Where would you rank Santiago in his weight class?
Top twenty for sure, probably just outside the top ten I would say. Great run of four wins but the losses to Belcher and Leben last year still hold him back in terms of rankings. I'd put him somewhere like #16 or something.
yeah around the 15 mark seems about right
I think more in the #10-12 range. He is coming off consecutive wins (all finishes) over Semenov, Horn, Salmon, and Prangley. That is an amazing 2007.
Wow.
If Santiago is in the top 10-12, where do you rank guys like Belcher, Leben, & Jordan Radev?
Santiago has a good case for top 15. As Tomato Can mentioned, he's had quite a few good wins lately. The top 10 at 185 is actually pretty solid, but some of the guys just outside can be ranked however you want.
If you value recent wins, Santiago might just be up there on your list.
I'm just not seeing it.
His best win is probably Prangley. Horn has been a shell of his former self lately, getting KO'd by Lindland, submitted by Santiago, and struggling to a split decision with Niko. Semenov has been even worse, losing four of his last five fights. Salmon is giving Justin Eilers and Olaf Alfonzo a run for their money as 'most entertaining KO victim'.
I don't see any really impressive wins in that four fight win streak other than his win over a depleted Trevor Prangley. That certainly isn't enough for me to forget about him being brutally KO'd by fringe top 20 guys like Leben and Belcher last year.
Forget about the guys at the top of the division, I'd rank him behind Kampmann, Leites, Belcher, Leben, Grove, MacDonald, McFedries, Cote, Doerksen, and maybe even Martin, Herman, Radev & Quarry. And those are just the UFC guys I'd rank above him.
"If Santiago is in the top 10-12, where do you rank guys like Belcher, Leben, & Jordan Radev?"
Behind him, because he has pretty clearly surpassed them. Just because you beat someone doesn't mean you are ranked ahead of them forever.
Santiago was wiping leben until the incident. Even if he wasn't, how long are you to hold that fight against him?
Anyway, Beating Horn and Prangley recently, means more than Losing to Belcher and Leben.
185 is a clusterfuck.
top 15-20
at least top 10
12 area seems fair...jardine is still top 10 after losing to a first time ufc fighter