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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
We’re back on the rotation in our “Keeping Tabs On…” series, where we break down the UFC’s Top 15 ranked fighters in each division. We'll let you know where we've got them ranked, what they've got coming up, how often they've been competing, what we've said about them recently at MMATorch, and more. We continue today with the middleweight division.
Champ: Chris Weidman
MMATorch Rank: 1 Next Fight: Lyoto Machida, UFC 173, May 24 Previous Fight: Anderson Silva (Win), UFC 168 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 4 Contender Status: Current Champ What We're Saying: "Now, [Weidman couldn’t have known what would happen with TRT as] the Nevada Commission straight up banning TRT caught everyone off guard. That said, there were serious issues with Belfort being granted a therapeutic use exemption in the first place because of his failed test in the past. The Brazilian commission granted him the exemption despite Nevada's then executive director Keith Kizer saying it was unlikely he'd have been granted one in Nevada. Because of all that, Belfort was facing an uphill battle to begin with, and ultimately he didn't wind up getting the fight at this time." - Jamie Penick
1. Anderson Silva
MMATorch Rank: 2 Next Fight: TBA Previous Fight: Chris Weidman (Loss), UFC 168 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 4 Contender Status: Stagnant, could get Title fight upon return What We're Saying: "Whether you think he could have surged back after that brutal first round and won the fight or not, the fact of the matter is a freak broken leg ended that fight. Chris Weidman may have destroyed him anyway if the fight had continued, but he also may not have, and those lingering questions give the UFC an easy sell for a third fight when Silva does return. That's not their only option, and it may not be the route they go, but it is entirely possible that Silva's return fight comes in a third bout with Weidman." - Jamie Penick
2. Vitor Belfort
MMATorch Rank: 3 Next Fight: TBA Previous Fight: Dan Henderson (win), UFC Fight Night 32 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 5 Contender Status: Likely next contender pending follow-up from TRT ban What We're Saying: "If he's going to be able to have a treatment and nutrition plan for training that does not involve testosterone, then he shouldn't have been on testosterone to begin with. That's a big issue here with the TRT exemptions that have been handed out. If these fighters can compete without testosterone, then they don't need to be using testosterone. Also, if not medically necessary testosterone usage allows them to train easier, then by definition it's a performance enhancing drug." - Jamie Penick
3. Lyoto Machida
MMATorch Rank: 4 Next Fight: Chris Weidman, UFC 173, May 24 Previous Fight: Gegard Mousasi (Win), UFC Fight Night 36 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 6 Contender Status: Rising at middleweight after head kick KO win What We're Saying: "I firmly believe that Machida has the potential to beat almost anyone in MMA, but he rarely shows it. If The Dragon shows up, I think he could beat Weidman. Unfortunately for fight fans, that's not likely at all." - Frank Hyden
4. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza
MMATorch Rank: 5 Next Fight: Previous Fight: Francis Carmont (Win), UFC Fight Night 36 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 6 Contender Status: Rising, close to a title fight What We're Saying: "With Vitor Belfort still likely in line for the winner of Weidman-Machida, there's time for others in the division to stake their claim as challengers, and these are the names in the mix here. Souza continues to express only tepid interest at best in the Rockhold rematch, though that may be the best matchup from a rankings standpoint." - Jamie Penick
5. Michael Bisping
MMATorch Rank: 7 Next Fight: Tim Kennedy, The Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale, April 16 Previous Fight: Alan Belcher (Win), UFC 159 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 4 Contender Status: Stagnant, injuries have him in limbo What We're Saying: "The UFC was targeting the fight - which has been built up with months of trash talking between the two in interviews and social media - but it was left slightly in limbo until Bisping was cleared in an eye exam. That was required as he's spent the last nine months on the sideline after undergoing two surgeries to repair a detached retina." - Jamie Penick
6. Luke Rockhold
MMATorch Rank: 6 Next Fight: Tim Boetsch, UFC 172, April 26 Previous Fight: Costa Philippou (Win), UFC Fight Night 35 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 4 Contender Status: Rising, could get back into contention What We're Saying: "I don't understand this fight. Rockhold's coming off a fantastic win against someone who holds a win over Boetsch. Meanwhile, Boetsch barely halted his losing streak in a split over Dollaway. It just seems to be a step back for Rockhold after the way he finished Philippou last month." - Rich Hansen
7. Mark Munoz
MMATorch Rank: 10 Next Fight: TBA Previous Fight: Lyoto Machida (Loss), UFC Fight Night 30 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 3 Contender Status: Halted, going to be tough to rebound from another decisive loss What We're Saying: "The action never really started in the fight, as neither looked to engage early. Machida finally threw out a couple of strikes, and then cracked Munoz with a kick to the temple that sent him down, bringing a quick end to the proceedings." - Jamie Penick
8. Tim Kennedy
MMATorch Rank: 13 Next Fight: Michael Bisping, The Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale, April 16 Previous Fight: Rafael Natal (Win), UFC Fight For The Troops 3 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 4 Contender Status: Rising, but a significant distance from title consideration What We're Saying: "The two have been jawing on Twitter and in interviews for the past two and a half months, following Kennedy's knockout of Rafael Natal at UFC Fight For The Troops 3… Kennedy has now won both of his appearances inside of the Octagon, and with the impressive KO over Natal was able to get himself into this matchup." - Jamie Penick
9. Francis Carmont
MMATorch Rank: 12 Next Fight: TBA Previous Fight: Jacare Souza (Loss), UFC Fight Night 36 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 6 Contender Status: Falling, back down into the pack after loss to Souza What We're Saying: "I admit that I was disappointed with this fight going to decision because I was expecting Jacare to make a big statement. Carmont is a tough guy, but I thought Jacare would finish him and stake his claim to getting a title shot in the middleweight division. I can't complain about Jacare not getting the finish, though, because Carmont is getting better and better, but it was something he needed if he wanted to get a title shot." - Frank Hyden
10. Costas Philippou
MMATorch Rank: Not Ranked (received votes) Next Fight: Lorenz Larkin, UFC Fight Night 40, May 10 Previous Fight: Luke Rockhold (Loss), UFC Fight Night 35 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 5 Contender Status: Falling, unlikely to fight for a title What We're Saying: "Philippou is in serious need of a victory, having lost his last two fights in the UFC. The former rising contender had a winning streak snapped by Francis Carmont, and followed that up with a brutal loss to Luke Rockhold in January at UFC Fight Night 35 in Atlanta." - Jamie Penick
11. Tim Boetsch
MMATorch Rank: 14 Next Fight: Luke Rockhold, UFC 172, April 26 Previous Fight: C.B. Dollaway (Win), UFC 166 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 5 Contender Status: Stagnant, not likely to get into title contention What We're Saying: "Boetsch, who himself lost to Philippou before getting crushed by Mark Munoz last year, bounced back in October with a split decision win over C.B. Dollaway. The veteran fighter is now 6-3 in his second run in the UFC." - Jamie Penick
12. Gegard Mousasi
MMATorch Rank: 9 Next Fight: TBA Previous Fight: Lyoto Machida (Loss), UFC Fight Night 36 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 3 Contender Status: Fighting at middleweight What We're Saying: "Both fighters started on the same pace, but it was clear that Mousasi just couldn't figure Machida out throughout the fight. He had a few spurts of success, more than some others have had against Machida, but he couldn't sustain any offense. Machida was able to pick up his pace and deliver more damage, and it kept Mousasi out of sorts through most of the bout." - Jamie Penick
13. Alan Belcher
MMATorch Rank: 15 Next Fight: TBA Previous Fight: Michael Bisping (Loss), UFC 159 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 3 Contender Status: Falling, return unknown What We're Saying: "Belcher suffered another career setback in that loss to Michael Bisping [at UFC 159], but thankfully it wasn't more severe than that. Given what we know he went through with that detached retina, and how close he did come to having his career end, it would have been awful for it to happen again like that." - Jamie Penick
14. Brad Tavares
MMATorch Rank: Not Ranked Next Fight: Yoel Romero, UFC on Fox 11, April 19 Previous Fight: Lorenz Larkin (Win), UFC Fight Night 35 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 5 Contender Status: Rising, but still several fights from contention What We're Saying: "Tavares holds a five fight winning streak in the UFC's middleweight division, and brings with him a 12-1 record overall into this event. In his most recent fight, Tavares out-pointed Lorenz Larkin to earn a unanimous decision win at UFC Fight Night 35 last month." - Jamie Penick
15. Yoel Romero
MMATorch Rank: Not Ranked Next Fight: Brad Tavares, UFC on Fox 11, April 19 Previous Fight: Derek Brunson (Win), UFC Fight Night 35 Number of Fights Since Jan. 2012: 3 Contender Status: Rising, but still several fights from contention What We're Saying: "Romero also fought on that card, shaking off a rough start against Derek Brunson and ultimately scoring a third round stoppage. That was his third straight (T)KO victory since making his UFC debut last April." - Jamie Penick
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.
