Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Featherweight
Sep 27, 2009
Featherweight
1. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
It was no secret that Brown’s featherweight mantle would be at stake against hot-shot Brazilian prospect Jose Aldo; the question was simply when. Now we know: WEC 44 on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.
2. Urijah Faber
(22-3)
Faber failed to recover the World Extreme Cagefighting title and featherweight mantle in his June 7 rematch with Mike Thomas Brown. However, Faber fought gamely for the better part of 25 minutes with a broken hand and proved he still ranks among the featherweight elite.
3. Wagnney Fabiano (12-1)
The former International Fight League featherweight champion was scheduled for duty on Sept. 2 against Erik Koch. However, the postponement of WEC 43 means Fabiano will have to wait until Oct. 10 to step back into the cage.
The finale of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix on Aug. 2 did not exactly go according to plan for Hioki. After dominating Masanori Kanehara in the semi-finals, Hioki was forced to watch the man he defeated go on to become champion while he sat on the sidelines with a concussion.
5. Leonard Garcia (13-4)
His split decision win over Jameel Massouh in August was hardly enthusing, and a better performance will be hard to come by, as Garcia’s next outing will see him take on Manny Gamburyan at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
6. Jose Aldo (15-1)
Aldo was already official as Mike Thomas Brown’s next challenger for the WEC title. Now, a date has been set for the biggest fight of the 23-year-old Brazilian’s career. He will tangle with Brown at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
7. Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
In a battle of past and present, the current Shooto 143-pound world champion will take on former titleholder Alexandre Franca “Pequeno” Nogueira -- who reigned for seven years (1999-2006) -- at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on Oct. 20.
8. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
Though he will have to wait six weeks longer than expected, Assuncao will still get his moment to shine on Oct. 10, when he takes on exciting Georges St. Pierre training partner Yves Jabouin at WEC 43 in San Antonio.
9. Masanori Kanehara (14-6-5)
It was highly improbable, but despite dropping a decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix semi-finals on Aug. 2, Kanehara became Sengoku’s first featherweight champion. After Hioki was forced out of the final due to a concussion, Kanehara stepped back in and took a well-earned decision win over Michihiro Omigawa.
10. Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)
Fernandes was baptized by fire early in his MMA career, with two of his first three bouts coming against Urijah Faber and Norifumi Yamamoto. In the Dream featherweight grand prix semi-finals, the roles will be reversed, as Fernandes will take on fast-rising upstart Joe Warren, who knocked off the aforementioned Yamamoto in just his second professional MMA bout.
Other contenders: Yuji Hoshino, Michihiro Omigawa, Takafumi Otsuka, Marlon Sandro, Joe Soto.
1. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
It was no secret that Brown’s featherweight mantle would be at stake against hot-shot Brazilian prospect Jose Aldo; the question was simply when. Now we know: WEC 44 on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.
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Faber failed to recover the World Extreme Cagefighting title and featherweight mantle in his June 7 rematch with Mike Thomas Brown. However, Faber fought gamely for the better part of 25 minutes with a broken hand and proved he still ranks among the featherweight elite.
3. Wagnney Fabiano (12-1)
The former International Fight League featherweight champion was scheduled for duty on Sept. 2 against Erik Koch. However, the postponement of WEC 43 means Fabiano will have to wait until Oct. 10 to step back into the cage.
4. Hatsu Hioki
(20-3-2)
The finale of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix on Aug. 2 did not exactly go according to plan for Hioki. After dominating Masanori Kanehara in the semi-finals, Hioki was forced to watch the man he defeated go on to become champion while he sat on the sidelines with a concussion.
5. Leonard Garcia (13-4)
His split decision win over Jameel Massouh in August was hardly enthusing, and a better performance will be hard to come by, as Garcia’s next outing will see him take on Manny Gamburyan at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
6. Jose Aldo (15-1)
Aldo was already official as Mike Thomas Brown’s next challenger for the WEC title. Now, a date has been set for the biggest fight of the 23-year-old Brazilian’s career. He will tangle with Brown at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
7. Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
In a battle of past and present, the current Shooto 143-pound world champion will take on former titleholder Alexandre Franca “Pequeno” Nogueira -- who reigned for seven years (1999-2006) -- at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on Oct. 20.
8. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
Though he will have to wait six weeks longer than expected, Assuncao will still get his moment to shine on Oct. 10, when he takes on exciting Georges St. Pierre training partner Yves Jabouin at WEC 43 in San Antonio.
9. Masanori Kanehara (14-6-5)
It was highly improbable, but despite dropping a decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix semi-finals on Aug. 2, Kanehara became Sengoku’s first featherweight champion. After Hioki was forced out of the final due to a concussion, Kanehara stepped back in and took a well-earned decision win over Michihiro Omigawa.
10. Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)
Fernandes was baptized by fire early in his MMA career, with two of his first three bouts coming against Urijah Faber and Norifumi Yamamoto. In the Dream featherweight grand prix semi-finals, the roles will be reversed, as Fernandes will take on fast-rising upstart Joe Warren, who knocked off the aforementioned Yamamoto in just his second professional MMA bout.
Other contenders: Yuji Hoshino, Michihiro Omigawa, Takafumi Otsuka, Marlon Sandro, Joe Soto.
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