Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Bantamweight
Mar 19, 2008
BANTAMWEIGHT (135-125)
1. Miguel Torres (Pictures) (21-1-0)
With a low profile, low activity and few matchups between top fighters in the division, the 135-pound class was hurting for a while. However, with the WEC's goal to develop a potent bantamweight division, Miguel Torres (Pictures) finally got the chance to put his outstanding talent on display. With his title capture against Chase Beebe (Pictures) on Feb. 13, Torres jumps from ninth to first in the Sherdog.com rankings. More importantly, however, the mulleted Mexicano has excited and ignited the bantamweight division, setting the table for what should be a fantastic 2008.
2. Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) (5-0-1)
Okazaki's stock very much rests on whether he can become the fifth 132-pound world champion of pro Shooto on March 28, when he meets Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures) in a rare clash of top-ranked bantamweights.
3. 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. Now 2006's most outstanding Shooto rookie champion will have the chance to become Shooto world champion when he meets Okazaki on March 28.
The Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) pupil had the biggest opportunity of his career in his bout with Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures), 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, sending Yamamoto back to the drawing board.
5. Brian Bowles (Pictures) (4-0-0)
Bowles went from "Who is this kid?" after his June submission over vet Charlie Valencia (Pictures) to "This kid is serious" after his Dec. 12 steamrolling of the well-traveled and well-accomplished Marcos Galvao (Pictures). 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).
6. Marcos Galvao (Pictures) (6-2-0)
After years of competing in Shooto, "Louro" got a golden opportunity to showcase his skills in the WEC. 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.
7. Daniel Lima (Pictures) (8-2-2)
After pulling out of a scheduled bout with Tetsu Suzuki (Pictures) earlier this month, the next move for the Australia-based Brazilian is uncertain.
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. Chase Beebe (Pictures) (11-2-0)
Yes, Beebe lost his WEC title. Yet there is little that can be said to disparage the former champ, who simply was outgunned by a far more seasoned and savvy opponent in Miguel Torres (Pictures). At only 22 years old, the ultra-talented Beebe is still improving largely from fight to fight and figures to play a pivotal role in the WEC's intensifying 135-pound picture.
10. Manny Tapia (Pictures) (10-0-1)
Although it seemed for a moment that Tapia had been robbed of his victory over Antonio Banuelos (Pictures), it turned out that the scorecard was misread and Tapia got his well-deserved "W." King of the Cage's longtime kingpin at 135 pounds, Tapia may now be the next in line to challenge newly minted champ Miguel Torres (Pictures) later this year in what would be a highly compelling affair.
1. Miguel Torres (Pictures) (21-1-0)
With a low profile, low activity and few matchups between top fighters in the division, the 135-pound class was hurting for a while. However, with the WEC's goal to develop a potent bantamweight division, Miguel Torres (Pictures) finally got the chance to put his outstanding talent on display. With his title capture against Chase Beebe (Pictures) on Feb. 13, Torres jumps from ninth to first in the Sherdog.com rankings. More importantly, however, the mulleted Mexicano has excited and ignited the bantamweight division, setting the table for what should be a fantastic 2008.
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Okazaki's stock very much rests on whether he can become the fifth 132-pound world champion of pro Shooto on March 28, when he meets Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures) in a rare clash of top-ranked bantamweights.
3. 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. Now 2006's most outstanding Shooto rookie champion will have the chance to become Shooto world champion when he meets Okazaki on March 28.
4. Atsushi Yamamoto (, Pictures) (11-5-1)
The Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) pupil had the biggest opportunity of his career in his bout with Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures), 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, sending Yamamoto back to the drawing board.
5. Brian Bowles (Pictures) (4-0-0)
Bowles went from "Who is this kid?" after his June submission over vet Charlie Valencia (Pictures) to "This kid is serious" after his Dec. 12 steamrolling of the well-traveled and well-accomplished Marcos Galvao (Pictures). 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).
6. Marcos Galvao (Pictures) (6-2-0)
After years of competing in Shooto, "Louro" got a golden opportunity to showcase his skills in the WEC. 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.
7. Daniel Lima (Pictures) (8-2-2)
After pulling out of a scheduled bout with Tetsu Suzuki (Pictures) earlier this month, the next move for the Australia-based Brazilian is uncertain.
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. Chase Beebe (Pictures) (11-2-0)
Yes, Beebe lost his WEC title. Yet there is little that can be said to disparage the former champ, who simply was outgunned by a far more seasoned and savvy opponent in Miguel Torres (Pictures). At only 22 years old, the ultra-talented Beebe is still improving largely from fight to fight and figures to play a pivotal role in the WEC's intensifying 135-pound picture.
10. Manny Tapia (Pictures) (10-0-1)
Although it seemed for a moment that Tapia had been robbed of his victory over Antonio Banuelos (Pictures), it turned out that the scorecard was misread and Tapia got his well-deserved "W." King of the Cage's longtime kingpin at 135 pounds, Tapia may now be the next in line to challenge newly minted champ Miguel Torres (Pictures) later this year in what would be a highly compelling affair.
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