Who would you rank as the top ten contenders in the UFC WW division?
Note: This is not a top ten ranking. This is not a talent ranking or a who-beats-who ranking. This ranking is based on who should be the top contenders in the division at the moment. Some things that will be different: UFC record will factor in more heavily than overall record, previous matchups with the champion (if any) are important, and excitement and marketing cannot be totally ignored (although they should not be the biggest factor).
Example: Clearly Rich Franklin is a top 3 MW in the world, but he wouldn't be top 10 contenders right now for obvious reasons.
Champion: Georges St. Pierre
1. Mike Swick
2. Martin Kampmann
3. Jon Fitch
4. Anthony Johnson
5. Dong Hyun Kim
6. Thiago Alves
7. Josh Koscheck
8. Dustin Hazelett
9. Dan Hardy
10. Frank Trigg
Note: No these rankings are not perfect. They're meant to inspire debate and discussion. If you think they can be improved, please let me know. I'll keep this thread active as contenders rise and fall through the rankings.
I'd totally remove Serra from that list. He has to beat Hughes to make it back.
Though it's not necessarily deserved, I bet the UFC has Anthony Johnson above Davis/Fitch/Kos/P. Thiago. GSP has already destroyed Fitch and Kos, nobody wants to see Paulo Thiago fight for the title (unless he somehow mauls Fitch), and Davis had that loss against Swick which didn't do him many favors.
Johnson, though he lost legitimately once to a 155er, has looked impressive since, and has tons of marketability and potential.
ie, I'd certainly pay to watch GSP vs Johnson, but wouldn't for GSP Davis/Fitch II/Kos II/P. Thiago.
P.S., thanks for putting these rankings up!
Where the hell is Kampmann?! With a win over WEC champ Condit, Kampmann is one big win away from title shot.
I would definitely also add Hardy who just beat Gono and Markham.
I'd remove Serra who has been out for too long and Kim who lost to Karo and got a gift decision against Brown.
Good list, but I'd move down Marcus Davis a couple notches and put in Kampmann behind Swick.
Changing a few things based on suggestions.
NorthFromHere - Where the hell is Kampmann?! With a win over WEC champ Condit, Kampmann is one big win away from title shot.
I would definitely also add Hardy who just beat Gono and Markham.
I'd remove Serra who has been out for too long and Kim who lost to Karo and got a gift decision against Brown.
Added Kampmann. Kim is still on there for me because technically the Karo fight was a NC, Karo tested positive for being extrememly fucking high.
TTT
ttt
Three WW fights at UFC 98 but no changes to the rankings as noone on this list fought. Hughes's win does not put him back on the list because Hughes/GSP 4 is simply never going to happen. Maybe if Alves wins then Hughes will jump back onto the list.
ttt for UFC 99
Marcus Davis drops from the number 3 spot on the list all the way off the contender rankings, having now gone 2-2 in his last 4 fights. Dan Hardy jumps to the number ten spot and everyone else slides up a spot.
Honestly, there are a ton of guys you could stick in the last couple of spots on this list but I chose to put Hardy in there because he's coming off a big win over a tough guy and is 3-0 in the UFC. Plus he's British. Any British guy who is undefeated in the UFC is going to get a big push.
Swick stays where he is at #2 after his win. He's now 9-1 in the UFC (surprising, right?) and is probably in line for a title shot after Alves.
ttt for UFC 100
Champion: Georges St. Pierre
1. Mike Swick
2. Martin Kampmann
3. Jon Fitch
4. Anthony Johnson
5. Dong Hyun Kim
6. Thiago Alves
7. Josh Koscheck
8. Dustin Hazelett
9. Dan Hardy
10. Frank Trigg
Honestly, I don't even know where we go from here. I guess Mike Swick vs Martin Kampmann at 103 is for the #1 contender. Swick is 9-1 UFC and Kampmann is 6-1. Both are undefeated at 170. Their fight at 103 seems to be for a title shot, so they go at #1/#2.
Fitch is 10-1 with wins over numerous contenders. He seems to be the #2 WW in the world. And yet he's already been beaten in lopsided fashion by GSP. I put him at #3 because i simply can't stomach putting him any lower.
After Fitch, you have two up-and-comers without any big wins to their names. Anthony Johnson is only 4-2 UFC, but he's on a two fight win streak and he hasn't lost to GSP yet, so that puts him at #4. Dong Hyun Kim is very close at #5, with a 3-0-1 record but no significant wins.
After that, the rest of the division simply seems either be totally unready for title shots or has already lost to GSP in dramatic fashion. I even put Trigg at #10 on the remote chance he beats Koscheck in his upcoming bout.
Looking at this list, after GSP beats Swick/Kampmann, he needs to fight Anderson Silva.