Mixed Martial Arts Middleweight Rankings
|
Nickname
|
The Spider |
|---|---|
|
Height
|
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
|
Weight
|
185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
|
Reach
|
77.6 in (197 cm) |
|
Nationality
|
Brazilian |
|
Born
|
April 14, 1975 (1975-04-14 |
|
Fighting out of
|
Curitiba, Brazil |
|
Town of birth
|
Curitiba, Brazil |
|
Team/Association
|
Minotauro Team/Black House |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. He is the
current UFC Middleweight Champion. Drawing criticism for his below
par April title defense against Thales Leites, Silva was clearly in
need of an interesting challenge. Now Silva, who has taken out
elite welterweights and middleweights in his career, will have the
chance to put away an elite light heavyweight at UFC 101 on Aug. 8
when he meets Forrest Griffin.
2. Yushin Okami
(23-4)
|
Nickname
|
Thunder, Phoenix |
|---|---|
|
Height
|
6 ft 2 in |
|
Weight
|
185lbs. |
|
Nationality
|
Japanese |
|
Born
|
July 21, 1981 (1981-07-21) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Kanagawa, Japan |
|
Town of birth
|
Kanagawa, Japan |
|
Team/Association
|
Wajyutsu Keisyukai |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Wrestling, Kickboxing, Judo |
Okami is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and fights at
middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Okami tweaked
his knee while training for a May bout with Dan Miller but will
still get a chance to face strong middleweight opposition in his
next outing. Japan's top 185-pounder will likely meet former UFC
title challenger Patrick Cote at UFC 103 in September.
3. Nate Marquardt
(28-8-2)
|
Nickname
|
The Great |
|---|---|
|
Height
|
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
|
Weight
|
185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
|
Reach
|
74 in (190 cm) |
|
Nationality
|
American |
|
Born
|
April 20, 1979 (1979-04-20) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Denver, Colorado |
|
Town of birth
|
Lander, Wyoming |
|
Team/Association
|
Jackson's Submission Fighting |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Gaidojutsu |
Marquardt is an American mixed martial artist. He is a 7-time
middleweight King of Pancrase Champion, and currently fights in the
middleweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He
wants to rematch divisional top dog Anderson Silva, who beat him in
July 2007. In order to get another shot at "The Spider" and the UFC
middleweight title, Marquardt will need to take out his biggest
challenge since his bout with Silva, undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu
king Demian Maia at UFC 102 on Aug. 29.
4. Dan Henderson
(25-7)
|
Nickname
|
Hendo, Hollywood |
|---|---|
|
Height
|
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
|
Weight
|
185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) to 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) |
|
Reach
|
74 in (190 cm) |
|
Nationality
|
American |
|
Born
|
August 24, 1970 (1970-08-24) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Temecula, California |
|
Town of birth
|
Downey, California |
|
Team/Association
|
Team Quest |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Greco-Roman Wrestling, Boxing |
|
Strengths
|
Mental attitude, wrestling, knockout power in both hands |
Henderson is a former Olympic wrestler and current Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial artist. Henderson earned
a split decision over Rich Franklin at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland,
on Jan. 17. The former two-division Pride Fighting Championships
titleholder has earned a lengthy promotional vehicle coaching
against Michael Bisping on the ninth season of "The Ultimate
Fighter." The season's larger payoff was a marquee bout against
Bisping at UFC 100 in July. Dan Henderson won by Knock Out at 3:20
in the 2nd round.
5. Demian Maia
(10-0)
|
Height
|
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
|---|---|
|
Weight
|
185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
|
Reach
|
72.0 in (183 cm) |
|
Nationality
|
Brazilian |
|
Born
|
November 6, 1977 (1977-11-06) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Sao Paulo, Brazil |
|
Town of birth
|
Sao Paulo, Brazil |
|
Team/Association
|
Wand Fight Team |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grappling, Judo |
Maia is a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. He
currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
organization. Few fighters, if any, have been as impressive as Maia
over the last year. His road to a shot at the UFC middleweight
title now runs through Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 on Aug. 29.
6. Jorge Santiago
(21-7)
|
Height
|
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
|---|---|
|
Weight
|
185 lb (84 kg) |
|
Nationality
|
Brazilian |
|
Born
|
1980 |
|
Fighting out of
|
Coconut Creek, Florida |
|
Town of birth
|
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
|
Team/Association
|
American Top Team |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai |
Santiago is a Brazilian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. He
trains with American Top Team based in Coconut Creek, Florida. He
is the current Sengoku Middleweight Champion. He will fight either
Kazuo Misaki or Kazuhiro Nakamura in the first defense of his
Sengoku middleweight title later this year. Jorge was suppssed to
fight fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort on Aug. 1 at Affliction
"Trilogy."
7. Thales Leites
(14-2)
|
Height
|
6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
|---|---|
|
Weight
|
185 lbs (84 kg) |
|
Nationality
|
Brazilian |
|
Born
|
September 6, 1981(1981-09-06) |
|
Town of birth
|
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
|
Team/Association
|
Nova Uniao |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
Leites is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, currently fighting
at middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is known
for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Wanting to erase
the memories of his April title challenge against Anderson Silva,
Leites has quickly accepted a bout with Italian striker Alessio
Sakara at UFC 101 on Aug. 8.
8. Robbie Lawler (16-5, 1
NC)
|
Nickname
|
Ruthless |
|---|---|
|
Height
|
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
|
Weight
|
185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
|
Nationality
|
American |
|
Born
|
March 20, 1982 (1982-03-20) (age 27) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Granite City, IL |
|
Town of birth
|
San Diego, California |
|
Team/Association
|
H.I.T. Squad |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Freestyle |
Lawler is an American mixed martial arts fighter. Lawler was the
EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy.
Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He appeared to be in
control on the feet in his June 6 bout with Jake Shields. Then, in
the blink of an eye, he was tapping out to a Shields guillotine
choke.
9. Vitor Belfort
(18-8)
|
Nickname
|
The Phenom |
|---|---|
|
Height
|
6'0" |
|
Weight
|
185lbs. |
|
Nationality
|
Brazilian |
|
Born
|
April 1, 1977 (1977-04-01) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Las Vegas, NV |
|
Town of birth
|
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
|
Team/Association
|
Xtreme Couture |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing |
Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has fought both
in Japan and the United States. The majority of his bouts have
taken place in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and he is the
former UFC light heavyweight champion. He is the current Cage Rage
light heavyweight champion. His latest fight was supossed to be
with Jorge Santiago, another top 10 middleweight at Affliction
"Trilogy," but the event was cancelled.
10. Chael Sonnen
(23-10-1)
|
Height
|
6 ft 1 in (185cm) |
|---|---|
|
Weight
|
185 lbs (84kg) |
|
Reach
|
74 in (190 cm) |
|
Born
|
April 3, 1977 (1977-04-03) |
|
Fighting out of
|
Portland, Oregon |
|
Town of birth
|
West Linn, Oregon |
|
Team/Association
|
Team Quest |
|
Primary fighting style
|
Greco-Roman wrestling, Wrestling |
Sonnen is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. He is currently signed as a middleweight with the UFC. He was a 2x National Champion, NCAA All-American, and he was a US. Olympic team alternate. His last victory was over Dan Miller at UFC 98.
