Rankings Review: Heavyweight shake-up
It goes to be an understatement to stammer the UFC has some questionable rankings. You’d query rankings to be questionable as they are subjective; nonetheless, in this column, I will point out rankings that I mediate are obvious errors.
Editorial Commentary by Peter Parsons
This past Saturday used to be a huge evening for heavyweights within the UFC with a heavyweight main occasion that used to be one of four heavyweight fights in whole. It used to be resolute that Derrick Lewis would switch up two spots to purchase the No. 2 ranking from Curtis Blaydes, whom he knocked out viciously within the 2nd spherical within the principle occasion. Blaydes dropped correct one quandary to No. 3 after being on a roll within the UFC, having most productive previously lost to No. 1 ranked Francis Ngannou.
When this week’s UFC rankings had been released, it is a long way from 10 via 15 within the heavyweight division the place the questions come up. May per chance per chance have to Chris Daukaus switch the total manner up to No. 10 after beating Aleksei Oleinik, who has dropped out of the rankings? May per chance per chance have to Oleinik have dropped out of the rankings? May per chance per chance have to Tom Aspinall be ranked after going 3-0 within the UFC with 3 finishes after choking out Andrei Arlovski? May per chance per chance have to Sergei Spivac be ranked after winning his 2nd straight?
Sergei Pavlovich strikes up one quandary from No. 14 to No. 13
Even with the above-talked about heavyweight fights, the ranking trade that stood out to me used to be Sergei Pavlovich transferring up a quandary within the rankings, despite no longer having fought since 2019.
After losing his UFC debut by first-spherical TKO in November of 2018 to Alistair Overeem, Pavlovich had a valorous 2019, winning each of his fights by first-spherical TKO. Marcelo Golm, the first fighter Pavlovich defeated within the UFC, used to be 1-2 within the UFC going into the combat and used to be prick from the roster after the combat. The get that catapulted Pavlovich into the rankings used to be his final combat against Maurice Greene, who used to be ranked 13 on the time after winning three straight. Greene has since lost 3 out of his final 4, including the Pavlovich loss. The 28-365 days-broken-down Pavlovich is 2-1 within the UFC and has no longer fought since his get against Greene in October of 2019, which is why I fetch it ghastly that his ranking has held up.
May per chance per chance have to Chris Daukaus switch the total manner up to 10th after beating Aleksei Oleinik?
I don’t have a controversy with Chris Daukaus entering the rankings at No. 10. I don’t mediate he ought to peaceable be above Augusto Sakai at No. 9. I’m able to look him being earlier than No. 11 Junior Dos Santos, who lost four in a row, albeit against elite rivals in Francis Ngannou, Curtis Blaydes, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Ciryl Gane. I may well furthermore no longer have Daukaus ranked that top, but his No. 10 ranking is no longer obvious to me.
May per chance per chance have to Aleksei Oleinik have dropped out of the rankings?
Here’s the thing, I don’t mediate he ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than No. 15 Marcin Tybura, but I mediate he ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than No. 13 Sergei Pavlovich.
The loss to Daukaus used to be Oleinik’s 2nd loss in a row. Nevertheless, his previous loss used to be a 2nd-spherical TKO to Derryck Lewis, which used to be his third combat of 2020. While Pavlovich used to be idle, Oleinik obtained his first two fights in 2020, including his first get, a submission victory over Maurice Greene, the opponent that catapulted Pavlovich into the tip 15.
Oleinik then went on to defeat historical UFC heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum. The Brazilian showed indicators of ring rust after bigger than two years away, but peaceable it used to be a stable victory for Oleinik in a combat of all time monumental heavyweight grapplers. Werdum showed he peaceable had it in his subsequent combat, submitting Alexander Gustafsson within the first spherical.
May per chance per chance have to Tom Aspinall be ranked after after choking out Andrei Arlovski?
As soon as more, I don’t mediate he ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than No. 15 Marcin Tybura, but I mediate he ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than No. 13 Sergei Pavlovich.
Tom Aspinall made his UFC debut in July on War Island with a TKO get over Jake Collier in correct 45 seconds. The British prospect then scored one other first-spherical TKO over Alan Baudot in October. On Saturday evening, Aspinall stepped up in rivals going via historical champ and list Andrei Arlovski. Aspinall obtained by 2nd-spherical submission. Arlovski is past his high and now no longer a title contender, but he had previously obtained two in a row and used to be immediate ranked No. 15 after his most in vogue victory against Tanner Boser.
May per chance per chance have to Sergei Spivac be ranked after winning his 2nd straight?
For the final time, I don’t mediate he ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than No. 15 Marcin Tybura, but I mediate he ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than No. 13 Sergei Pavlovich.
Spivac opened the present on Saturday evening with a 2nd-spherical TKO over Jared Vanderaa. This used to be the Moldovan’s 2nd straight victory after defeating Brazilian prospect Carlos Felipe in July of 2020. Spivac is 3-2 within the UFC with losses against within the period in-between ranked warring parties in Walt Harris and Marcin Tybura. Spivac’s finest get got right here against then No. 14 ranked Tai Tuivasa in October of 2019, which occurs to be the identical month that Pavlovch final fought. This used to be four fights ago for Spivac.
What about Marcin Tybura?
Tybura’s title has come up a lot of times. I expected Tybura to unrightfully drop out of the rankings after Daukaus’ get over Oleinik. Tybura has been active, going 4-0 in 2020. Have in mind, Pavlovich hasn’t fought since 2019. Three out of the Polish fighter’s four wins in 2020 have come against top 20 opponents in Sergei Spivac, Ben Rothwell, and Greg Hardy. How is Tybura no longer ranked earlier than Pavlovich?
A combat between two heavyweight potentialities to seek for
Alexander Romanov vs. Juan Espino is scheduled for a UFC War Night on April 17. Every heavyweights are 2-0 within the UFC. The Moldovan Romanov is 13-0 and the Spaniard Espino is 10-1 overall. The winner of this combat is generally on the verge of a quandary within the heavyweight top 15.
Rankings Conclusion
When deciding if a fighter is deserving of a ranking, pause balloting panelists seek for on the fighter in quiz and capture if they ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than the No. 15 fighter? Set up they compare the fighter in quiz to the numerous ranked warring parties? Maybe right here’s the problem right here, as Oleinik, Aspinall, and Spivac don’t must be ranked earlier than Tybura. Nevertheless, I’d argue that they clearly ought to peaceable be ranked earlier than the No. 13 ranked fighter Sergei Pavlovich. As a substitute, Pavlovich strikes up one quandary, which undoubtedly stands out to me.
Out of Oleinik, Aspinall, Spivac, or any assorted top 20 heavyweight, who pause I mediate ought to peaceable be ranked as a substitute of Pavlovich? I mediate Tom Aspinall ought to peaceable be ranked after going 3-0 within the UFC with three finishes, including his fresh submission victory over Andrei Arlovski. Aspinall has been on a truly identical direction to No. 10 ranked Chris Daukaus.
Aspinall vs. Daukaus is a combat I’d delight in to look for. There are many inviting doable heavyweight match-usato be made with ranking implications.
The heavyweight division is heating up. For the 2nd weekend in a row, we have a heavyweight main occasion coming up as No. 4 ranked Jairzinho Rozenstruik faces No 7. ranked Cyril Gane.
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My rankings would seek for assorted than any assorted writer or fan who follows the game carefully. That is to be expected, as rankings are subjective. Nevertheless, the above examples are rankings I strongly disagree with. Rankings ought to peaceable be primarily based primarily on results and no longer perceived doable or recognition.
Some of us mediate rankings pause no longer topic. Rankings pause topic. They topic when it involves matchmaking. They topic when it involves contract negotiations.
Let’s aid the rankings dialog going. Set up you agree or disagree that the above examples are obvious ranking errors? Which UFC rankings pause you strongly disagree with? Snort your thoughts within the feedback below.