MMA30 Rankings: Welterweight Debut

By Mikal
248 days ago

Last week there were some significant movements in the UFC 137 card featuring many of the top welterweights which has prompted MMA30 to release the debut of MMA30 Rankings. Post UFC 137 will certainly require some heavy updates and interesting movement, but for the current rankings, we’ll make sure to be unbiased of any opinions and predictions of that card.

An interesting fact about the current MMA30 welterweight rankings is that no one outside of the UFC was able to break into the top 10 and only a couple were worthy of consideration. Many of the top 10 are separated by a very small fraction and any small hiccup is capable of shaking the whole lineup.

Similar to the middleweight rankings, the welterweight class has an obvious MMA30 number one without much explanation needed UFC champion, Georges St. Pierre, who has shredded through the bulk of the division showing no weaknesses and little threat of losing his title. St. Pierre, winner of nine straight, has only lost twice in his career of twenty-four matches and later avenged both in dominant fashion.

MMA30 welterweight number two is none other than Jon Fitch. Fitch has won twenty-one straight discounting his only loss in that stretch to UFC champion, St. Pierre. That loss aside, Fitch has dismantled all opposition currently holding thirteen wins in the UFC alone. Fitch has been passed up on for a second title shot on multiple occasions relating to a continuous dispute between he and UFC president, Dana White, but given another opportunity, Fitch stands as one of the only remaining threats of dethroning the champ.

Former Elite XC welterweight champion and former Strikeforce middleweight champion, Jake Shields, has earned MMA30 middleweight number three owning a record of twenty-six wins, eleven by submission, with only five losses. Prior to his most recent loss to MMA30 number one, Shields reeled off fifteen straight including wins over newest welterweight contender, Carlos Condit, Dan Henderson, Jason Miller, Robbie Lawler, Paul Daley and most recent middleweight contender, Yushin Okami.

Former WEC welterweight champion, Carlos Condit, received the news of a lifetime when he was offered the welterweight title opportunity against St. Pierre at UFC 137. With a win, Condit could steal the champion’s place at number one. Currently Condit holds MMA30 number four winning twelve of his last thirteen losing only a close split decision to Martin Kampmann. Condit is on a four-fight win streak owning his last three by KO or TKO over previously undefeated Dong Hyun Kim, former welterweight contender, Dan Hardy and UFC up-and-comer, Rory MacDonald.

MMA30 welterweight number five, Nick Diaz, gave up his Strikeforce title to enter the UFC and take on the champion for the highly coveted UFC title. The fight was set and ready for UFC 137, but after Diaz failed to show up at a pair of press conferences, Diaz was stripped of the opportunity and bumped down to the card’s co-main event against B.J. Penn. While nothing compares to fighting for the UFC title, fighting Penn will still be the largest fight of his career thus far. Winning ten straight, finishing nine of them, Diaz has put himself among the elite in the weight class.

Add MMA30 number six to the list of victims to current champion, St. Pierre, as Josh Koscheck has not only lost once, but a second time prior to St. Pierre receiving the title. Since our platform seems to discount those losses (as it has to because none of our top ten have been able to knock off the champ), we’ll do just that; those two losses aside Koscheck has won fifteen of eighteen holding wins over many of the division’s best. After his most recent loss to St. Pierre it would appear that the champion is on a different level, but no shame in competing for second best when your champion seems to be unbeatable.

Martin Kampmann is a hugely underrated welterweight earning MMA30 number seven. Kampmann earned a career record of thirteen wins and two losses before dropping weight for his welterweight debut. Since that time, Kampmann has lost three of seven. To his credit however, the three losses were to MMA30 number three, number eight and another fighter that narrowly missed the top ten. In addition, two of the losses were controversial decisions that could have easily (and probably should have) gone the other way.

Diego Sanchez earns MMA30 number eight holding twenty-three wins with four losses to MMA30 number two, Jon Fitch, number six, Josh Koscheck and close considerations B.J. Penn and John Hathaway.

At MMA30 number nine, young up-and-comer Canadian, Rory MacDonald, began his career with a record of ten wins and no losses until he ran into former MMA30 number four, Carlos Condit. In his match again Condit, MacDonald claimed the first two rounds fairly easily and controlled the fight even through the beginning of round three. As the decision victory seemed inevitable, Condit was able to take advantage when he brought the fight to the mat, smashing down with elbows, breaking MacDonald’s orbital and ending in a very late TKO with only seven seconds remaining. Had MacDonald lasted those few seconds, at worst, he’d have walked away with a draw and would definitely be in the discussion of the welterweight title mix. Depending on the outcome of UFC 137, and with another win or two, MacDonald may find himself in a rematch with Condit, next time possibly for a title.

Jake Ellenberger snuck into MMA30’s final spot, number ten. Ellenberger entered the UFC with a record of twenty wins and four losses where he met Carlos Condit in his UFC debut. Condit claimed the split decision victory that night, but since that point Ellenberger has been flawless winning four straight finishing three of those by KO/TKO. Ellenberger will square off with MMA30 number three, Jake Shields, this Saturday for an opportunity to earn major recognition.

MMA30 WELTERWEIGHT RANKINGS: