Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Featherweight
Aug 12, 2009
Featherweight
1. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
Though it was just over two months ago that Mike Thomas Brown gritted out his second win over featherweight star Urijah Faber, the 145-pound kingpin can't necessarily rest easy. With pistol prospect Jose Aldo his next challenger, Brown may face his toughest task to date in November.
2. Urijah Faber (22-3)
Faber failed to recover the WEC title and featherweight mantle in his June 7 rematch with Mike Thomas Brown. However, Faber fought gamely for the better part of 25 minutes with a broken hand, proving he still ranks among the featherweight elite.
3. Wagnney
Fabiano (12-1)
Quietly one of the world's best featherweights, Fabiano could secure a crack at the WEC's title if he beats undefeated Midwesterner Erik Koch at WEC 43 on Sept. 2.
4. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
The finale of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix on Aug. 2 didn't exactly go according to plan for Hatsu Hioki. After dominating Masanori Kanehara in the semi-finals, Hioki was forced to watch the man he defeated go on to become champion while he sat on the sidelines with a concussion. Hioki will likely be first on deck to challenge Kanehara for the title later this year.
It was not especially convincing, but Leonard Garcia picked up his first win since his March blowout loss to Mike Thomas Brown, taking a contentious split decision over Jameel Massouh at WEC 42 on Aug. 9.
6. Jose Aldo (15-1)
After cutting a swath through the WEC's featherweight division, 22-year-old wunderkind Jose Aldo has been chosen as the next man to challenge divisional ruler Mike Thomas Brown. The moment of truth for the Manaus native will come at WEC 45 in November, where he figures to be Brown's most explosive challenger to date.
7. Dokonjonosuke Mishima (19-6-2)
After missing out Sengoku's featherweight tournament due to a knee injury, the 37-year-old Mishima defend his Deep featherweight title for the first time on Aug. 23. The colorful Cobra Kai leader will risk his throne against 22-year-old stud Takafumi Otsuka, who competed in Dream's featherweight grand prix earlier this year.
8. Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
In a bout that was more symbolic than relevant, professional Shooto’s current poster boy defended his 143-pound world title against Shooto icon Rumina Sato. After his usual dramatic early struggle, “Lion Takeshi” predictably punched out Sato in the first frame.
9. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
The second WEC outing for the highly touted Assuncao will come at WEC 43 on Sept. 2, where the once-beaten Brazilian will meet dynamic Georges St. Pierre training partner Yves Jabouin.
10. Masanori Kanehara (14-6-5)
It's was highly improbable, but despite dropping a decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix semi-finals on Aug. 2, Masanori Kanehara became Sengoku’s first featherweight champion. After Hioki was forced out of the final due to a concussion, Kanehara stepped back in to take a well-earned decision win over Michihiro Omigawa.
Other contenders: Bibiano Fernandes, Yuji Hoshino, Michihiro Omigawa, Marlon Sandro, Joe Soto.
*With his hotly contested split decision loss to Michihiro Omigawa, former No. 10 Marlon Sandro falls outside the top 10 to the contenders list.
1. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
Though it was just over two months ago that Mike Thomas Brown gritted out his second win over featherweight star Urijah Faber, the 145-pound kingpin can't necessarily rest easy. With pistol prospect Jose Aldo his next challenger, Brown may face his toughest task to date in November.
2. Urijah Faber (22-3)
Faber failed to recover the WEC title and featherweight mantle in his June 7 rematch with Mike Thomas Brown. However, Faber fought gamely for the better part of 25 minutes with a broken hand, proving he still ranks among the featherweight elite.
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Quietly one of the world's best featherweights, Fabiano could secure a crack at the WEC's title if he beats undefeated Midwesterner Erik Koch at WEC 43 on Sept. 2.
4. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
The finale of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix on Aug. 2 didn't exactly go according to plan for Hatsu Hioki. After dominating Masanori Kanehara in the semi-finals, Hioki was forced to watch the man he defeated go on to become champion while he sat on the sidelines with a concussion. Hioki will likely be first on deck to challenge Kanehara for the title later this year.
5. Leonard
Garcia (13-4)
It was not especially convincing, but Leonard Garcia picked up his first win since his March blowout loss to Mike Thomas Brown, taking a contentious split decision over Jameel Massouh at WEC 42 on Aug. 9.
6. Jose Aldo (15-1)
After cutting a swath through the WEC's featherweight division, 22-year-old wunderkind Jose Aldo has been chosen as the next man to challenge divisional ruler Mike Thomas Brown. The moment of truth for the Manaus native will come at WEC 45 in November, where he figures to be Brown's most explosive challenger to date.
7. Dokonjonosuke Mishima (19-6-2)
After missing out Sengoku's featherweight tournament due to a knee injury, the 37-year-old Mishima defend his Deep featherweight title for the first time on Aug. 23. The colorful Cobra Kai leader will risk his throne against 22-year-old stud Takafumi Otsuka, who competed in Dream's featherweight grand prix earlier this year.
8. Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
In a bout that was more symbolic than relevant, professional Shooto’s current poster boy defended his 143-pound world title against Shooto icon Rumina Sato. After his usual dramatic early struggle, “Lion Takeshi” predictably punched out Sato in the first frame.
9. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
The second WEC outing for the highly touted Assuncao will come at WEC 43 on Sept. 2, where the once-beaten Brazilian will meet dynamic Georges St. Pierre training partner Yves Jabouin.
10. Masanori Kanehara (14-6-5)
It's was highly improbable, but despite dropping a decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix semi-finals on Aug. 2, Masanori Kanehara became Sengoku’s first featherweight champion. After Hioki was forced out of the final due to a concussion, Kanehara stepped back in to take a well-earned decision win over Michihiro Omigawa.
Other contenders: Bibiano Fernandes, Yuji Hoshino, Michihiro Omigawa, Marlon Sandro, Joe Soto.
*With his hotly contested split decision loss to Michihiro Omigawa, former No. 10 Marlon Sandro falls outside the top 10 to the contenders list.
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