Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Middleweight
Feb 21, 2008
MIDDLEWEIGHT (185-170)
1. Anderson Silva (20-4)
After a string of stirring victories that earned him the title of the sport's top fighter in the eyes of many, Silva will have an opportunity to further cement his status in a March bout against Dan Henderson (Pictures). In Henderson, Silva meets another pound-for-pound stalwart who could possess the staying power to test "The Spider" in a way he hasn't been challenged in quite a while. Here's to hoping a potential classic delivers.
2. Paulo
Filho (Pictures) (16-0-0)
The good: Filho knocked off a very solid and worthy opponent in his Dec. 12 WEC title defense in Chael Sonnen (Pictures). The bad: He looked positively awful doing it, and the fight's finish came amid considerable controversy. The ugly: The fight has led to many fans and pundits alike questioning whether Filho is nearly as talented as his beefy record says. It's a question that could get answered when he rematches Sonnen in March.
3. Rich Franklin (Pictures) (22-3-0, 1 NC)
Following another destruction at the hands of Anderson Silva, Franklin will attempt to get back into the saddle in March against solid but unspectacular competition in Travis Lutter (Pictures). Like Franklin, Lutter has firsthand knowledge of the division's kingpin, having been another victim of Silva last February. With Lindland out of the picture, Franklin jumps up one spot to third.
Although Marquardt was overwhelmed in his UFC title bid in July by Anderson Silva, the multiple-time King of Pancrase looked sterling in his destruction of Jeremy Horn (Pictures). The win puts Marquardt back in the mix at 185, and with the subtraction of "The Law," Marquardt rises from five to four.
5. Robbie Lawler (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Injury again nixed a proposed Dec. 15 bout in Icon Sport with Hawaiian banger Kala Kolohe Hose (Pictures). Here's hoping that the third time is the charm for getting this fight done and that one of ProElite's top talents can stay healthy for action in the new year. Lawler also gains one spot, heading from six to five.
6. Yushin Okami (Pictures) (21-4-0)
Following his domination of Jason MacDonald (Pictures) in October, rumors immediately surfaced that Okami was done in the UFC and that Zuffa had no interest in re-signing him. Thankfully, that isn't the case, and the Japanese standout will look to ruin the Octagon return of former champ Evan Tanner (Pictures) in March. Okami also gains a spot, moving from seventh to sixth.
7. Frank Trigg (Pictures) (16-6-0)
Not the most poignant victory in the world, "Twinkle Toes" made easy work of Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on the Dec. 15 HDNet Fights card. What's more important is that Jason "Mayhem" Miller knocked off Tim Kennedy (Pictures), setting up a quality rematch between the two fighters early next year. Their first encounter was the bout that brought Trigg back to prominence, as he literally stomped out MMA's cult hero in December 2006.
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) (10-1-0, 2 NC)
While there is much scrutiny around potential political motivations being the impetus for overturning Akiyama's bout with Kazuo Misaki (Pictures), the fact remains that the governing powers overturned the bout. However deserved, Akiyama moves ahead of Misaki and takes the eighth spot following the invalidation of his loss. For the sake of propriety, hopefully a rematch happens down the line.
9. Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) (18-8-2, 1 NC)
Talk about a rollercoaster: after his improbable and arguably tainted PRIDE Grand Prix run in 2006, Misaki began 2007 with high hopes, and was instead destroyed by Frank Trigg (Pictures). Misaki appeared to turn in a performance that embodied the brand of gameness he's known for, getting up from a brutal knockdown to put Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) to sleep in vicious fashion. However, Akiyama protested, alleging that Misaki finished with an illegal soccer kick. The result was overturned and the win erased.
10. Jorge Santiago (Pictures) (16-7-0)
The Brazilian seemed relegated to gatekeeper status after being ousted from the UFC on two losses. Since then Santiago has went on a four-fight win streak, including respectable wins over Jeremy Horn (Pictures) and Andrei Semenov (Pictures) anchored by a fantastic win over the ever-tough Trevor Prangley (Pictures) to capture Strikeforce's one-night tournament in November.
1. Anderson Silva (20-4)
After a string of stirring victories that earned him the title of the sport's top fighter in the eyes of many, Silva will have an opportunity to further cement his status in a March bout against Dan Henderson (Pictures). In Henderson, Silva meets another pound-for-pound stalwart who could possess the staying power to test "The Spider" in a way he hasn't been challenged in quite a while. Here's to hoping a potential classic delivers.
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The good: Filho knocked off a very solid and worthy opponent in his Dec. 12 WEC title defense in Chael Sonnen (Pictures). The bad: He looked positively awful doing it, and the fight's finish came amid considerable controversy. The ugly: The fight has led to many fans and pundits alike questioning whether Filho is nearly as talented as his beefy record says. It's a question that could get answered when he rematches Sonnen in March.
3. Rich Franklin (Pictures) (22-3-0, 1 NC)
Following another destruction at the hands of Anderson Silva, Franklin will attempt to get back into the saddle in March against solid but unspectacular competition in Travis Lutter (Pictures). Like Franklin, Lutter has firsthand knowledge of the division's kingpin, having been another victim of Silva last February. With Lindland out of the picture, Franklin jumps up one spot to third.
4. Nathan Marquardt (Pictures) (26-7-2)
Although Marquardt was overwhelmed in his UFC title bid in July by Anderson Silva, the multiple-time King of Pancrase looked sterling in his destruction of Jeremy Horn (Pictures). The win puts Marquardt back in the mix at 185, and with the subtraction of "The Law," Marquardt rises from five to four.
5. Robbie Lawler (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Injury again nixed a proposed Dec. 15 bout in Icon Sport with Hawaiian banger Kala Kolohe Hose (Pictures). Here's hoping that the third time is the charm for getting this fight done and that one of ProElite's top talents can stay healthy for action in the new year. Lawler also gains one spot, heading from six to five.
6. Yushin Okami (Pictures) (21-4-0)
Following his domination of Jason MacDonald (Pictures) in October, rumors immediately surfaced that Okami was done in the UFC and that Zuffa had no interest in re-signing him. Thankfully, that isn't the case, and the Japanese standout will look to ruin the Octagon return of former champ Evan Tanner (Pictures) in March. Okami also gains a spot, moving from seventh to sixth.
7. Frank Trigg (Pictures) (16-6-0)
Not the most poignant victory in the world, "Twinkle Toes" made easy work of Edwin Dewees (Pictures) on the Dec. 15 HDNet Fights card. What's more important is that Jason "Mayhem" Miller knocked off Tim Kennedy (Pictures), setting up a quality rematch between the two fighters early next year. Their first encounter was the bout that brought Trigg back to prominence, as he literally stomped out MMA's cult hero in December 2006.
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) (10-1-0, 2 NC)
While there is much scrutiny around potential political motivations being the impetus for overturning Akiyama's bout with Kazuo Misaki (Pictures), the fact remains that the governing powers overturned the bout. However deserved, Akiyama moves ahead of Misaki and takes the eighth spot following the invalidation of his loss. For the sake of propriety, hopefully a rematch happens down the line.
9. Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) (18-8-2, 1 NC)
Talk about a rollercoaster: after his improbable and arguably tainted PRIDE Grand Prix run in 2006, Misaki began 2007 with high hopes, and was instead destroyed by Frank Trigg (Pictures). Misaki appeared to turn in a performance that embodied the brand of gameness he's known for, getting up from a brutal knockdown to put Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) to sleep in vicious fashion. However, Akiyama protested, alleging that Misaki finished with an illegal soccer kick. The result was overturned and the win erased.
10. Jorge Santiago (Pictures) (16-7-0)
The Brazilian seemed relegated to gatekeeper status after being ousted from the UFC on two losses. Since then Santiago has went on a four-fight win streak, including respectable wins over Jeremy Horn (Pictures) and Andrei Semenov (Pictures) anchored by a fantastic win over the ever-tough Trevor Prangley (Pictures) to capture Strikeforce's one-night tournament in November.
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