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Is 145 the deepest division?

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broadly
broadly
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01.24.2013 | 12:45 AM ET

I was just reworking my 145 rankings and realized that the top 15 is a logjam.  Almost every fighter that made the cut could have arguments made for them to be 1 to 4 spots lower or higher and there are a few guys out of the top 15 that I hated leaving out.

The only other division I've had this problem with consistently over the last year or so has been Welterweight and I have considered that division to be the deepest in MMA  over that span.

There's undeniably a top dog in the division right now in Jose Aldo but after he moves up there are literally 20 guys that I can see either earning or putting themselves in a position to earn the top spot.

* Edited at 01.24.2013, 1:01 AM ET *

"Yeah." - Mark Hunt

Responses

bruce leroy glow
bruce leroy glow
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01.24.2013 | 12:48 AM ET

no i dont think so Welterweight is gsp hendricks mcdonald condit many more 

"He hit me with some ****** hadouken or some ****, that little ******. nick diaz

TraeBlack
TraeBlack
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01.24.2013 | 12:50 AM ET

Nik Lentz, and Darren Elkins will create problems in that division. At least one of them will lol

"3HUNNA"

bruce leroy glow
bruce leroy glow
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01.24.2013 | 12:51 AM ET

yeah nik lentz will

"He hit me with some ****** hadouken or some ****, that little ******. nick diaz

broadly
broadly
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01.24.2013 | 12:58 AM ET

@bruce leroy glow, before tonight I would have agreed with you but now that I look at it I don't think that's the case.  It's conceivable that in the next couple years guys like Yuri Alcantara, who I have at 15 at 145, or Nik Lentz and Charles Olivera, neither or whom I even have ranked, could be vying for the top spot.

I can't say the same for 170.  I have Martin Kampmann and Josh Koscheck, for example, at 8th and 9th respectively in my rankings and I don't believe either will ever get a shot at number 1 again in their careers.

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curtwag84
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01.24.2013 | 7:45 AM ET

Yuri is at BW now . not sure if its permanent but his last fight against Pedro "gotta have the ref win me fights" Nobre was at 135

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dielegende23
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01.24.2013 | 8:04 AM ET

It goes

WW = LW > FW > LHW > MW > HW = BW > FLW

So no to your question @broady but the divison has come a long way. 155ers dropping down letf and right like Edgar, Guida, Siver, Stephens, Lentz etc. and KZ, Lamas, Koch, Poirier, Mendes can be all seen as top contenders. And I'm not even mentioning Hioki, Nunes, Elkins, Oliveira and alot more...

There are also promising prospects like Hacran Dias, Rony Jason, Holloway, Bermudez, Brimage, Hettes, Brandao and so on

The division is really hot right now and some of the upcoming fights are gonna be really good...

* Edited at 01.24.2013, 9:15 AM ET *

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Anik
Anik
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01.24.2013 | 9:02 AM ET

I don't think welterweight is the deepest because there's evident cut-offs in talent level. I would say that it's a toss-up between the lightweight and featherweight divisions.

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dielegende23
dielegende23
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01.24.2013 | 9:14 AM ET

@Anik Ya I give you that, it's a toss up between LW & WW, very close. But LW and WW come first imo then FW

" I feel like Davy Crockett on the walls of the Alamo, swinging Old Betsy as the enemy swarmed in with bayonets. Sheesh. Listen you young punks....." - Bill Burgess

cal1
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01.24.2013 | 9:36 AM ET

LW but **** FW is full of potential awesome matchups

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Gregory
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01.24.2013 | 9:47 AM ET

I think there is still the impression among a lot of fans and probably some fighters that 145 is an "inferior" division...  brought over from the WEC and that somehow it's less talented than the "proper" UFC divisions of 155 and up.

But to whatever extent this is the case, it will continue to fade away. I think there are still many more lightweights who will make their way to 145 over time.  And the Edgar vs Aldo fight will help solidify Aldo as a dominant champ that is on par with any other title holder (yes, I predict Aldo via relatively one-sided victory). 

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Kalibo
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01.24.2013 | 10:02 AM ET

I'd put FW and LW ahead of WW and actually agree with @Anik!

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SoccerKick
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01.24.2013 | 10:03 AM ET

Problem with FW is there is everyone pretty damn close in talent and then Aldo

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Gregory
Gregory
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01.24.2013 | 10:51 AM ET

@soccer but is that different from:

- 205 Jones
- 185 Anderson
- 170 GSP

?

I don't think so...

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Gebe
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01.24.2013 | 11:08 AM ET

I'm afraid some of you will raid me for this but..

Bendo > 155 also...

The divisions I feel are the most prone to have a champion change is in this order from the most to the least:

BW
HW
FlyW
LW
FW
LHW
WW
MW

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amp112
amp112
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01.24.2013 | 12:52 PM ET

I'd go with the LW division, then FW closely followed by WW. I picked FW over WW because a lot of the WW fighters are starting to age a bit, while a lot of the FW talent is pretty young.
Bill Burgess
Bill Burgess
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01.24.2013 | 1:38 PM ET

I still hold out for WW and LW.  But then again, I know them better.  In time, as I learn more about 145, maybe I will evolve.

"Love God, live with honor, keep your agreements."

amp112
amp112
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01.24.2013 | 1:44 PM ET

The UFC still hasn't mined 145ers as much as they have other the divisions. Still a new division, so we've just hit the tip of the iceberg. Plenty of 145 international talent out there that we don't know too much about.
MQuestionable
MQuestionable
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01.24.2013 | 2:09 PM ET

145 isn't THAT deep, as evidenced by how hard it is to find proper title contenders (Erik Koch?).  I think it looks shallower than it really is though because Aldo is so good.
CookieCaramello
CookieCaramello
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01.24.2013 | 3:09 PM ET

It is. Too many good fighters! 
TraeBlack
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01.24.2013 | 4:10 PM ET

FW has many contenders, its just a matter of giving them a title shot, and not giving it to fighters coming down from 155, and coming of a loss. There are contenders in every division. Just gotta give them a chance

"3HUNNA"


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