let's discuss our LW rankings

alright bill hopefully this should work for you ...

Ooh! or if you wanted to piss off the conspiracy theorists and Canadians, T.J. Grant.  

If they were to pit Khalib against TJ Grant, that would likely result in an epic war.  Make it happen, Dana!

* Edited at 07.14.2013, 1:36 PM ET *

I don't think TJ would be matched up with KhaBib when he's already got a the title shot locked in ...

I'm pretty sure he's going to wait for the winner of Bendo and Pettis, and even if he doesn't I don't see him fighting anyone who isn't already a clear cut contender. Maybe Josh Thompson would make sense since he's already one fight removed from a title shot ... Khabib has just beat Abel Trujillo, you don't get the #1 contender straight after that.

I know that yoss, but a fan can dream, can't he.  TJ will most definitely wait and get the winner of Bendo/Pettis. As he should.  

But a fight between Khabib and either Maynard or Grant would be intense.  A true epic battle to the death.  

* Edited at 07.14.2013, 2:00 PM ET *

I agree, I think a fight between Khabib and anyone will be awesome because Khabib is awesome :)))

* Edited at 07.14.2013, 2:03 PM ET *

I could see Grant/Thomson because the winner will have either beaten Maynard & Thomson or Diaz & Grant in their last 2 fights which is definitely a title worthy resume and it wouldn't be hard to sell 21-0 with a spectacular win over a top 10 guy. Otherwise Khabib would need 2 big names to be in title contention I think.

With respect to Khabib, I fully realize he is not a Top 5 hard contender at this moment.  TJ Grant and Josh Thomson are, as well as Melendez and Maynard.  

But, the UFC is so into making title fights that are not kosher that it isn't even funny anymore.  My point being that I'd enjoy the run up for Khabib in his quest for glory.  I would enjoy watching him fight Grant or Maynard, regardless if he has earned those fights or not.

I don't normally support rushing someone up the ladder, preferring to let them fight their way up.  But in this particular case, I am prepared to make exceptions, since everyone else usually does.

I like dominant champions so the LW division just kinda makes me nauseas these days.

 

 

 

* Edited at 07.15.2013, 12:59 AM ET *

Yoss, Maynard #3, Diaz #4 & no Thomson OR Grant?!

buffaloben, Gray #3, Nate #5 & no Thomson or Grant. maybe you guys should update your rankings.





scheduled 1/4, 3/17, 8/10, 9/16, 15/18, and 14 vs. unranked
that leaves 2, who's probably content to wait for the next title shot, 5-7, 11-13, and 19 & 20 without fights as of right now.

If Bendo/Pettis is a war or either is injured, Grant/Thomson makes a lot of sense. If not Grant will/should wait and Thomson's only worthy opponent rankingswise is coming off a loss in Maynard. 

If you ignore who's coming off a win or loss any of the 3 matchups between Jim Miller, Evan Dunham, and  Jorge Masvidal are good. Since Miller & Dunham are both coming off losses that probably makes Masvidal odd man and puts him in a similar situation to Thomson as far as having to fight someone ranked lower than you unless they make Thomson/Masvidal.

That would leave Melvin vs. Matt Wiman to neatly close out the top 20 which would be a good fight. Could also make Masvidal/Melvin, give Wiman & Miller lower ranked fighters, Dunham/Diaz, and Thomson/Maynard. 

interesting tweet I just saw:

Erich ‏@ehummelMMA5m

Hope the Khabilov vs Barboza rumor is true.

* Edited at 07.28.2013, 1:21 PM ET *

Since I didn't get gang-****d on this baby step into LW, I assume I'm OK with this ranking.  

For a while, I haven't been able to decide which Shark Tank is the deepest in the UFC.  My heart says WW, my mind thinks LW might be catching up.  Since I'm not as familiar with LW, please bear with me.  I will take everything into consideration.  Here we go!

Top Tier: Benson Henderson, Gilbert Melendez, Gray Maynard, TJ Grant, Josh Thomson, Anthony Pettis, Joe Lauzon,  Takanori Gomi, Diego Sanchez, Nate Diaz

Mid-Tier: Jim Miller, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Eddie Alvarez, Donald Cerrone, Michael Chandler, Melvin Guillard, Jamie Varner, Ross Pearson, Sam Stout,

Bottom Tier: Curt Warburton, Kyle Watson, Matt Wiman, Andre Winner, Yves Edwards, Edson Barboza, Mark Bocek, Danny Castillo, Mac Danzig, Rafael Dos Anjos, Evan Dunham, Michael Johnson, Nik Lentz, John Makdessi, Anthony Njokuani, Aaron Riley, Shane Roller, George Sotiropoulos, Thiago Tavares, Paul Taylor, Gleison Tibau.

This division lost some good fighters when Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida moved down to FW.  Seasoned vet Spence Fisher has all but stopped fighting, as has Sean Sherk. It would be significantly strengthened by the additions of BJ Penn, Jose Aldo, and Eddie Alvarez.  Penn is a big question mark, as to whether or not he is retired or not.  

My 11-19

11. Jim Miller
12. Khabib Nurmagomedov
13. Eddie Alvarez
14. Donald Cerrone
15. Michael Chandler
16. Melvin Guillard
17. Jamie Varner
18. Ross Pearson
19. Sam Stout

Coming LW fights:

Donald Cerrone vs. Rafael dos Anjos, August 28, 2013, UFC on Fox Sports 1
Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo, August 28, 2013, UFC on Fox Sports 1
Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis, August 31, 2013, UFC 164
Jamie Varner vs. Gleison "Tibau, August 31, 2013, UFC 164
Ryan Couture vs. Al Iaquinta, August 31, 2013, UFC 164
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Piotr Hallmann, September 4, 2013, UFC Fight Night 28
Mike Ricci vs. Myles Jury, September 21, 2013, UFC 165
Mark Bocek vs. Michael Prazeres, September 21, 2013, UFC 165
Pat Healy vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, September 21, 2013, UFC 165
John Makdessi vs. Renee Forte, September 21, 2013, UFC 165
Jesse Ronson vs. Daniel Omielanczuk, September 21, 2013, UFC 165
Diego Sanchez vs. Gilbert Melendez, October 19, 2013, UFC 166
George Sotiropoulos vs. KJ Noons, October 19, 2013, UFC 166
Tony Ferguson vs. Mike Rio, October 19, 2013, UFC 166
Ross Pearson vs. Melvin Guillard, October 26, 2013, UFC Fight Night 30
Paul Taylor vs. Anthony Njokuani, October 26, 2013, UFC Fight Night 30
Jorge Masvidal vs. Rustam Khabilov, November 6, 2013, UFC Fight for the Troops 3

Presently, the following are not matched up in fights yet: Gray Maynard, Josh Thomson, Jim Miller, Takanori Gomi, Sam Stout, Spencer Fisher.

Some of the above fighters are just after having fought recently.

Injured: TJ Grant

The above listing is tentative and soft.  I are prepared to adjust the sequence to some extent based on the order of the house.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To assist everyone, here is the form chart for tapology,
1. Henderson 2. Melendez 3. Pettis 4. Grant 5. Cerrone 6. Maynard 7. Thomson 8. Chandler 9. Diaz 10. Miller 

11. Alvarez 12. Healy 13. Nurmagomedov 14. Lauzon 15. Aoki 16. Anjos 17. Varner 18. Barboza 19. Dunham 20. Tibau

21. Guillard 22. Gomi 23. Sanchez 24. Wiman 25. Masvidal 26. Jury 27. Pearson 28. Bocek 29. Castillo 30. Green
--------------------------------------
Official UFC Rankings, as of July 8, 2013.
1. Henderson 2. Melendez 3. Pettis 4. Grant 5. Thomson 6. Maynard 7. Cerrone 8. Niaz 9. Miller 10. Healy 11. dos Anjos

The division is so talent rich that it's hard to rank, I don't think 2 people would have the same exact rankings. My list sucks because I knowingly have guys ranked too high just because I am a big fan (Cerrone, Khabib). I'd like to see Pettis beat Henderson and see Pettis vs Melendez eventually. 

Johnson beating Lauzon threw a monkey wrench into the works, but I think I've got my list worked out, 

11 Jorge Masvidal
12 Shinya Aoki
13 Khabib Nurmagomedov
14 Rafael Dos Anjos
15 Diego Sanchez
16 Gray Maynard
17 Jim Miller
18 Takanori Gomi
19 Evan Dunham
20 Gleison Tibau
21 Miles Jury
22 Michael Johnson
23 Joe Lauzon
24 Jamie Varner
25 Edson Barbosa
26 Ross Pearson
27 Melvin Guillard
28 Bobby Green
29 James Krause
30 Isaac Vallie-Flagg 
31 Danny Castillo
32 Tony Ferguson
33 Matt Wiman
34 Mark Bocek
35 Mike Chiesa

AnAlias!  You got to be kidding me.  Maynard 16th, Lauzon 23th?  Please to explain.

What my rankings come down to is how one fighter's accomplishments over the last 2 or 3 years stack up against what other fighters in the division have been accomplishing.  When you look at Maynard's last few years, he hasn't done much. That terrible fight against Guida is his only win since 2010 and he's been stopped by strikes in 2 of his last 3 fights.  

Lauzon just lost to Michael Johnson.  I don't think that really needs to be explained. 

Alright.  Just was curious.

this is the only division where I have a serious problem with who the champion is.

This is where I wonder which three of us never graduated high school. "With who the champion is" means I think someone else should be the champion i.e. Melendez won that fight. It does not mean that I have a problem with the person who is champion. Watch some reading rainbow or sesame street or something. You'll get the hang of it.

* Edited at 08.24.2013, 2:16 AM ET *

I personal think Thompson should be ranked int he top 3 in the division and would beat Bendo. Think his skill set would be an utter nightmare for Bendo. And is a fight Bendo should try to avoid at all cost.

I'm curious for anyone to explain to me why they still have Maynard in their top 5.

Are losses to Frankie Edgar and TJ Grant so bad he should be dumped from the top 5/10? He has a draw with Edgar, wins over Guida, Miller, Diaz. He was ranked top 3 prior to his loss to Edgar who was #1 at the time. His only downfall is inactivity and losing to grant which doesn't yank him to obscurity.