Sherdog's Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Middleweight
Dec 18, 2007
MIDDLEWEIGHT (185-170)
1. Anderson Silva
You expected someone else? Silva repeated his October 2006 whipping of Rich Franklin (Pictures) with an October 2007 whipping of "Ace" in front of his hometown Cincinnati crowd. Yet another high-level win has even further solidified Silva's stature atop the division. While many are waiting for the other shoe to drop for "The Spider," they may have to wait a bit longer yet: The UFC's 185-pound title picture is anything but clear-cut.
2. Paulo
Filho (Pictures) (16-0-0)
The good: Filho knocked off a very solid and worthy opponent in his Dec. 12 WEC title defense in Chael Sonnen (Pictures). The bad: He looked positively awful doing it, and the fight's finish came amid considerable controversy. The ugly: The fight has led to many fans and pundits alike questioning whether Filho is nearly as talented as his beefy record says. It's a question that will only get answered in time.
3. Matt Lindland (Pictures) (20-5-0)
Unquestionably one of the toughest and gamest guys in the sport, the real problem for Matt Lindland (Pictures) has been that he hasn't fought much relevant competition at 185 pounds. If "The Law" climbs in with some quality middleweight opposition in 2008, he'll almost certainly improve his stock in the division.
Following another destruction at the hands of Anderson Silva, Franklin's next move is unclear. He is still a quality competitor in a relatively shallow division, but he is left with very few options given the nature of his debasing losses to "The Spider."
5. Nathan Marquardt (Pictures) (25-7-2)
Marquardt found himself overwhelmed by UFC champion Anderson Silva in July. Though many thought Marquardt provided a bad style match for Silva, his chin failed to hold up against the champion's strikes. "Nate the Great" will be in action come Super Bowl weekend against once-beaten Brazilian Thales Leites (Pictures).
6. Robbie Lawler (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Injury again nixed a proposed Dec. 15 bout in ICON Sport with Hawaiian banger Kala Kolohe Hose (Pictures). Here's hoping that third time is the charm for getting this fight done and that one of ProElite's only top talents can stay healthy for action in the new year.
7. Yushin Okami (Pictures) (21-4-0)
Following his domination of Jason MacDonald (Pictures) in October, rumors immediately surfaced that Okami was done in the UFC and that Zuffa had no interest in re-signing him. That talk was quickly quashed as Okami and his camp renegotiated a new deal for the Japanese standout that will put him back in the Octagon in early 2008.
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) (10-1-0, 1 NC)
After spending almost 11 months on the shelf after his slippery situation with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), Akiyama may wind up having a very respectable 2007. After his brutal KO of Denis Kang (Pictures) in front of a partisan Seoul crowd in October, the native Korean will square off with former PRIDE Grand Prix winner Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) in a highly intriguing bout that will be part of the Dec. 31 Yarennoka! bill.
9. Denis Kang (Pictures) (27-9-1, 1 NC)
After a broken hand had kept him out for most of 2007, Kang got a rude welcome back to competition when an Akiyama uppercut sent him to sleep with his eyes wide open. One of the division's most gifted athletes, Kang has had to deal with injury and visa woes this year that have limited and hampered his in-ring performance.
10. Frank Trigg (Pictures) (16-6-0)
Not the most poignant victory in the world, but "Twinkle Toes" made easy work of Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on the Dec. 15 HDNet Fights card. What's more important is that Jason "Mayhem" Miller knocked off Tim Kennedy (Pictures), setting up a quality rematch between the two fighters early next year. Their first encounter was the bout that brought Trigg back to prominence, as he literally stomped out MMA's cult hero in December 2006.
1. Anderson Silva
You expected someone else? Silva repeated his October 2006 whipping of Rich Franklin (Pictures) with an October 2007 whipping of "Ace" in front of his hometown Cincinnati crowd. Yet another high-level win has even further solidified Silva's stature atop the division. While many are waiting for the other shoe to drop for "The Spider," they may have to wait a bit longer yet: The UFC's 185-pound title picture is anything but clear-cut.
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The good: Filho knocked off a very solid and worthy opponent in his Dec. 12 WEC title defense in Chael Sonnen (Pictures). The bad: He looked positively awful doing it, and the fight's finish came amid considerable controversy. The ugly: The fight has led to many fans and pundits alike questioning whether Filho is nearly as talented as his beefy record says. It's a question that will only get answered in time.
3. Matt Lindland (Pictures) (20-5-0)
Unquestionably one of the toughest and gamest guys in the sport, the real problem for Matt Lindland (Pictures) has been that he hasn't fought much relevant competition at 185 pounds. If "The Law" climbs in with some quality middleweight opposition in 2008, he'll almost certainly improve his stock in the division.
4. Rich
Franklin (Pictures) (22-3-0, 1 NC)
Following another destruction at the hands of Anderson Silva, Franklin's next move is unclear. He is still a quality competitor in a relatively shallow division, but he is left with very few options given the nature of his debasing losses to "The Spider."
5. Nathan Marquardt (Pictures) (25-7-2)
Marquardt found himself overwhelmed by UFC champion Anderson Silva in July. Though many thought Marquardt provided a bad style match for Silva, his chin failed to hold up against the champion's strikes. "Nate the Great" will be in action come Super Bowl weekend against once-beaten Brazilian Thales Leites (Pictures).
6. Robbie Lawler (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Injury again nixed a proposed Dec. 15 bout in ICON Sport with Hawaiian banger Kala Kolohe Hose (Pictures). Here's hoping that third time is the charm for getting this fight done and that one of ProElite's only top talents can stay healthy for action in the new year.
7. Yushin Okami (Pictures) (21-4-0)
Following his domination of Jason MacDonald (Pictures) in October, rumors immediately surfaced that Okami was done in the UFC and that Zuffa had no interest in re-signing him. That talk was quickly quashed as Okami and his camp renegotiated a new deal for the Japanese standout that will put him back in the Octagon in early 2008.
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) (10-1-0, 1 NC)
After spending almost 11 months on the shelf after his slippery situation with Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), Akiyama may wind up having a very respectable 2007. After his brutal KO of Denis Kang (Pictures) in front of a partisan Seoul crowd in October, the native Korean will square off with former PRIDE Grand Prix winner Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) in a highly intriguing bout that will be part of the Dec. 31 Yarennoka! bill.
9. Denis Kang (Pictures) (27-9-1, 1 NC)
After a broken hand had kept him out for most of 2007, Kang got a rude welcome back to competition when an Akiyama uppercut sent him to sleep with his eyes wide open. One of the division's most gifted athletes, Kang has had to deal with injury and visa woes this year that have limited and hampered his in-ring performance.
10. Frank Trigg (Pictures) (16-6-0)
Not the most poignant victory in the world, but "Twinkle Toes" made easy work of Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on the Dec. 15 HDNet Fights card. What's more important is that Jason "Mayhem" Miller knocked off Tim Kennedy (Pictures), setting up a quality rematch between the two fighters early next year. Their first encounter was the bout that brought Trigg back to prominence, as he literally stomped out MMA's cult hero in December 2006.
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