Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Bantamweight
Feb 6, 2008
BANTAMWEIGHT (135-125)
1. Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) (5-0-1)
Okazaki becomes the top dog on the list by default with the retirement of Akitoshi Hokazono (Pictures). He will have the chance to actually earn the spot if he can become the fifth 132-pound world champion of pro Shooto in March, when he meets Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures).
2. Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures) (7-0-1)
Ueda put on an impressive, technical display against Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) to earn a unanimous decision and burst back into these rankings at No. 2. Now 2006's most outstanding Shooto rookie champion will have the chance to become Shooto world champion when he meets Okazaki in March.
3. Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) (11-5-1)
The Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) pupil had the biggest opportunity of his career in his bout with Masakatsu Ueda, which offered the winner a chance to fight for the vacant 132-pound Shooto world title. In a hard-fought bout, Ueda came out the victor, which will send Yamamoto back to the drawing board.
Bowles went from "Who is this kid?" after his June submission win over vet Charlie Valencia to "This kid is serious" after his Dec. 12 steamrolling of the well-traveled and well-accomplished Marcos "Louro" Galvao. With the win, Bowles notched the most significant victory to date for a North American bantamweight against international competition and also cemented himself as a worthy adversary to the likes of Chase Beebe (Pictures) and Miguel Torres (Pictures).
5. Marcos Galvao (Pictures) (6-2-0)
After years of competing in Shooto, "Louro" got a golden opportunity to showcase his skills in the WEC, which has quickly become the big stage for talent below 155 pounds. The result? Galvao got absolutely destroyed by upstart Brian Bowles (Pictures), who tore him apart on the feet en route to a second-round stoppage.
6. Daniel Lima (Pictures) (8-2-2)
The Australia-based Brazilian has enjoyed a solid 2007 campaign. He moved his mark to 3-0 on the year with an exciting split decision over Kenji Osawa (Pictures) in September. The next action for "Little Devil" will likely come in his adopted homeland.
7. Kenji Osawa (Pictures) (13-7-1)
The charismatic Wajyutsu product came out on the wrong end of a split decision in his rematch with Daniel Lima (Pictures). Thankfully Osawa's self-professed desire to face the best fighters in the world should see him remain in relevant competition.
8. Takeya Mizugaki (Pictures) (8-2-2)
The 2005 Shooto rookie MVP has a golden opportunity in front of him. With GCM promoting a 135-pound tournament this year for its Cage Force series, Mizugaki has the chance to not only grab the attention of fans in the cage but also earn a ticket stateside, where the talent pool is rapidly improving, and there is more money to be made.
9. Miguel Torres (Pictures) (20-1-0)
Long considered the top North American in the division, Torres has always been deprived of the chance to fight other top fighters at his weight. With the WEC emerging as the home for lighter fighters, Torres now has the chance to have his ranking reflect his talent, and that starts with his Feb. 13 title challenge against Chase Beebe (Pictures).
10. Chase Beebe (Pictures) (11-1-0)
Beebe, like Torres, has an immense amount of talent and simply hasn't had the chance to face top competition yet. In each other, they find exactly what they've been looking for, and the winner figures to take an enormous leap up in the 135-pound rankings.
1. Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) (5-0-1)
Okazaki becomes the top dog on the list by default with the retirement of Akitoshi Hokazono (Pictures). He will have the chance to actually earn the spot if he can become the fifth 132-pound world champion of pro Shooto in March, when he meets Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures).
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Ueda put on an impressive, technical display against Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) to earn a unanimous decision and burst back into these rankings at No. 2. Now 2006's most outstanding Shooto rookie champion will have the chance to become Shooto world champion when he meets Okazaki in March.
3. Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) (11-5-1)
The Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) pupil had the biggest opportunity of his career in his bout with Masakatsu Ueda, which offered the winner a chance to fight for the vacant 132-pound Shooto world title. In a hard-fought bout, Ueda came out the victor, which will send Yamamoto back to the drawing board.
4. Brian
Bowles (4-0-0)
Bowles went from "Who is this kid?" after his June submission win over vet Charlie Valencia to "This kid is serious" after his Dec. 12 steamrolling of the well-traveled and well-accomplished Marcos "Louro" Galvao. With the win, Bowles notched the most significant victory to date for a North American bantamweight against international competition and also cemented himself as a worthy adversary to the likes of Chase Beebe (Pictures) and Miguel Torres (Pictures).
5. Marcos Galvao (Pictures) (6-2-0)
After years of competing in Shooto, "Louro" got a golden opportunity to showcase his skills in the WEC, which has quickly become the big stage for talent below 155 pounds. The result? Galvao got absolutely destroyed by upstart Brian Bowles (Pictures), who tore him apart on the feet en route to a second-round stoppage.
6. Daniel Lima (Pictures) (8-2-2)
The Australia-based Brazilian has enjoyed a solid 2007 campaign. He moved his mark to 3-0 on the year with an exciting split decision over Kenji Osawa (Pictures) in September. The next action for "Little Devil" will likely come in his adopted homeland.
7. Kenji Osawa (Pictures) (13-7-1)
The charismatic Wajyutsu product came out on the wrong end of a split decision in his rematch with Daniel Lima (Pictures). Thankfully Osawa's self-professed desire to face the best fighters in the world should see him remain in relevant competition.
8. Takeya Mizugaki (Pictures) (8-2-2)
The 2005 Shooto rookie MVP has a golden opportunity in front of him. With GCM promoting a 135-pound tournament this year for its Cage Force series, Mizugaki has the chance to not only grab the attention of fans in the cage but also earn a ticket stateside, where the talent pool is rapidly improving, and there is more money to be made.
9. Miguel Torres (Pictures) (20-1-0)
Long considered the top North American in the division, Torres has always been deprived of the chance to fight other top fighters at his weight. With the WEC emerging as the home for lighter fighters, Torres now has the chance to have his ranking reflect his talent, and that starts with his Feb. 13 title challenge against Chase Beebe (Pictures).
10. Chase Beebe (Pictures) (11-1-0)
Beebe, like Torres, has an immense amount of talent and simply hasn't had the chance to face top competition yet. In each other, they find exactly what they've been looking for, and the winner figures to take an enormous leap up in the 135-pound rankings.
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