5:20 am

I’ve seen a lot of MMA World Rankings lately and We haven’t found one I 100% agree with. Therefore I’m launching the first ever 3rd String Safety Official MMA World Rankings. Please, hold your applause. These rankings will be fluid and updated after every major MMA card.

Featherweights – 145 lbs.

Updated:01/11/10

1. Jose Aldo (15-1)

Want to see something exciting? Check out any Jose Aldo fight. The 23 year old Brazilian is just a human highlight reel. Check out this flying knee that ended his fight against Cub Swanson:

Aldo is long, and thin, giving him the perfect body for Muay Thai. He’s 5-0 in the WEC and he’s now the WEC featherweight champ. He’s got Anderson Silva-type potential. He’s likely going to be champ for quite awhile.

Next Up: Urijah Faber, As announced in WEC 46 post-fight by WEC General Manager Reed Harris

2. Urijah Faber (23-3)

Faber is probably the most well known featherweight in the world. He held the WEC title and defended it five times before losing it to Brown. He has victories over Jens Pulver, Jeff Curran, Dominick Cruz, and Cole Escovedo. He’s got great hair.

The only weakness in his game is that he is own worst enemy. He tends to take some crazy chances that other fighters can take advantage of. Back in the day, when the WEC welterweight division wasn’t stacked, he could get away with it. Not so much anymore.

That being said, his three losses are to UFC lightweight Tyson Griffin, and two to Mike Brown. That’s not bad.

His most recent win was over Rafael Assuncao, who is the consensus number four or five featherweight in the world. The California kid showed almost no ill effects from his layoff. He brought back all the trademark speed and creativity he featured before, and ultimately finished the Brazilian via rear naked choke.

Up Next: Jose Aldo, as announced in WEC 46 Post Fight by WEC General Manager Reed Harris

3. Mike Thomas Brown (23-4)

Is there a more debated 22-4 fighter in the world than Mike Thomas Brown? He’s the WEC champion, which like the UFC, has the best fighters in the weight class. He’s defended the title twice, both times against fighters on this list. So, whats the problem?

The problem is the way that he has defeated Urijah Faber. In the first fight, Faber threw a stupid looking back elbow that got his ass knocked out. Brown took advantadge, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, everyone in the world was waiting for Faber to get his title back. Then, in the second fight, Faber broke one hand and injured tendons in another after winning the first round. Brown cautiously took over the next few rounds, but was almost choked out by Faber sans hands in the last round.

Can you be the best fighter in your weight class almost get choked without hands? Looks like we’ll have to wait for Faber-Brown III to find out.

Brown recently defeated an overmatched Anthony Morrison to get back on track. A rear naked choke got Brown back in the “W” column, and his name is right in there for the Faber/Aldo winner.

Up Next: TBA

4. Raphael Assuncao (15-2)

There is a huge disparity between the top and the bottom of this division. That’s why a ton of these guys have records with only on or two losses. Assauncao is a solid fighter, but lacks the kind of talent that the top three guys have. He’s got wins over Yves Jabouin, and Jameel Massouh, for what that’s worth.

His fight with Faber could have gone a whole lot better. He landed some shots, and did a decent job controlling Faber in spurts, but he got two hit with two big shots and was ultimately rear naked choke.

Fear not, losing to the second best fighter in your weight class is nothing to be ashamed of.

Up Next: TBA

5. Hatsu Hioki (20-4-2)

Never heard the name? Not shocking. He’s currently fighting in Japan in Sengoku, which can be seen on HDnet at all kinds of weird times. He’s coming off a couple wins, but his title shot was taken away because of a concussion in a tournament format. Then he lost a controversial decision to Michihiro Omigawa, after which Omigawa admitted that he lost the fight.

Up Next: It’s Japan. Who knows?

6. Bibiano Fernandes (7-2)

You know what’s a great notch to have in your belt before starting your MMA career? Being a BJJ world champion. That’s what Fernandes brought to the table in the DREAM featherweight grand prix. He beat a furiously hyped underdog in Joe Warren and then gained a split decision over Hiroyuki Takaya to win the belt. He’s 29, so he may not have a real long career, but right now he’s looking pretty good.

Up Next: It’s Japan. For all we know he’s fighting a horse.

7. Wagnney Fabiano (13-2)

Fabiano is an IFL veteran who was 2-0 in the WEC before running into an up and coming buzzsaw by the name of Mackens Semerzier. He still is a great fighter in his prime but at the age of 34 who knows how much time is left for the BJJ ace. In the WEC’s stacked 145 division, Fabiano needs to get moving if he want to be in title contention.

He took the first step by getting himself a win against Clint Godfrey at WEC 46. However, Semerizer was defeated by Deividas Taurosevicius, which makes the loss to Mackens look even weaker.

Up Next: TBA

8. Leonard Garcia (13-4)

He got famous in the UFC for his legendary fight against Roger Huerta, but really is at home at 145. He had a title shot against Brown where he was stopped in the first round. Garcia is another case of the faults in this division. At 155, he wouldn’t even be in the top 10, but at 145, he’s in the top ten. His loss to Manny Gamburyan drops him down a few spots, but I can’t help but think that Garcia will be back.

Up Next: TBA

9. Joe Soto (8-0)

The Bellator champ is yet to become a big name in the MMA community, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t very good. “The Hammer” is a strong as hell wrestler that is making his name by fighting anywhere that he can get a chance. After being on ESPNDeportes and winning the Bellator championship, he went to Japan and submitted Mike Christensen via gogopalata. Not bad, huh? Soto may not be fighting the best competition, but he proving that he is the best amongst the smaller fight leagues.

Up Next: Will defend Bellator title at the end of the second season against the winner of Season 2 featherweight tournament. Will fight again before that, with Bellator’s permission.

10. Marlon Sandro (16-1)

Want to know what it’s like to get screwed? Check this out:

Sengoku Featherweight Grandprix Third Round. Scores were 30-30, 30-30, 30-29 Sandro (i.e. majority draw) but the judges with draws selected Omigawa in a “must decide” decision, giving him the “must decide split decision” 2-1.

Explain to me what the hell that means? So the Japanese guy wins by default in the event of a draw? I get the fact that it’s a tournament, but that’s a terrible way to lose your first fight.

Up Next: TBA

Honorable Mention: Josh Grispi, Michihiro Omigawa, Manny Gamburyan

Not Ranked: Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto

Prospect Watch: Diego Nunes, Brandon Visher, Erik Koch