Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Lightweight
Jan 4, 2008
LIGHTWEIGHT (155-145)
1. Takanori Gomi (Pictures) (27-3-0, 1 ND)
While Gomi didn't take part in the New Year's Eve festivities, many watchful eyes caught "The Fireball Kid" ringside at UFC 79. Furthermore, UFC boss Dana White said he's still interested in signing the longtime lightweight king. Here's hoping.
2. Gesias Calvancante
(Pictures) (14-1-1)
Everybody was hyped for "JZ" to take on Shinya Aoki (Pictures) on New Year's Eve, but apparently the braintrust behind Yarennoka! took everyone for a ride and announced Calvancante was injured. Talk is that Aoki-Calvancante will happen in March, possibly in HERO'S, and hopefully it goes off without a hitch this time. With Melendez's loss to Ishida, Calvancante rises to second from third.
3. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) (16-3-1)
Undersized and predictable as a fighter, many thought Ishida had peaked with a fortuitous win over a streaking Marcus Aurelio. Instead, "The Endless Fighter" marched out to the ring and outwrestled the undefeated and highly regarded Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) to a unanimous decision, earning the biggest win of his career. Like many former PRIDE fighters, what's next for Ishida is uncertain, but hopefully 2008 can see him against some noteworthy competition. With the victory over Melendez, Ishida leaps from seventh to third in the Sherdog.com ranks.
In what looked to be a tough, but winnable contest for Melendez to put another scalp on his résumé, "El Niño" dropped a decision to Mitushiro Ishida in a back-and-forth bout of scrambles. While Melendez has already asked for a rematch, he'll first have to defend his Strikeforce crown against Josh Thomson (Pictures) in March. The loss to Ishida drops Melendez from second to fourth.
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) (20-4-2)
After a year away from the ring, Kawajiri looked like the "Crusher" of old as he pounded Brazilian wildman Luiz Azeredo (Pictures) to a dominant unanimous decision on the Yarennoka! card. Here's to seeing more of the former Shooto world champ in 2008. With the victory of his pal Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) over Gilbert Melendez (Pictures), Kawajiri falls from fourth to fifth.
6. Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) (19-2)
"Shaolin" had successful eye surgery in September following his destruction at the hands of Gesias Calvancante (Pictures). For Ribeiro, recovery likely can't come fast enough to allow him to erase the memories of his dreadful performance in the HERO'S semifinal. The rise of Ishida sees Shaolin drop one spot.
7. Sean Sherk (Pictures) (32-2-1)
After the tumultuous saga of his CSAC steroids appeal, Sherk's suspension was reduced to six months at his Dec. 4 hearing, and he was subsequently stripped of the UFC lightweight title. While the larger statements that the Sherk trial makes about MMA are up for debate, "The Muscle Shark" will be back in action in the first half of 2008 against the winner of the Joe Stevenson-B.J. Penn (Pictures) clash. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures)'s climb up the ranks drops Sherk from sixth to seventh.
8. B.J. Penn (Pictures) (11-4-1)
Six years since he seemed poised to be the fighter to bring the 155-pounders to the masses, the 29-year-old "Prodigy" will take on Joe Stevenson for the UFC lightweight crown Jan. 19 in Newcastle, England. Indications are that the winner will face Sean Sherk (Pictures) later in the year. That's a schedule fans can get behind.
9. Joe Stevenson (28-7-0)
Riding a four-fight winning streak since returning to the lightweight class, Stevenson is now faced with the largest task of his career: B.J. Penn (Pictures) for the UFC's 155-pound championship. Should he emerge victorious, Sean Sherk (Pictures) is likely on the horizon. Needless to say, things are fixing to pick up for "Joe Daddy."
10. Frank Edgar (Pictures) (8-0-0)
One of the most pleasant surprises of 2007, Edgar burst onto the scene in February with his instant classic and fight-of-the-year candidate against then-undefeated Tyson Griffin. In continuing an undefeated streak against solid competition, Edgar dominated well-regarded Miletich product Spencer Fisher (Pictures) from bell to bell in front of a hometown New Jersey crowd.
1. Takanori Gomi (Pictures) (27-3-0, 1 ND)
While Gomi didn't take part in the New Year's Eve festivities, many watchful eyes caught "The Fireball Kid" ringside at UFC 79. Furthermore, UFC boss Dana White said he's still interested in signing the longtime lightweight king. Here's hoping.
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Everybody was hyped for "JZ" to take on Shinya Aoki (Pictures) on New Year's Eve, but apparently the braintrust behind Yarennoka! took everyone for a ride and announced Calvancante was injured. Talk is that Aoki-Calvancante will happen in March, possibly in HERO'S, and hopefully it goes off without a hitch this time. With Melendez's loss to Ishida, Calvancante rises to second from third.
3. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) (16-3-1)
Undersized and predictable as a fighter, many thought Ishida had peaked with a fortuitous win over a streaking Marcus Aurelio. Instead, "The Endless Fighter" marched out to the ring and outwrestled the undefeated and highly regarded Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) to a unanimous decision, earning the biggest win of his career. Like many former PRIDE fighters, what's next for Ishida is uncertain, but hopefully 2008 can see him against some noteworthy competition. With the victory over Melendez, Ishida leaps from seventh to third in the Sherdog.com ranks.
4. Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) (13-1-0)
In what looked to be a tough, but winnable contest for Melendez to put another scalp on his résumé, "El Niño" dropped a decision to Mitushiro Ishida in a back-and-forth bout of scrambles. While Melendez has already asked for a rematch, he'll first have to defend his Strikeforce crown against Josh Thomson (Pictures) in March. The loss to Ishida drops Melendez from second to fourth.
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) (20-4-2)
After a year away from the ring, Kawajiri looked like the "Crusher" of old as he pounded Brazilian wildman Luiz Azeredo (Pictures) to a dominant unanimous decision on the Yarennoka! card. Here's to seeing more of the former Shooto world champ in 2008. With the victory of his pal Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) over Gilbert Melendez (Pictures), Kawajiri falls from fourth to fifth.
6. Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) (19-2)
"Shaolin" had successful eye surgery in September following his destruction at the hands of Gesias Calvancante (Pictures). For Ribeiro, recovery likely can't come fast enough to allow him to erase the memories of his dreadful performance in the HERO'S semifinal. The rise of Ishida sees Shaolin drop one spot.
7. Sean Sherk (Pictures) (32-2-1)
After the tumultuous saga of his CSAC steroids appeal, Sherk's suspension was reduced to six months at his Dec. 4 hearing, and he was subsequently stripped of the UFC lightweight title. While the larger statements that the Sherk trial makes about MMA are up for debate, "The Muscle Shark" will be back in action in the first half of 2008 against the winner of the Joe Stevenson-B.J. Penn (Pictures) clash. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures)'s climb up the ranks drops Sherk from sixth to seventh.
8. B.J. Penn (Pictures) (11-4-1)
Six years since he seemed poised to be the fighter to bring the 155-pounders to the masses, the 29-year-old "Prodigy" will take on Joe Stevenson for the UFC lightweight crown Jan. 19 in Newcastle, England. Indications are that the winner will face Sean Sherk (Pictures) later in the year. That's a schedule fans can get behind.
9. Joe Stevenson (28-7-0)
Riding a four-fight winning streak since returning to the lightweight class, Stevenson is now faced with the largest task of his career: B.J. Penn (Pictures) for the UFC's 155-pound championship. Should he emerge victorious, Sean Sherk (Pictures) is likely on the horizon. Needless to say, things are fixing to pick up for "Joe Daddy."
10. Frank Edgar (Pictures) (8-0-0)
One of the most pleasant surprises of 2007, Edgar burst onto the scene in February with his instant classic and fight-of-the-year candidate against then-undefeated Tyson Griffin. In continuing an undefeated streak against solid competition, Edgar dominated well-regarded Miletich product Spencer Fisher (Pictures) from bell to bell in front of a hometown New Jersey crowd.
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