Rich Hansen's Take
HANSEN: Transparency in MMA Rankings - My Top 15 Welterweight Fighters (April 2014)
Apr 17, 2014 - 3:25:48 PM HANSEN: Transparency in MMA Rankings - My Top 15 Welterweight Fighters (April 2014)

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By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Guest Columnist

Despite my hiatus from this site, both writing and audio, I’m still keeping up with the sport and with the site. On top of that, I’m still in charge of compiling the monthly rankings. And since I’m going through the effort to compile the rankings, I still put together my own rankings in each division as well. My breakdown continues today with the welterweight ranks.

1A.) Georges St-Pierre: GSP is the best welterweight in the world. Let's just get that out of the way right now. Until he officially retires, or loses, he's the man. Johny Hendricks is merely keeping GSP's belt warm.

Significant victories: Karo Parisyan (back when that meant something), Mayhem Miller, Frank Trigg, Sean Sherk, BJ Penn (2x), Matt Hughes (2x), Josh Koscheck (2x), Matt Serra, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Jake Shields, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks

Notable losses (both avenged convincingly): Matt Hughes, Matt Serra


1.) Johny Hendricks: Yes, I know he beat GSP and got screwed out of the biggest win of his career. I also know that the fight was close, and he would've had to do it again to make me a full blown believer. After GSP went on hiatus, Hendricks was awarded a fight in Dallas against the third most worthy challenger, and damn near lost to Robbie Lawler. Had I been in charge, Hendricks would have fought Condit, mainly because I thought, and still think, Condit beat Hendricks when they first fought. But close or not, Hendricks won and he eventually got the belt he deserved. It was a convoluted way to get to the same result in the end, but got there they did. Hendricks is on the shelf for several months, so hopefully the division will sort itself out in the next few months, producing a legitimate challenger for Hendricks.

Significant victories: TJ Grant, Mike Pierce, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, Martin Kampmann, Carlos Condit, Robbie Lawler

Notable losses: Rick Story, Georges St-Pierre


2.) Robbie Lawler: I still don't know why Lawler got the shot, but clearly I was wrong and he deserved it. Hey, it happens, shuddupayaface! I even scored the fight for Lawler as I watched it live, although multiple rewatches have changed my mind on that one. Lawler fought the fight of his life against maybe the toughest fighter he'd ever faced, and he damn near completed the greatest career turnaround of all time. Robbie spent a long time in the hinterlands, coasting on talent alone, and has the bad losses to show for it. A fully dedicated Robbie Lawler is a bad, bad man.

Significant victories: Chris Lytle, Frank Trigg, Scott Smith, Melvin Manhoef, Matt Lindland, Josh Koscheck, Rory MacDonald

Notable losses: Pete Spratt, Nick Diaz, Evan Tanner, Mayhem Miller, Jake Shields, Babalu Sobral, Jacare Souza, Tim Kennedy, Lorenz Larkin, Johny Hendricks


3.) Tyron Woodley: He beat up Carlos Condit. That's all I need to know. He's also improving every time out, and has gotten much better at the intricacies of the game. He's able to transition from one phase to another so much better than he did when he first started. The biggest differences between Woodley and Johny Hendricks are most likely cardio and experience. I'm on the bandwagon.

Significant victories: Tarec Saffiedine, Paul Daley, Jordan Mein, Josh Koscheck, Carlos Condit

Notable losses: Nathan Marquardt, Jake Shields


4.) Carlos Condit: If there is a God, he'll come back as good as ever. Although it you want to get all theological on me, it's just as possible he'll come back as good as ever even if there is no God. But good luck proving either side of that debate. Although I'll take the no God side, with proof being that Green Bay keeps being good at football. I win! Oh, and Condit's a killer and life is better for all humanity when he's being extremely nasty with his elbows. And when he's not walking to the cage to freaking overrated Johnny Cash. That's why he blew out his knee, by the way. RAGE!!!

Significant victories: Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald, Kim Dong-Hyun, Nick Diaz, Martin Kampmann

Notable losses: Jake Shields, Pat Healy, Martin Kampmann, Georges St-Pierre, Johny Hendricks, Tyron Woodley


5.) Rory MacDonald: How much do you think he wishes he had that Lawler fight back, eh?

Significant victories: Jordan Mein (when both MacDonald and Mein were 16. When I as 16 I was listening to Zeppelin, eating Ruffles by the pound, and drinking a 12 pack of Mountain Dew every day), Nate Diaz, Mike Pyle, BJ Penn, Jake Ellenberger, Demian Maia

Notable losses: Carlos Condit, Robbie Lawler


6.) Hector Lombard: Lombard's awesome. He's both the current and reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion, and he's also a top contender in the UFC's welterweight division. And he also got Jake Shields fired despite not doing anything for the final ten minutes of their fight (which, to be fair, was five minutes fewer of not doing dick than Jake Shields).

Significant victories: James Te-Huna, Alexander Shlemenko, Rousimar Palhares, Nathan Marquardt, Jake Shields


7.) Jake Ellenberger: Ton of skills, tons of talent, and just can't get the big win he needs when the door is open for him to completely break through. He almost shocked Carlos Condit in his UFC debut, then won six straight. Martin Kampmann put him away, then he wins two more before his listless decision loss to Rory MacDonald. How badly do you think Ellenberger wants that one back? Ellenberger was so flat that night that even a KO loss might have been better for him. Sometimes it's better to just get caught than to lay the world's biggest egg. He'll need to win several fights in a row in order to get a title shot.

Significant victories: Pat Healy, Mike Pyle, Jake Shields, Diego Sanchez, Mathan Marquardt

Notable losses: Rick Story, Carlos Condit, Martin Kampmann, Rory MacDonald


8.) Ben Askren: The best non-UFC fighter in the word, Askren's big damn mouth cost him a slot in the UFC. He's so much improved right now than he was when he made his Bellator debut in a mere four years ago that, had he been able to face competition at his level, there's just no doubt in my mind that he would have worked his way to a UFC title shot. Could be beat St-Pierre or Hendricks? Right now I'd say maybe. And in a parallel universe where he'd be able to face a couple of top five or top ten fighters first? Absolutely he would. Fans of MMA can only hope Dana White pulls his head out of his ass when Askren's contract expires two years from now.

Significant victories: Dan Hornbuckle, Nick Thompson, Jay Hieron, Douglas Lima, Karl Amoussou, Andrey Koreshkov

Notable losses: Dana White's fear of the Bellator Welterweight Champion sitting on Johny Hendricks' chest for 25 minutes.


9.) Jake Shields: OK, so maybe Askren also got shafted by the UFC because the UFC wants to go from the best MMA promotion in the world to a company that promotes shitty kickboxing. There's no other reason to explain them not going after Askren and letting go of Shields and Okami. If Tyron Woodley wins the title, I hope Jake Shields goes on a Twitter rampage, because even though the fight sucked, he thoroughly beat Woodley (in the worst fight of 2013).

Significant victories: Hayato Sakurai, Dave Menne, Yushin Okami, Carlos Condit, Mike Pyle, Paul Daley, Robbie Lawler, Mayhem Miller, Dan Henderson, Martin Kampmann, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia.

THAT, boys and girls, is one hell of a resume

Notable losses: Georges St-Pierre, Jake Ellenberger, Hector Lombard


10.) Demian Maia: Maia's one of the great submission fighters in history, and Jake Shields went to Brazil and out-grappled him. Shields? Beat Maia, lost one fight, and got cut. Maia? Lost to Shields, lost another, and still employed. THEY TOOK OUR JOBS! Maia's going to be massively unemployed if he can't get past Mike Pierce. And then here's hoping Maia, Shields, Okami, Josh Burkman, and Jon Fitch all head to Singapore to put Ben Askren over.

Significant victories: Chael Sonnen, Jorge Santiago, Kim Dong-Hyun, Rick Story, Jon Fitch

Notable losses: Nathan Marquardt, Anderson Silva, Mark Munoz, Chris Weidman, Jake Shields, Rory MacDonald


11.) Kim Dong-Hyun: This won't end well for Kim. His finishes over Erick Silva and John Hathaway were electric, especially the Hathaway KO which might be KO of the year so far. But his new style of fighting, wide open and reckless, is going to leave him wide open to any elite striker he faces. Carlos Condit, please answer the green courtesy phone. And that KO happened when Kim was a tighter defensive fighter than he is now. Erick Silva was having success with Kim, until, you know, he fell asleep. It's great that Kim wants to be more offensive. I get why he's taking this path, because he knows Jon Fitch, Ben Askren, Jake Shields, and Yushin Okami are in MMA-purgatory now, while Nate Marquardt, Dan Hardy, Steve Cantwell, et. al. can lose tons and stay on the roster.

Significant victories: TJ Grant, Nate Diaz, Siyar Bahadurzada, Erick Silva, John Hathaway

Notable losses: Carlos Condit, Demian Maie


12.) Matt Brown: Really? The guy who lost in the house to freaking Amir Sadollah? The guy who had a 12-11 professional record not too long ago? THAT Matt Brown? Yep. Brown's on a tear, and you've got to give the guy a ton of credit. You have to give him as much credit for his win streak as you have to give him grief for being confused as to why he isn't getting a title shot. Just look at the names ahead of you, Matt. Then look at the significant victories below…

Significant victories: Douglas Lima, Mike Swick, Jordan Mein, Mike Pyle

Notable losses: A few guys you've never heard of, Pete Spratt, Chris Lytle (2x), Kim Dong-Hyun, Ricardo Almeida, Brian Foster, Seth Baczynski


13.) Rousimar Palhares: Can we put aside the leg breaking - and him pissing hot, and his total intransigence, and his inability time and time again to let go of leg locks, and his weird behavior in the fights with Dan Miller and Nate Marquardt - and talk about what we need to realize coming off of his win against Steve Carl here? What we all need to realize is that Alan Belcher is a f***ing bad-ass.

Significant victories: Ivan Salaverry, Jeremy Horn, Mike Pierce, Steve Carl

Notable losses: Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt, Alan Belcher, Hector Lombard


14.) Brandon Thatch: I don't mind the eyeball test when I get near the bottom fifteen of any division. And Brandon Thatch passes every eyeball test imaginable. Thatch has all the requisite skills and knowledge of fighting that all the top fighters have. But he's just loaded with that cage charisma that separates the best fighters from the rest of the pack. I can absolutely see him carrying gold around his waist by this tie in 2016. Purely a speculative ranking, but his stock is rising. Fast.

Significant victories: Paulo Thiago


15.) Tarec Saffiedine: Could be a few spots higher, but he can't stay healthy. The win over Nate Marquardt in the last ever Strikeforce fight has lost some luster. Let's just say that the last Strikeforce fight won't go down in the annals of history with the last WEC fight. Saffiedine's a fine fighter, but I refuse to invest too much interest in him until he fights 3-4 times in any one year.

Significant victories: Brock Larson, Scott Smith, Nate Marquardt

Notable loss: Tyron Woodley