(You think Falcao kept one as a kitschy keepsake?)
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. Go here for a detailed explanation of how FIGHT!’s rankings work.
UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann is in the books – let’s take a look at how the fights effected FIGHT!’s computerized rankings.
Coming into Thursday night’s event, Martin Kampmann (a former middleweight) and Diego Sanchez (a welterweight turned lightweight turned welterweight) were both looking to find their way in the division. The two turned in classic performances with many scoring the fight for Kampmann but Sanchez took it on the judges cards, climbing from #24 to #8 in the Welterweight Rankings, while Kampmann falls from #8 to #25. This could set Sanchez up for a run at the welterweight title should his teammate, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre (#1 Welterweight), defend his belt at UFC 129 against Jake Shields (#?), vacate his title and move up to Middleweight.
In a marquee middleweight bout, Mark Munoz finished CB Dollaway quickly with strikes and jumped into the top 10 with the win, moving from #20 to #9 in the Middleweight Rankings, while Dollaway falls from #9 to #22. Also at 185 pounds, unranked Chris Weidman soundley defeated veteran slugger Alessio Sakara; Weidman enters our rankings at #53, while Sakara falls from #15 to #40. Also at middleweight, previously unranked Dongi Yang enters the polls at #47 after finishing Rob Kimmons, who falls from #112 to #124 with the loss. In the night’s final middleweight match, Rousimar Palhares climbed back into the thick of things with yet another kneebar victory, this time over Dave Branch. Palhares jumps from #21 to #11 while Branch falls from #30 to #44
Former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles dispatched an outmatched Damacio Page in the first round, holding steady at #6 in FIGHT!’s Bantamweight Rankings – Page stays put at #31. Also at 135, Takeya Mizugaki slips from #18 to #23 following his split decision win over unranked Reuben Duran.
Joe Stevenson is always game but he continues to falter against weaker and weaker competition, losing this time to Danny Castillo and falling from #59 to #92 in the Lightweight Rankings. Castillo jumps from #67 to #40 following the win. In the night’s other lightweight fight, Shane Roller KO’d Thiago Tavares but only gained one spot – #21 to #20 – due to Tavares’ relatively low value. The Brazilian falls from #78 to #84.
At Light Heavyweight, Cyrille Diabate gains ground following his win over WEC vet Steve Cantwell, moving from #42 to #30, while Cantwell falls from #45 to #61. In the night’s only other ranked action, Igor Pokrajak leapt from #49 to #39 with his win over unranked Todd Brown.
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