TOP 20 UFC POUND FOR POUND FIGHTERS 2016
A new year has begun so I thought it was only right to compile my pound for pound list going into the new year.
As usual, these lists are all very relative and opinion based, but I stand by decisions and especially with the frequency of fights in the UFC. They can change as quickly as they are compiled.
1. DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON: W22 D1 L2 – FLYWEIGHT
I think one and all can unequivocally agree that Johnson is the No1 p4p fighter in the UFC right now.
Since moving down to flyweight three years ago where he drew in his flyweight debut. He competed for the inaugural UFC flyweight title, starting with a semi final win against the opponent he drew with Ian McCall. He then went on to win the title three months later with a split decision victory over Joseph Benavidez. He has since reeled off 8 straight defences including a KO against Benavidez and two victories over John Dodson.
Naturally as a lighter fighter he’s lighting quick, but he possesses a versatile, high level MMA skill set. He’s equally comfortable standing or on the ground. He has great fitness levels and has demonstrated a unique power and strength at this level. He has fought all comers in his weight class and has thus far defeated all convincingly.
2. CONNOR MCGREGOR: W19 L2 – FEATHERWEIGHT
You cannot deny that McGregor is the most popular fighter in the UFC. He had a whirlwind 2015 with three wins, capturing the interim then becoming the undisputed featherweight title holder. He’s won performance of the night in his last five fights, dating back to July 2014.
He’s currently on a 15 fight winning streak with 10 wins coming in the first round. He’s not just popular because of his impeccable trash talking. He has backed up everything he says with an intimidating, loose, fluidity to his style. He also has underrated, slick footwork and a devastating left hand which was fully demonstrated in his one punch knockout of Aldo.
3. JON JONES: W21 L1 – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Let me start off by saying his one defeat came as a disqualification, so technically he has yet to be defeated in the octagon in 22 fights.
It’s the general consensus that he would still be the champion if he wasn’t striped of the light heavyweight title due to personal / legal reasons. That aside, Jones is a uniquely gifted athlete that possesses a rare level of MMA skills that is hard to replicate.
He has not competed in a year and there is speculation of how the year out may affect him, but up until then, there was no denying he looked formidable with 8 straight defences of his title. His long limbs enabled him to use a variation of lethal, attacking weapons from oblique kicks to flying knees, to punches, to spinning elbows to unique take downs and even standing submissions.
4. RAFAEL DOS ANJOS: W25 L7 – LIGHTWEIGHT
A few might raise eyebrows at this decision but even though Dos Anjos has seven defeats on his record, I fully believe right now, he’s definitely one of the top pound for pound fighters in the UFC.
You just have to look at his last four wins against Benson Henderson, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis & Donald Cerrone. That’s a who’s who, of the best of MMA and four very different opponents that he all dispatched. That’s the reason for his lofty position.
He has taken on four, high level but fairly different opponents and managed to untilise his own exceptional and versatile striking and wrestling skills to solve all four puzzles quite convincingly. It’s also a testament to his skills that you are still questioning whether he has the better stand up or ground game.
5. FABRICIO WERDUM: W20 D1 L5 – HEAVYWEIGHT
He made one of the most unlikely rises in the UFC to win the undisputed heavyweight title against Valesquez in June. Since his lost to Overeem in 2011, he’s won six straight, including the likes of Roy Nelson, Travis Browne & Mark Hunt, culminating in the title win against Valesquez.
He is considered as one of the best heavyweight wrestlers in the business, with his solid and technical ground game but has also, more recently demonstrated great punching power with an underrated resilience and chin.
There was talk that Valesquez was battling injury and fitness issues in their title fight and a possible rematch is on the cards but Werdum has made a career out of being the underdog.
6. TJ DILLASHAW: W12 L2 – BANTAMWEIGHT
There could be a case for Dillashaw to be lower on this list as his position is predominately based on his two victories over previous top 5 p4p fighter Renan Barao.
After defeating the Brazilian in what was a shock but fully deserved 5th round KO in May 2014, many were skeptical. But after a comfortable first defence, which was another 5th round KO. He re-matched Barao and beat him even more convincingly with a 4th round KO.
He looked even more improved in the second fight. He adopted a controlled aggression type style, with good footwork and pin point, accurate strikes. It was enough to convince of his inclusion in the top ten but he will have to dispatch more challenges to maintain his lofty position.
7. LUKE ROCKHOLD: W15 L2 – MIDDLEWEIGHT
Rockhold was a former Strikeforce middleweight champion with 2 defences, before coming into the UFC. Since his debut, which he lost to Vitor Belfort in May 2013. He’s had five impressive, moral boosting wins, which culminated in dethroning the undefeated UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, in a brutal, fight of the night performance, this past December.
In four of those five wins he was awarded performance of the night, a knockout of the night and fight of the night. I feel he has improved all aspects of his game since his debut in the UFC and I believe is only getting better. He’s now a strong, well-rounded mixed martial artist, with knockout power and a solid, scary ground game.
8. ROBBIE LAWLER: W27 L10 NC1 – WELTERWEIGHT
Although I feel he was extremely fortunate to get a split decision win over Carlos Condit recently. He was equally unfortunate to lose a unanimous decision in his title fight to Johny Hendricks in March 2014.
If it wasn’t for that blemish he would have been sitting on 9 straight wins since his 2013 return to welterweight and the UFC. There is no doubt Lawler is a fan favourite, with his warrior like style and ability to go the distance. He has extremely heavy hands and proved time and again he has a solid chin. I think every welterweight knows a match with him will be a hard, long dog fight for the belt.
9. JOANNA JEDRZEJCZYK: W11 L0 – STRAWWEIGHT
This former Muay Thai and Kickboxing champion came to the UFC in 2014 and in her second fight, won an exciting, brutal but wafer thin split decision victory over tough Brazilian Claudia Gadelha.
She then went on to take the title off Carla Esparza in devastating fashion, with an early second round knockout. Since, she’s made two convincing title defences. She is a smooth, slick, calculated but brutal puncher with a polished stand up game. She puts her attacks together with a relentless variety of accurate, head and body shots intent on maximum damage.
10. HOLY HOLM: W10 L0 – BANTAMWEIGHT
The way she took apart and destroyed the fighter who was supposedly the most dominant champion in the UFC, you cannot begrudge her entry into the p4p top ten.
Though she has only had three fights in the UFC, the manner of her wins and basically, the systematic dismantling of Rousey, who looked unbeatable up until that point, was more than enough, at least at this point for her to be in the top ten. She has used her extensive boxing experience and background in the octagon to fight at range and use superior footwork. She has then added to her repertoire the considerable weapons of lethal elbows and a devastating knockout kick.
11. DANIEL CORMIER: W17 L1 – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Though he is the current light heavyweight title holder, an elite level wrestler and mixed martial artist. There is no denying he cannot shake that one loss to his bitter rival Jon Jones and that is unfortunately, the reason why he’s not in the top ten.
He has however, won titles in three other organisations and has dispatched every other contender in the UFC thus far. This former heavyweight has some of, if not the best set of wrestling skills in the UFC and knows how to maneuver and control his opponent on the ground, as well as having an underrated stand up. Although, his legitimacy as the light heavyweight champion will always be in question until he has a rematch with Jon Jones.
12. JOSE ALDO: W25 L2 – FEATHERWEIGHT
I know, it’s unfair that a ten-year unbeaten champion who lost his title to what he states as a “lucky punch” has dropped out of the top ten.
But that 13 second defeat to lose his title is not the only reason why he has dropped so far down the p4p list. That defeat was his only fight in 2015. So for me, it’s hard to justify him remaining in the top ten with such a record over the last 12 months.
Credited, he has been dogged with fitness and injury issues over the past 12 months, but he’s looking a rematch and I feel he should get one. It will be very interesting to see what shape he comes back in and if he can return to the slick, devastating and relentless attacking, 10 year unbeaten Aldo of the past.
13. RONDA ROUSEY: W12 L1 – BANTAMWEIGHT
Although her shock defeat to Holm severely exposed her lack of stand up skills. There is no denying she was a dominant champion since she stepped foot into the UFC and defended her title in February 2013.
You also cannot forget in her six wins, only one female managed to get out of the first round. I would also say, it was a testament to her fighting ability that she managed to dominate so many fighters with such limited stand up ability and she will only get better and improve.
She already has the best ground game and judo in the woman’s division, so if she improves her stand up, at a rate she has developed already, then that’s a very daunting prospect for the other women in the division for the future.
14. CAIN VELASQUEZ: W13 2L – HEAVYWEIGHT
His recent defeat to Fabricio Werdum has caused him to slide down this list. Previous to that, he looked an unstoppable champion with the first round defeat to Junior dos Santos in 2011, the only other blemish on his record, which he avenged, twice in 2012 & 2013.
Along with those two wins, he also took out the likes of Brock Lesner and Bigfoot Silva twice. The defeat to Werdum was his only fight in 2015, due to ongoing injury and fitness issues, which caused his camp to state the altitude in Mexico City affected him and was the reason for him not looking himself, which resulted in the Werdum defeat.
With that being said, a loss is a loss and Velasquez will hope to be back to his dominant, relentless self, in the rematch earmarked for early 2016.
15. CHRIS WEIDMAN: W13 L1 – MIDDLEWEIGHT
Weidman came into the UFC in 2011 and had 5 straight victories that got him a title shot against then n01 p4p fighter Anderson Silva, where he recorded the first of these modern-day shocks in the UFC.
Although his two victories over Silva made everyone sit up and take notice, the manner of both the wins still made fans skeptical. He then followed with two very different but very satisfying title defences. A grueling, five round, fight of the night, points victory over Lyoto Machida. Then a surprise, devastating one round knockout of Vitor Belfort.
Even after that, Weidman still had his doubters. So the fight of the night title defeat to Rockhold, must have made him even more hungrier to come back and prove his title run was not a fluke. I’m not sure if an immediate rematch is on the cards but it will be interesting to see how this well rounded, tough fighter comes back.
16. FRANKIE EDGAR: W20 D1 L5 – FEATHERWEIGHT
Since he moved down to featherweight to fight Jose Aldo in what was an exciting, five round, fight of the night, but ultimately, losing effort for the title.
He has notched five straight wins against very decent names in Charles Oliveira, BJ Penn, Cub Swanson, Urijah Faber and Chad Mendes. Each fight impressing that bit more, culminating in the surprise, spectacular, one round knockout of Mendes in December.
This has prompted him, his camp and his loyal fans to push or for a title fight with McGregor. Edgar has that rugged, all action, come forward, New Jersey style that always seems to find him in an exciting fight, where invariably, he tends to comes out on top.
17. DOMINICK CRUZ: W20 L1 – BANTAMWEIGHT
If it wasn’t for his extensive injury issues he would easily be higher up on this list. But the former undisputed WEC & UFC bantamweight champion has only fought twice since October 2011.
I am being a bit of a hypocrite by putting him here, as inactivity has been a reason to relegate some fighters but Cruz, even though it was some years ago, was on a role.
He was the last person to hand my P4P no1 Demetrious Johnson a defeat in 2011. He has since comeback for a performance of the night victory in September 2015 and his polished, calculated, methodical like, defensively minded style, of a solid ground game. Combined with accurate strikes and tactical movement, will be tested to the limit when he fights TJ Dillashaw in January 2016.
18. JOHNY HENDRICKS: W17 L3 – WELTERWEIGHT
Though Hendricks has lost two of his last four fights. I have to stress both those defeats were split decision losses. First, to at that time, he dominant champion Georges St-Pierre, where quite frankly I thought he was robbed.
The second, a rematch where he lost the title against Robbie Lawler, who he previously won the title against nine months earlier. before that, he had won six straight and developed a ferocious reputation as a devastating, come forward puncher with dynamite in both hands. He also proved he has a solid chin, can go the distance in a five round fight and throw punches to the very last second.
19. ANTHONY PETTIS: W18 L3 – LIGHTWEIGHT
Up until his title defeat to Rafael dos Anjos in March 2015, he had been on a five fight winning streak, that saw him win the lightweight title against Benson Henderson and defend it against Gilbert Melendez in two impressive submission victories. He is due to come back following a few injuries in January 2016 and wants another run at the title which is something I think he’s very capable off. He possesses a unique and dynamic set of striking skills, with hands and feet that can burst into life in explosive, spectacular fashion, but also has a very top-level ground game. He’s known for the unexpected when attacking which often keeps his opponents guessing.
20. CLAUDIA GADELHA: W13 L1 – STRAWWEIGHT
This entry may raise some eyebrows but I believe she deserves to be mentioned. She competed, and was victorious in the very first strawweight bout in the UFC and has since had three further fights.
Her only defeat was a wafer thin split decisions defeat to the champion Jedrzejczyk, which to this day she disputes and have since been campaigning for a rematch, calling out and talking trash about the champion at every opportunity she gets.
She is a tough, come forward fighter who loves to put combinations together and throw relentlessly. She’s also extremely proficient on the ground and has a slick armbar. She may need to improve a bit on her stand up technique but there is no denying her MMA skills and potential.
FIGHTERS JUST MISSING OUT
STIPE MIOCIC W14 L2 – HEAVYWEIGHT
CARLOS CONDIT W30 L9 – WELTERWEIGHT
JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ W23 L4 – FLYWEIGHT
DONALD CERRONE W28 L7 NC1 – LIGHTWEIGHT
RENAN BORAO W33 L3 NC1 – BANTAMWEIGHT
ANTHONY JOHNSON W20 L5 – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV W20 L0 – LIGHTWEIGHT
