Rankings Overview: Does Conor McGregor deserve his UFC ranking?
It’d be an underestimation to claim the UFC has some questionable rankings. You would query rankings to be questionable as they are subjective; however, in this column, I will level out rankings that I deem are glaring mistakes.
Editorial Commentary by Peter Parsons
I wrote a outdated editorial in November about Khamzat Chimaev being a ranked UFC welterweight even supposing he is 1-0 in the 170-pound weight division with his most efficient steal at 170 coming against a fighter making his UFC debut. It is likely you’ll presumably well per chance learn this article right here.
Below are latest rankings that I strongly disagree with.
Conor McGregor: Ranked No. 15 at Welterweight
With Anthony Pettis neutral no longer too long in the past taken out of the rankings after signing with the PFL, Conor McGregor was inserted in the No. 15 plight. With Chimaev at No. 14 and McGregor at No. 15 at welterweight, this makes one deem that the rankings are a reputation contest.
Chimaev was the debate of the MMA world in 2020. There could be additionally absolute confidence that McGregor is basically the most up-tp-date MMA fighter in the field and a legit high ranked gentle-weight contender. Nonetheless, in January of ultimate 365 days, McGregor’s steal over Donald Cerrone, who on the time was a ranked gentle-weight, was basically the most efficient welterweight steal for “The Notorious” since evening the rating with Nate Diaz motivate in August of 2016.
Who need to be ranked prior to McGregor? It is likely you’ll presumably well per chance take into narrative the beforehand mentioned Khamzat Chimaev article, where I checklist 11 warring parties who I believed will be ranked prior to Chimaev. When making that checklist, McGregor didn’t arrive to mind. To highlight a couple of warring parties from that checklist, I’d level toward undefeated warring parties Sean Brady and Miguel Baeza, who’re both 3-0 in the UFC and who had been somewhat stuffed with life at welterweight. How about James Krause who has received five in a row at welterweight, alongside side his latest steal over Claudio Silva, who was beforehand 5-0 at welterweight in the UFC.
When the up to this point rankings arrive out this week, I fully query to admire Li Jingliang ranked at welterweight after his knockout victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio on the UFC’s first tournament on ABC on Saturday. Ponzinibbio was on a seven-battle successful mosey and was a Top 10 welterweight prior to losing his plight in the rankings due to inactiveness with his final battle being a TKO victory over Neil Magny in 2018. Magny, for the time being ranked No. 9 at welterweight, was additionally the final opponent of Jingliang. Sooner than his unanimous option loss against Magny, Jingliang had received three in a row and seven of his final eight.
Marcin Tybura: Ranked No. 15 at Heavyweight
Tybura neutral no longer too long in the past entered the rankings at No. 15 with his steal over Greg Hardy on the Dec. 19 UFC Fight Night time: Thompson vs. Neal card. I bear he need to fill entered the rankings bigger. An argument will be made that he will be ranked as high as 12th, however right here I will construct the argument that he need to be ranked bigger than the 14th ranked Sergei Pavlovich.
Tybura has received four straight with famous stoppage victories over Greg Hardy and Ben Rothwell in his final two. He additionally has famous option victories over Sergey Spivak, Stefan Struve, and Andrei Arlovski in the outdated couple of years. Tybura’s losses fill arrive against warring parties who’re for the time being ranked in Augusto Sakai, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Derrick Lewis, and beforehand ranked and dilapidated champion Fabricio Werdum, who savor Pettis, neutral no longer too long in the past signed with the PFL.
After suffering his first knowledgeable defeat on the fingers of Alistair Overeem in his UFC debut, Pavlovich has received two in a row against Marcelo Golm and Maurice Greene. This was Golm’s third straight loss, which ended his UFC tenure. Greene was on an outstanding three-battle successful mosey; however, he has since misplaced three out of four, alongside side his final loss to beforehand mentioned Hardy.
Tybura’s final two wins over Rothwell and Hardy are clearly extra impressive than Pavlovich’s two wins over Gohm and Greene. Tybura additionally has beforehand mentioned famous victories over Spivak, Struve, and Arlovski in latest years.
Jimmy Flick: Unranked at Flyweight
I do know Jimmy Flick is most efficient 1-0 in the UFC, however this is no longer a case of recency bias on my segment after seeing him land a Submission of the 365 days candidate with his flying triangle over Cody Durden in the final card of 2020 on Dec. 19. Let me trace. The UFC Flyweight division is mild skinny as it is rebuilding, and the No. 15 ranked Amir Albazi is additionally 1-0 in the UFC.
In July, Albazzi scored a first-round triangle choke submission of his have over Malcolm Gordon, who was additionally making his UFC debut. Gordon has since misplaced his 2d UFC battle in the first round.
With all else being equal, it comes down to most impressive pause and quality of opponent. Flick’s opponent, Durden, fought to a blueprint at bantamweight in his most efficient outdated UFC battle against Chris Gutierrez, which snapped Gutierrez’ three-battle successful mosey at 135 kilos. Durden is clearly a stronger opponent than Albazzi’s opponent, Gordon, and Flick’s flying triangle was the extra impressive pause, as it was on the immediate checklist for Submission of the 365 days in 2020.
Albazzi has one more to solidify and presumably switch up the rankings with a steal over Zhalgus Zhumalgulov on the UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor prelims.
Conclusion: Rankings Topic
My rankings would sight different than any different writer or fan who follows the sport closely. Right here’s to be anticipated, as rankings are subjective. Nonetheless, the above examples are rankings I strongly disagree with. Rankings need to be primarily based totally on results and no longer perceived likely or reputation.
Some folks deem rankings accomplish no longer topic. Rankings accomplish topic. They topic by manner of matchmaking. They topic by manner of contract negotiations.
Let’s preserve the rankings conversation going. Enact you agree or disagree that the above examples are glaring ranking mistakes? Which UFC rankings accomplish you strongly disagree with? Specific your thoughts in the feedback under.
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