Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Featherweight
Aug 13, 2008
Featherweight
1. Urijah Faber (Pictures) (21-1)
It’s a good time to be Faber. After delivering the goods against Jens Pulver (Pictures) in the most significant featherweight fight in MMA history two months ago, “The California Kid” will take his World Extreme Cagefighting belt to the opposite coast, where he will defend it against American Top Team product Mike Thomas Brown (Pictures) on Sept. 10 in Hollywood, Fla.
2. Mike Thomas Brown (Pictures) (17-4-0)
Brown gets the biggest opportunity of his career next month, when he challenges Faber for the WEC featherweight title. As part of the Florida-based American Top Team, Brown will likely enjoy a partisan crowd at WEC 36, which will emanate from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
3. Leonard
Garcia (Pictures) (11-3)
A Greg Jackson protégé, Garcia will look to follow up his major win over Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures) in February with an even bigger victory, as he’s expected to meet former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (Pictures) at WEC 36 in September.
4. Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures) (18-6-2)
After dropping three of his last four fights as a lightweight, the colorful veteran abandoned the 155-pound division to compete as a featherweight. In his debut at 145 pounds, Mishima made out fantastically, as he took a majority decision and the Deep featherweight title from Masakazu Imanari (Pictures).
In wake of his loss to Brown in June, “The Big Frog” has decided to test the waters in the intensifying bantamweight division in the near future. There, he hopes to challenge divisional kingpin Miguel Torres (Pictures), who has looked all but unbeatable since he entered the WEC cage.
6. Masakazu Imanari (Pictures) (14-6-1)
Not unlike Curran, Imanari will make the cut down to the bantamweight division. On Aug. 17, Imanari will meet Hiroshi Umemura (Pictures) to determine Deep’s first bantamweight champion. A victory would make Imanari Deep’s first two-division champion.
7. Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures) (9-5-1)
After his slated Aug. 3 opponent, Cub Swanson (Pictures), sustained a hand injury shortly before the event, IFL veteran L.C. Davis was served up as a late replacement -- a move that would have salvaged a great bout. Unfortunately, Takaya’s management rejected the last-minute replacement and nixed the Japanese banger’s participation on the card.
8. Hatsu Hioki (Pictures) (15-3-2)
The hot-and-cold Hioki blew cold in front of his hometown Nagoya, Japan, crowd on Aug. 3, fighting to a disappointing majority draw with Hiroshi “Iron” Nakamura in a bout in which the lanky Nagoyan was heavily favored. Nonetheless, Hioki will have a chance to redeem himself soon, as he is slated to return to Quebec to defend his TKO featherweight crown in Montreal on Oct. 3.
9. Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) (14-3)
The former Shooto world champ looked like he was taking control of his May 3 fight with IFL veteran Trenell “Savant” Young until he got caught in a deep guillotine choke that turned the tide. With the loss, Inoue needs a major win to put him back amongst the cream of the featherweight crop.
10. Wagnney Fabiano (Pictures) (10-1)
There were few bright spots in the dying days of the IFL. However, perhaps the brightest spot of all was Fabiano, who put the first blemish on Davis’ record and captured the promotion’s featherweight strap in December. He then turned in a “Knockout of the Year” candidate against Shad Lierley (Pictures) in April. Fans are already clamoring for Fabiano to head to the WEC, and with good reason.
1. Urijah Faber (Pictures) (21-1)
It’s a good time to be Faber. After delivering the goods against Jens Pulver (Pictures) in the most significant featherweight fight in MMA history two months ago, “The California Kid” will take his World Extreme Cagefighting belt to the opposite coast, where he will defend it against American Top Team product Mike Thomas Brown (Pictures) on Sept. 10 in Hollywood, Fla.
2. Mike Thomas Brown (Pictures) (17-4-0)
Brown gets the biggest opportunity of his career next month, when he challenges Faber for the WEC featherweight title. As part of the Florida-based American Top Team, Brown will likely enjoy a partisan crowd at WEC 36, which will emanate from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
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A Greg Jackson protégé, Garcia will look to follow up his major win over Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures) in February with an even bigger victory, as he’s expected to meet former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (Pictures) at WEC 36 in September.
4. Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures) (18-6-2)
After dropping three of his last four fights as a lightweight, the colorful veteran abandoned the 155-pound division to compete as a featherweight. In his debut at 145 pounds, Mishima made out fantastically, as he took a majority decision and the Deep featherweight title from Masakazu Imanari (Pictures).
5. Jeff Curran
(Pictures) (30-10-1)
In wake of his loss to Brown in June, “The Big Frog” has decided to test the waters in the intensifying bantamweight division in the near future. There, he hopes to challenge divisional kingpin Miguel Torres (Pictures), who has looked all but unbeatable since he entered the WEC cage.
6. Masakazu Imanari (Pictures) (14-6-1)
Not unlike Curran, Imanari will make the cut down to the bantamweight division. On Aug. 17, Imanari will meet Hiroshi Umemura (Pictures) to determine Deep’s first bantamweight champion. A victory would make Imanari Deep’s first two-division champion.
7. Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures) (9-5-1)
After his slated Aug. 3 opponent, Cub Swanson (Pictures), sustained a hand injury shortly before the event, IFL veteran L.C. Davis was served up as a late replacement -- a move that would have salvaged a great bout. Unfortunately, Takaya’s management rejected the last-minute replacement and nixed the Japanese banger’s participation on the card.
8. Hatsu Hioki (Pictures) (15-3-2)
The hot-and-cold Hioki blew cold in front of his hometown Nagoya, Japan, crowd on Aug. 3, fighting to a disappointing majority draw with Hiroshi “Iron” Nakamura in a bout in which the lanky Nagoyan was heavily favored. Nonetheless, Hioki will have a chance to redeem himself soon, as he is slated to return to Quebec to defend his TKO featherweight crown in Montreal on Oct. 3.
9. Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) (14-3)
The former Shooto world champ looked like he was taking control of his May 3 fight with IFL veteran Trenell “Savant” Young until he got caught in a deep guillotine choke that turned the tide. With the loss, Inoue needs a major win to put him back amongst the cream of the featherweight crop.
10. Wagnney Fabiano (Pictures) (10-1)
There were few bright spots in the dying days of the IFL. However, perhaps the brightest spot of all was Fabiano, who put the first blemish on Davis’ record and captured the promotion’s featherweight strap in December. He then turned in a “Knockout of the Year” candidate against Shad Lierley (Pictures) in April. Fans are already clamoring for Fabiano to head to the WEC, and with good reason.
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