I think the MMAweekly.com latest rankings are correct here, although they put Henderson in the LHW bracket one spot ahead of Tito and Dan is usually aaround 190. Given that:
Silva / Couture (tie)
Rampage
Liddell
Tito
For once I am in agreement with all the MMA writers and MMA fighters that made the MMAWeekly.com ranking. It astonishing to me how low Tito has dropped in many people's eyes due to his losses to #1 and #4. The guy is still great and will show it Friday night.
how can there be a tie? couture is number one, he beat liddell, ortiz, and belfort within the last year. and im a vanderlei fan.. and ortiz hasnt dont anything to be ranked 5th..
no he isnt
"how can there be a tie? Couture is number one, he beat liddell, ortiz, and belfort within the last year.
Couture is my favorite fighter and you're right, he did a lot last year. But Silva beat the guy that beat Liddell and hasn't lost in YEARS. He beat some weaker fighters but also beat Rampage, Yoshida, Sak 3 times, Kondo, Tamura, drew with Cro-Cop in a "kickboxing" fight and so on. These guys both have the right to claim #1 IMO.
"ortiz hasnt done anything to be ranked 5th.. "
I'm curious who you would rank above him at #5?
ok, maybe fifth
I'd rank him #6, under Vitor
Randy definitely #1. The true LHW Champ because he beat the 2 top LHW Contenders. Vanderlei is the MW Champ in every sense of the word b/c he beat mostly 185 lb. Japanesese fighters (except for Rampage). Vanderlei hasn't beat any other true LHW Contenders since Dan Henderson at PRIDE 12
I have Tito ranked 6
I would rank Couture number 1, I don't think Vandy can beat him.
Number 2 will be determined soon.
"Silva, Rampage, Couture, Lidell.....Belfort, Arona, etc. Not sure he could beat any of these guys."
I agree on the first 4, as I posted. I think Belfort-Tito would be similar to Belfort-Couture but not as dominating - Tito would get a G&P decision unless Belfort KO'd him early but Belfort doesn't seem to have the same hands as he once did. Arona would be very close and I have him at #6 now just below Tito. Their ADCC match was very even and Tito has a bit more MMA experience. Would be a great fight although probably not a lot of fireworks...
"arona could possibly beat all those guys.."
i'm taking it that you didnt see the Arona/Rampage fight?
well I don't know how they figure these things but I expect Tito to get the W this Friday and that should make him a solid tod 5 LHW, eventhough I don't think he is. Check the preview:
On a side note, I think two guys from the weight class below Tito might be able to fight at around 190 and possibly beat Tito at 205.
One is Dan Henderson who's a better wrestler than Ortiz and has that super right hand. Another is Sakuraba, and before I get trashed for saying that, think about the matchup. Sak has only been beaten by strikes and I don't see Tito KOing him. Sak is as good a wrestler, much much more experience and perhaps the best submission artist of all time. It could look a lot like Sak-Randleman, with late submission.
ttt for tttito
His 4 losses are to great fighters, not to mention he beat that Wanderlie guy that everyone on here gets a hard on for.
"That's debatable. lay n Pray is frowned on as a way to win. Silva had all the highlights."
I would say that Tito dropping Silva and Silva's head bouncing off the octagon floor was a Tito highlight.
Overall a boring fight, both guys had their moments, Tito dominated the takedown game.
"lol @ a 'tie' just to keep tito in "
Wrong! Look more carefully. I have the top two tied for #1 but the next guy is #3.
[I expect Tito to get the W this Friday and that should make him a solid tod 5 LHW]
How is beating a nobody going to put Tito into the top 5? How does this help his ranking at all?
I don't even understand why Tito took this fight. If he wins, who cares. If he loses, he's history.
I have him ranked at 6 as well. That's actually being pretty generous given that he has lost his last two fights, but lay n pray or not he does hold a win over #2 Silva in his record. That's why I rank him high still.
Randy
Silva
Rampage
Liddell
Vitor
Tito
Babulu
Arona
I don't think Tito can beat any of top 5 in above category at this point.