top featherweights in mma *NEW*

let the criticizm pour in=)

my list always get criticized and i love it it sparks conversation =)

I put Lamas in and moved Poirier up!

i took kenflo out cause if he returns he'll be fighting in lightweight i guess, also koch & poirier are fightting for the next shot at the title after mendes imo, so they are 3-4 on my list place 7-10 are all conjecture!

* Edited at 11.25.2011, 7:51 AM ET *

Heres my updated list.. I probably put KZ a bit high but he beat a top 5 guy in Hominick. 

Frankie Edgar blows Jose "Same Combo" Aldo out of the water not even close.  Aldo's fights have always been the best in that division but who the **** did they fight to qualify them as top competition? that division is weak as **** and edgar will **** aldo.

* Edited at 12.13.2011, 6:18 AM ET *

Is everyone's FW rankings changing with Curran now entering the foray? I was just wondering if anyone agreed with this article: http://www.mmaweekly.com/is-pat-curran-the-no-2-featherweight-in-the-world-behind-jose-aldo

Not sure. I never thought that highly of the majority of fighters in Bellator, but Sandro and Warren were probably 2 of the better FWs and I don't really see anyone beating Curran now. But is he really #2? I kinda think Mendes would be able to over power him, but who knows.

@zarog Bellator has very solid lower weight classes, 135 and 145 mainly. A few of their guys like Curran, Sandro, and Patricio I would rank over Nunes, Bart, and especially Hettes whom is very overrated on that list because he shouldn't be there in the first place. However the rest is pretty solid, especially Jiri in the top five.

Would like to see Edgar move down as well - don`t know if he could beat Aldo but that would be a GREAT fight!!

@Legz It's been a long time since I updated my rankings (I probably should've before I posted), and I agree Feire and Curran should rank ahead of the majority of the guys, but frankly I don't see what's so special about Sandro. His wrestling isn't very good. He didn't look like his gas tank would be good enough to keep up with a lot of guys. I'm not saying he's bad, he's actually a top 20 FW, but I don't believe he's top 10. Hettes may be a little overrated, but what he did to Nam Phan impressed the heck out of me. 

* Edited at 04.08.2012, 3:46 PM ET *

Also, I don`t know if Florian will fight again with his new gig, but I had heard that if and when he does, he will return to Lightweight

@blap That's part of the reason I don't have him in my rankings. 

Have to agree... those guys fighting in Belator are great fighters, but are they really fighting the same level of competition as the fighters in the UFC...

 

@zarog Sandro isn't "special" but I think he's arguably top ten, arguably. He deserves to be ranked higher than Hettes that's for sure.

@blapthorne They're fighting at a pretty damn close level. I notice everyone on your list is in the UFC which is a shame. Someone like Kawajiri > Manny and Mike Brown, no question.

* Edited at 04.08.2012, 4:34 PM ET *

Well Hettes shouldn't be on anyone's top 10 to be honest.

@Legz Make a ranking so we can see where you stand on it. Makes it easier to have a discussion. Sandro could be argued into the top 10, but his strength of schedule outside his 3 losses is pretty weak. I believe Hettes would beat Sandro due to much better wrestling/judo, and the fact that he's no slouch on the ground making the chances for Sandro to get a sub much lower. On top of that Hettes proved he has the gast tank to keep up a fast pace for a full 15 minutes. Sandro tends to get tired towards the middle of the second. Frankly, the only guy I see Sandro beating in my top 10 is Poirier. Only because Poirier was getting lit up on the feet by the guy he fought against last. Sandro might be able to rock him and take advantage of it based on that, but everybody else I think beats him fairly easily. 

* Edited at 04.08.2012, 4:49 PM ET *

I guess I (perhaps incorrectly) look at the UFC the way someong may look at the NHL or MLB in their respective sports. 

I know that MMA is not yet on the same unified level as other sports, but I would have to say the the guys who have been fighting in the UFC over the past few years have faced greater competition than fighters in other organizations. 

In my opinion, no matter how dominant those fighters are, they are not competing against the same level of competition.

Eventually, Zuffa looks to one day hold reign over the world of MMA the same way the NFL, NHL, NBA, etc currently do in their respective sports.  Remember that tese other sporting organizations once had competing professional organizations as well but eventually won out.

I realize that this is not a `purist` or traditional point of view and will probably not be popular, but...

Not my recent picks but it should do.

@zarog Sandro would **** Hettes at this point and i'm pretty confident Hettes wouldn't submit him, even if he gets tired. Poirier stands a better chance at beating Sandro than Hettes. I could see Poirier beating Sandro actually considering his chin isn't the best. As for Poirier's last opponent he's a solid striker so there was no shame in him getting outstruck.

@blapthorne That's not the case yet.

* Edited at 04.08.2012, 5:02 PM ET *