Jose Aldo retained his UFC featherweight title in front of a carioca crowd at UFC 142. | Photo: Sherdog.com
Featherweight
It might be too early to call Jose Aldo “the people’s champion,” but the Brazilian dynamo’s sensational first-round knockout of previously-unbeaten Chad Mendes at UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro -- punctuated by his post-fight dive into the carioca crowd – was one of the most stirring moments in MMA’s recent past. The brilliant win has re-ignited conversations for “Scarface” to move up to 155, though his future for 2012 seems secure at featherweight.
2. Hatsu Hioki (25-4-2)
It wasn’t pretty, but Hioki avoided the curse of the Japanese imports with an Oct. 29 split decision win over George Roop in his Octagon debut. The Shooto champ will return home on Feb. 26 for another stiff test against hard-hitting WEC transfer Bart Palaszewski at UFC 144.
3. Chad Mendes (11-1)
Chad Mendes might be one of the world’s best featherweights, but as he found out at UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro, that tends not to matter against Jose Aldo. Mendes came to fight, but still wound up unconscious with one second to go in the first round, and losing his unbeaten record, to boot.
4. Pat Curran (16-4)
Curran started slowly but 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 earned the right to challenge champ Joe Warren, a shot which will come in February at an as-yet-unannounced Bellator event.
5. Kenny Florian (14-6)
After losing to Jose Aldo in October, Kenny Florian wanted time to reassess his career. More recently, the fighter-stroke-commentator has admitted he’s mulling retirement due to ongoing back issues, a decision which could move “Ken Flo” to the booth permanently.
6. Marlon Sandro (20-3)
Sandro notched his 20th career victory in impressive fashion on Nov. 19, submitting Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Rafael Dias with a first-round arm-triangle choke. However, to get the rematch he desires -- a second crack at Bellator Summer Series tournament winner Pat Curran -- the heavy-handed Nova Uniao representative will have to navigate through the company’s upcoming sixth-season featherweight tournament.
7. Diego Nunes (17-2)
It’s Jose Aldo that rules 145, but his Nova Uniao teammate Diego Nunes did his part to keep moving in the division at UFC 141 by winning a well-appointed unanimous decision over Manny Gamburyan. Nunes has now won four of his last five, his lone loss coming on points to Kenny Florian last June.
8. Dustin Poirier (11-1)
First it was Erik Koch, and then it was Ricardo Lamas. The opponent carousel hasn’t been kind to Dustin Poirier, but for now, the talented up-and-comer is penciled in to take on unbeaten Hawaiian Max Holloway at UFC 143 on Feb. 4.
9. Bart Palaszewski (36-14)
Palaszewski notched this biggest win of his nearly 10-year career on Oct. 29, when he blasted former lightweight contender Tyson Griffin for a knockout win in less than three minutes. The going won’t get any easier in the Team Curran fighter’s sophomore Octagon appearance, as “Bartimus” is slated for action on hostile soil against Japanese star Hatsu Hioki at UFC 144 on Feb. 26.
10. 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 when Warren was flattened by a left hook from fellow wrestler Alexis Vila. With top contender Patricio Freire injured, Warren will move back up the scale to defend his title against Pat Curran in February.
Other contenders: Iuri Alcantara, Patricio Freire, Tyson Griffin, Chan Sung Jung, Erik Koch.
Continue Reading » MMA Bantamweight Rankings