Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

---

Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo (20-1)
Nova Uniao’s top student maintained his position atop the 145-pound division by turning away former UFC lightweight title challenger Kenny Florian in a five-round decision at UFC 136. Waiting in the wings for Aldo, presumably in 2012 and possibly in Brazil, is unbeaten wrestler Chad Mendes.

2. Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2)
Perhaps Japan's most outstanding MMA fighter, Hioki is finally set for his Octagon debut. After racking up titles in TKO, Shooto and Sengoku, Hioki will make his first Octagon appearance in Las Vegas at UFC 137, meeting George Roop on the Oct. 29 bill.

3. Chad Mendes (11-0)
Mendes was clinical in taking out Brazilian grappling standout Rani Yahya with his powerful wrestling. Better still, the potentially broken hand he faced turned out not to be fractured at all, boding better for his chances to meet the winner of the Jose Aldo-Kenny Florian fight in October.

4. Pat Curran (16-4)
He started slowly, but Curran finished brutally in his Aug. 20 showdown with former Sengoku and Pancrase champion Marlon Sandro in the final of Bellator's Summer Series tournament. With his head kick knockout of Sandro, Curran earns the right to challenge the winner of the eventual Joe Warren-Patricio Freire featherweight title fight in the coming months.

5. Kenny Florian (14-6)
Florian was denied his third UFC title bid on Oct. 8, as his size advantage and clinching tactics were not enough to stymie the skills of featherweight ruler Jose Aldo. Following the five-round loss, Florian stated in a release that he would “take some time” off to “evaluate all of my options.”

6. Marlon Sandro (19-3)
On the heels of the first knockout loss of his career, Sandro has stated that he is hungry for revenge against Bellator’s top featherweight contender, Pat Curran. Before he can get payback, however, the hard-hitting Brazilian will have to go through grappling countryman Rafael Dias on Nov. 19.

7. Diego Nunes (16-2)
After exceeding expectations against Kenny Florian in June, Nunes was scheduled to take on another former UFC lightweight in Manny Gamburyan at UFC 135 on Sept. 24. However, Gamburyan’s recurring shoulder issues forced him out of the fight, leaving Nunes without an opponent. Nunes eventually withdrew from the bout himself, citing physical and personal problems, but plans to be back in December and has expressed his desire to face Gamburyan at that time.

8. Joe Warren (7-2)
Bellator’s 145-pound titleholder seemed a clear-cut favorite to win the company’s fifth-season 135-pound bracket, but things took an unexpected turn on Sept. 24. Squaring off against another decorated wrestler, natural flyweight Alexis Vila, Warren was handed the first knockout loss of his young career courtesy of a devastating Vila left hook.

9. Tyson Griffin (15-5)
In June, Griffin cut to 145 pounds and found success by defeating Manny Gamburyan. On Oct. 29, he will return the favor, as he welcomes Bart Palaszewski to the featherweight division at UFC 137.

10. Manny Gamburyan (11-6)
Coming off a loss to Tyson Griffin in June, Gamburyan was slated to get back to action at UFC 135 in September before his ongoing shoulder issues forced him to pull out of a slated bout with talented Brazilian Diego Nunes. Gamburyan stated in late-August that he expects to return to the Octagon by year’s end.

Other contenders: Darren Elkins, Patricio Freire, Mark Hominick, Erik Koch, Dustin Poirier.

Continue Reading » MMA Bantamweight Rankings