Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Middleweight

1. Chris Weidman (13-0)

Kept away from the cage for nearly a year due to multiple injuries, Weidman finally made his long-delayed title defense against Vitor Belfort at UFC 187, and it was worth the wait. The 30-year-old New Yorker fought through an early onslaught from Belfort before taking “The Phenom” to the ground, passing to full mount and punching his way to a stoppage in under three minutes. It was Weidman’s third successful title defense, all of which have come against highly regarded Brazilians: Belfort, Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva.

2. Anderson Silva (34-6)

The now 40-year-old former champion’s victorious comeback was short-lived. Days after he defeated Nick Diaz in the main event of UFC 183, it was revealed that Silva tested positive for multiple anabolic steroids in a pre-fight drug test administered by the Nevada Athletic Commission. Currently on temporary suspension, Silva will go before the NAC at the commission’s next hearing. Meanwhile, “The Spider” has expressed his desire to represent Brazil in taekwondo at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

3. Luke Rockhold (14-2)

In one of his finest showings to date, Rockhold smashed and submitted dangerous former light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida in the main event of a nationally televised UFC card on April 18. The decisive win -- Rockhold’s fourth in a row -- shone the spotlight on the American Kickboxing Academy standout and also eliminated a potential contender from the crowded race for the middleweight title.

4. Ronaldo Souza (22-3, 1 NC)

A win against Yoel Romero at UFC on Fox 15 might have propelled “Jacare” into the No. 1 contender’s spot for the UFC middleweight title. Unfortunately, Romero withdrew from the fight just one week out, leaving the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace to submit unranked replacement Chris Cammozi on April 18, just as he had in May 2013. Nevertheless, Souza remains unbeaten in the Octagon at 5-0 and currently owns an eight-fight winning streak.

5. Vitor Belfort (24-11)

Belfort waited 17 months for his shot at the UFC middleweight title, but his meeting with Chris Weidman on May 23 lasted less than three minutes. “The Phenom” stung Weidman with punches early but could not escape once the champion brought him to the ground and unloaded with punches from full mount. The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak for Belfort, who refuted retirement talk after the event but stated he plans to take some time away from the cage.

6. Lyoto Machida (22-6)

Machida gave reigning middleweight champ Chris Weidman his toughest fight to date in a five-rounder last year, but “The Dragon” failed to make it past the second frame against Luke Rockhold on April 18. The Brazilian karate stylist was roughed up with ground-and-pound before being strangled with a rear-naked choke halfway through round two. Machida holds a 3-2 record since dropping to middleweight in 2013 and will look to rebound against Yoel Romero on June 27.

7. Yoel Romero (9-1)

While Romero’s apparent inability to answer the bell for round three of his UFC 178 meeting with Tim Kennedy was a controversial topic, what happened when the final round got under way is indisputable. Beaten to within inches of a finish only moments before, Romero clobbered Kennedy with a right hand and drubbed the American on the floor to force a stoppage less than one minute into the last frame. Romero will return from a knee injury on June 27, when he meets former light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida in Florida.

8. Gegard Mousasi (37-5-2)

Mousasi’s 2014 ended with a disappointing loss to Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, but the Dutchman’s 2015 could not be off to a better start. After punching out Dan Henderson in January, “The Dreamcatcher” returned to the cage on May 16 and cruised to a one-sided unanimous decision against Costas Philippou. The wins mark Mousasi’s first back-to-back victories since he transferred to the UFC from Strikeforce two years ago.

9. Tim Kennedy (18-5)

Kennedy’s first Octagon defeat could hardly have come under more controversial circumstances, but it was a defeat nonetheless. After being walloped by Yoel Romero in the first round of their UFC 178 encounter and then coming back to hurt the “Soldier of God” in round two, Kennedy met his end under a hailstorm of punches just 58 seconds into the final frame. The loss derailed the Jackson-Wink MMA product, who began his UFC run with three straight victories.

10. Michael Bisping (26-7)

Nine years into his Octagon career and still chasing a title shot, Bisping continues to hang around the top of the middleweight division. At UFC 186, “The Count” notched a hard-fought unanimous decision over C.B. Dollaway to rebound from his November defeat at the hands of Luke Rockhold. Bisping has now alternated wins and losses in his last eight appearances. He will next meet Thales Leites atop a UFC Fight Night bill on July 18.

Other Contenders: David Branch, C.B. Dollaway, Brandon Halsey, Mamed Khalidov, Thales Leites.

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