At FIGHT! Magazine, we believe there is a need for a completely objective and unbiased ranking system for fighters to replace the myriad subjective rankings that have become skewed, in many instances, by fighter popularity. In an effort to address this issue FIGHT! Magazine brings you its computerized rankings system which takes into account a fighters strength of opponent, strength of performance, and frequency of activity.
No titles were on the line at the 02 Arena in London on Saturday and no contenderships were at stake, but UFC 120 did see a few guys make major moves in the FIGHT! Rankings.
In the night’s main event, Michael Bisping crept a little closer towards a coveted title shot with his decision win over Yoshihiro Akiyama. Bisping slides from #20 to #16 in our Middleweight Rankings, while Akiyama falls to 1-2 in the Octagon and from #28 to #38 in the computerized poll.
In the co-main event, Carlos Condit finally realized the potential we saw during his run as WEC Welterweight Champion. Condit’s hook put Dan Hardy on the mat and pushed “The Natural Born Killer” from #14 to #7 in our Welterweight Rankings, while Hardy falls from #7 to #18. In other main card welterweight action veteran Mike Pyle put the brakes on John Hathaway’s rise, moving from #37 to #14 with the decision win, while Hathaway falls from #13 to #28. Claude Patrick enters our rankings at #33 with his decision win over Brit James Wilks, who falls from #56 to #66.
In the night’s least satisfying bout, Cheick Kongo held Travis Browne’s shorts and kneed him in the groin en route to a draw by point deduction. Kongo drops two spots, from #17 to #19 in our Heavyweight Rankings, while Browne enters the poll at #18. On the flipside, Rob Broughton’s win might have been the most satisfying result for London’s MMA fans as “England’s best heavyweight” lived up to his billing, putting away Vinicius de Kappke Quieroz with a third-round rear naked choke. Broughton, who won a three-fight, one-night tournament earlier this year, enters our computerized poll at #27.
At 205 pounds, Alexander Gustafsson notched his third qualifying fight and enters our Light Heavyweight Rankings at #21 following his stoppage win over Cyrille Diabate, who falls from #19 to #45. James McSweeney failed in his first venture at 205#, falling to Bitteti Combat veteran Fabio Maldonado. Maldonado moves from #44 to #29 in our rankings while the previously unranked McSweeney enters at #69.
The only other movement in the rankings came from Spencer Fisher, who shimmied up from #45 to #38 in our Lightweight Rankings with his decision win over unranked Kurt Warburton. No other ranked fighters appeared on the card.
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