Note that these are not the official MMA Ratings divisional rankings. These UFC Power Rankings are intended to indicate where UFC fighters in each division rank in relation to one another. Taking into account wins, losses, quality of opposition, nature of wins/losses, and the recency of those wins/losses, it is meant to illustrate who fits where in each division, and which fighters’ stocks are rising and falling.
Heavyweight
With the introduction of Strikeforce talent over the next few months, this division has the potential to reshape itself. Lavar Johnson has already made an impact, and Fabricio Werdum returns to the promotion at UFC 143 with the opportunity to secure a Top 5 spot. At the bottom of the division, promotional newcomers Dave Herman, Philip De Fries, and Stipe Miocic are looking to make a move, while Carlos Beltrain, Jon Olav Einemo, and Christian Morecraft are barely hanging on. Mike Russow and Cheick Kongo seem destined for a collision, as the Frenchman will be in possession of one of the division’s longest winning streaks if he can get past Mark Hunt at UFC 144. Russow, who has won four straight, is poised to take on Top 10 opposition with his next fight.
Complete Heavyweight UFC Power Rankings
Four Top 15 Light Heavyweights are due to compete in the month of February. Ryan Bader gets another shot to add a big name victory to his resume in a battle with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 144, while Alexander Gustaffson can extend his winning streak to five if he beats Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his native Sweden at UFC on Fuel TV 1. Phil Davis, fresh off a demoralizing loss to new #1 contender Rashad Evans at UFC on Fox 2, is going to need to regroup quickly if he wants to avoid being leapfrogged in the coming months by a man he previously defeated. Perhaps a matchup with Forrest Griffin would do the trick. Rich Franklin continues to drop due to inactivity. Maybe an opportunity to avenge his loss to Lyoto Machida would restore him to relevancy. At the bottom of the division, Stephan Bonnar is looking for a step up in competition as he looks to notch a fourth straight win, and possibly break through to the Top 10-15 range. Unfortunately, he may have to settle for a lower-profile matchup, with so many fighters currently paired up.
Complete Light Heavyweight UFC Power Rankings
Michael Bisping won by losing, dropping a narrow deceision to #1 contender Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2, while his original opponent Demian Maia lost a one-sided decision to prospect Chris Weidman, who leapfrogged a ton of vets into the Top 10. Hopefully these two men who were originally slated to fight one another can be matched against each other next. After a flurry of Top 10 activity in the month of January, February features a matchup between Yushin Okami and Tim Boetsch at UFC 144, but the majority of the activity will take place at the bottom of the division, where undefeated newcomer Michael Kuiper will attempt to make an impactful debut when he faces Rafael Natal at UFC 143. Steve Cantwell hopes to end his losing streak at four at UFC 144 against Riki Fukuda, who is attempting to bounce back from his controversial loss to Nick Ring. If Aaron Simpson can emerge victorious from UFC on Fuel TV 1, he could be looking at a four-fight winning streak, and a step up towards other streaking fighters like Alan Belcher and Rousimar Palhares.
Complete Middleweight UFC Power Rankings
February could bring some serious shakeups to the division, as an Interim Champion will be crowned, and four other Top 10 fighters will be in action. Yoshihiro Akiyama debuts at 170 against Jake Shields at UFC 144, hoping to end a three-fight skid with a top-tier win, and hand Shields his third loss in a row. Mike Pierce hopes to make his presence felt in the Top 5 when he faces perennial contender Josh Koscheck at UFC 143. After Jon Fitch’s recent loss, Jake Ellenberger is the division’s hottest welterweight not named Georges St. Pierre, and with a win over Diego Sanchez at UFC on Fuel TV 1, he will have notched his sixth straight win UFC win. By the end of the month, the new blood of the division could have completely transformed the top tier of the weight class, whoich could make the coming months very interesting in this GSP-free 2012.
Complete Welterweight UFC Power Rankings
With the Gray Maynard Saga behind him, Frankie Edgar has his work cut out for him if he wants to get out of 2012 with his belt in tow. The UFC’s deepest, most volatile, and most talent-rich division is filled with fighters he hasn’t faced, including Anthony Pettis and Joe Lauzon, who will face off at UFC 144, the same event where Edgar will face Ben Henderson. After a month that saw three Top 15 fighters in action, the month of February puts four in the rotation, as well as the former PRIDE standout Takanori Gomi. In addition, five new entrants are hoping to swim in this shark tank without getting turned into chum. In no time at all, the bottom of the Top 10 could turn into the bottom of the Top 20, with surging lightweights Thiago Tavares, Edson Barboza, Paul Sass, Tony Ferguson, and Jacob Volkmann nipping at the heels of the top tier, and each fighter one big win from breaking through. The inactive former champion Sean Sherk continues to free fall, as his disputed win over Evan Dunham becomes a more and more distant memory. The line between contender and pretender is thin and easy to cross, and it is unlikely that next month’s rankings bear any resemblance to this one.
Complete Lightweight UFC Power Rankings
This division refuses to stabilize, as the only constant seems to be Jose Aldo atop it. As the division absorbs WEC mainstays, TUF 14 alumni, and fighters dropping down from lightweight, a clear hierarchy has yet to work itself out. Three Top 10 talents — Hatsu Hioki, Dustin Poirer, and Bart Palaszewski — hope to make it out of February unbeaten. Ross Pearson and Charles Oliveira joined the division with strong showings after quality campaigns at 155, while Erik Koch and Yuri Alcantara are building upon their WEC success. Mark Hominick, George Roop, and Manny Gamburyan, in contrast, have faltered since moving into the UFC’s Octagon. Kenny Florian, whose presence in the division was supposed to provide a little bit of stability, looks to either be retiring or otherwise leaving the divison. Over the next few months, these fighters will be matched against each other, and the cream will eventually rise to the top.
Complete Featherweight UFC Power Rankings
Though Urijah Faber is booked to face Dominick Cruz, and Brian Bowles is out with an injury, the rest of the Top 10 is set to face each other over the next couple of months to determine who will be next in line, and who will merely be “in the mix.” Renan Barao, Scott Jorgensen, Michael McDonald, and Ivan Menjivar all sport undefeated UFC records, and three of these men compete this month. Miguel Torres, the former titleholder whose only UFC loss is a disputed one to Demetrious Johnson, is probably the front runner, even after his controversial release and return. The aforementioned Johnson, as well as Joseph Benavidez, are currently leading a Flyweight exodus, so the division, flush with talent after TUF 14, may experience a bit of instability as talent migrates to 125. Regardless, we’ll have a better sense of this division come March 1.
Complete Bantamweight UFC Power Rankings
This division is under construction, as Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson are the favorites to fight for the brand new Flyweight Championship, but first they’ll need to get past newcomers Yasuhiro Urishitani and Ian McCall, respectively. TUF 14 winner John Dodson and Darren Uyenoyama round out this group, which is expected to grow by leaps and bounds over the next couple of months.
Complete Flyweight UFC Power Rankings
