Bellator MW Division

[MaiThai]

So last night's fight got my thinking about the state of the MW division in Bellator.

IMO it's pretty decent.
The champ is pretty unimpressive, but he has 3 title defenses. Then of course there's Mousasi who is a top 5 MW in the world. Chidi Njokouani is young and has a ton of upside, he could become a top 10 dude. John Salter is a guy who's flown pretty under the radar, but he's legit af and he's not far from a title shot IMO. Rafael Lovato Jr. has stormed onto the scene, only downside to him is his age, but he has some quality wins already. And finally Ed Ruth, who is still young in his mma career, but might have the most upside of any of these
guys.

The guys I just listed are whom I consider the division's current elite, but in addition to them, these guys are also quality and/or have the possibility of moving up. Chris Honeycutt, Hisaki Kato, Ralek Gracie, and Shlemenko.

I think this roster can rival the UFC's, certainly their 6-10. What are your guys' thoughts?

 

[mime]

Throw in Rory who will probably fight there too occasionally

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Stack up the ~top 10 and champ of each roster and we'll take a look.

UFC
Robert Whittaker (C) - 19-4, 10-2 UFC
Yoel Romero - 12-2, 8-1 UFC
Luke Rockhold - 16-3, 6-2 UFC
Jacare Souza - 24-5, 7-2 UFC
Chris Weidman - 14-3, 10-3 UFC
Kelvin Gastelum - 14-3 (1), 9-3 (1) UFC
Michael Bisping - 30-9, 20-9 UFC
Derek Brunson - 18-5, 9-3 UFC
Anderson Silva - 34-8 (1), 17-4 (1) UFC
David Branch - 21-4, 3-3 UFC
Uriah Hall - 13-8, 6-6 UFC


Bellator
Rafael Carvalho (C) - 15-1, 6-0 BMMA
Gegard Mousasi - 43-6-2, 1-0 BMMA
Alexander Shlemenko - 56-10 (1), 12-4 (1) BMMA
John Salter - 15-3, 5-0 BMMA
Chidi Njokuani - 18-5, 5-1 BMMA
Chris Honeycutt - 10-2 (1), 6-2 (1) BMMA
Kendall Grove - 23-17 (1), 4-4 BMMA
Hisaki Kato - 8-3, 3-2 BMMA
Rafael Lovato Jr - 7-0, 3-0 BMMA
Alessio Sakara, 19-12 (2), 2-1 BMMA
Ben Reiter - 17-2-1, 3-2 BMMA


I can maybe see the top guys of Bellator beating the bottom guys of the UFC, read: Mousasi, Shlemenko, maybe Carvalho. Otherwise, it's a landslide for the UFC. I can't see anyone in that Bellator list beating the top five of the UFC list, with the sole exception of Moose over Weidman that time.

 

[Meathead Jock]

. I can't see anyone in that Bellator list beating the top five of the UFC list, with the sole exception of Moose over Weidman that time.

I would take 32 year old Moose over Jacare at this point. Jacare beat him before but he was 34 years old then. Now he is 38 and appears to have aged in the last year.

 

[JayPettryMMA]

I would take 32 year old Moose over Jacare at this point. Jacare beat him before but he was 34 years old then. Now he is 38 and appears to have aged in the last year.

I'm really curious about Jacare, his fight against Whittaker, was that because Whittaker is so damn good, or is it that Jacare is slipping? Romero looked good in the first two rounds against Whittaker but then he turned it on. I think Jacare's next fight will be telling, if he doesn't get blasted by Brunson. Jacare annihilated Brunson in their last go-round, but that was like five years ago. A lot happens in five years.

 

[MMALOPEZ]

John Salter deserves the title shot’

I know they are going to give it to mousasi but salter has demolish his competition in Bellator

 

[DaPunkMinowaMan]

I'm really curious about Jacare, his fight against Whittaker, was that because Whittaker is so damn good, or is it that Jacare is slipping? Romero looked good in the first two rounds against Whittaker but then he turned it on. I think Jacare's next fight will be telling, if he doesn't get blasted by Brunson. Jacare annihilated Brunson in their last go-round, but that was like five years ago. A lot happens in five years.

@ 38 yrs old... about time...

 

[tehMoose]

Stack up the ~top 10 and champ of each roster and we'll take a look.

UFC
Robert Whittaker (C) - 19-4, 10-2 UFC
Yoel Romero - 12-2, 8-1 UFC
Luke Rockhold - 16-3, 6-2 UFC
Jacare Souza - 24-5, 7-2 UFC
Chris Weidman - 14-3, 10-3 UFC
Kelvin Gastelum - 14-3 (1), 9-3 (1) UFC
Michael Bisping - 30-9, 20-9 UFC
Derek Brunson - 18-5, 9-3 UFC
Anderson Silva - 34-8 (1), 17-4 (1) UFC
David Branch - 21-4, 3-3 UFC
Uriah Hall - 13-8, 6-6 UFC


Bellator
Rafael Carvalho (C) - 15-1, 6-0 BMMA
Gegard Mousasi - 43-6-2, 1-0 BMMA
Alexander Shlemenko - 56-10 (1), 12-4 (1) BMMA
John Salter - 15-3, 5-0 BMMA
Chidi Njokuani - 18-5, 5-1 BMMA
Chris Honeycutt - 10-2 (1), 6-2 (1) BMMA
Kendall Grove - 23-17 (1), 4-4 BMMA
Hisaki Kato - 8-3, 3-2 BMMA
Rafael Lovato Jr - 7-0, 3-0 BMMA
Alessio Sakara, 19-12 (2), 2-1 BMMA
Ben Reiter - 17-2-1, 3-2 BMMA


I can maybe see the top guys of Bellator beating the bottom guys of the UFC, read: Mousasi, Shlemenko, maybe Carvalho. Otherwise, it's a landslide for the UFC. I can't see anyone in that Bellator list beating the top five of the UFC list, with the sole exception of Moose over Weidman that time.

Where is Tokov on this list? Am I missing something?

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Where is Tokov on this list? Am I missing something?

He's exactly 1-0 in Bellator, and 1-1 in his last two. Could be something serious one day, but he tore his ACL so he's on the shelf for a while.

 

[tehMoose]

He's exactly 1-0 in Bellator, and 1-1 in his last two. Could be something serious one day, but he tore his ACL so he's on the shelf for a while.

Atleast put him instead of Sakara or Reiter..come on jeicex
Sakara is 0-1 @ MW
Reiter lost to Francisco France (Tokov finished him)

 

[FKA]

I'm sick of hearing of how unimpressive Raphael carvalho is.....

Dude looks to finish fights and has legit muay Thai and a solid jits game.Guy is overlooked he has done very well for himself and just absolutely destroyed sakara,in another solid finish.

Love to see him vs mousasi or even better storm .

 

[Feniamin]

For those interested - Shlemenko said that he wants to move down to WW and wants his next Bellator fight to happen at catchweight or WW.

 

[MaiThai]

For those interested - Shlemenko said that he wants to move down to WW and wants his next Bellator fight to happen at catchweight or WW.

For the best, he should have been a WW all along.

 

[FKA]

Why he actually beat gegard and should be in line for a title shot.

But hey.......A STORM IS COMING!!!!

 

[LHWBelt]

Why he actually beat gegard and should be in line for a title shot.

But hey.......A STORM IS COMING!!!!

I had Gegard but it was a good fight. Storm did the damage but Moose gutted it out. If anything it made me more impressed by Moose cuz that dude couldn't see.

 

[FKA]

Shoulda been a 5 rounder.......STORM woulda finished the moose.

 

[Evangelion]

So last night's fight got my thinking about the state of the MW division in Bellator.

IMO it's pretty decent.
The champ is pretty unimpressive, but he has 3 title defenses. Then of course there's Mousasi who is a top 5 MW in the world. Chidi Njokouani is young and has a ton of upside, he could become a top 10 dude. John Salter is a guy who's flown pretty under the radar, but he's legit af and he's not far from a title shot IMO. Rafael Lovato Jr. has stormed onto the scene, only downside to him is his age, but he has some quality wins already. And finally Ed Ruth, who is still young in his mma career, but might have the most upside of any of these
guys.

The guys I just listed are whom I consider the division's current elite, but in addition to them, these guys are also quality and/or have the possibility of moving up. Chris Honeycutt, Hisaki Kato, Ralek Gracie, and Shlemenko.

I think this roster can rival the UFC's, certainly their 6-10. What are your guys' thoughts?

Those 5 guys can rival

Whittaker
Rockhold
Romero
Jacare
Brunson
Gastelum
Thiago Santos
Paulo Costa
Eryk Anders
Trevino Giles
Lyoto Machida
Uriah Hall
Vitor Belfort
Dave Branch


Totally Bellator's just as good

 

[WarriorPoet1]

Jordan young 8-0 too but i guess he hasn't made 185 in 1(or 2) of his last

 

[Feniamin]

Why he actually beat gegard and should be in line for a title shot.

But hey.......A STORM IS COMING!!!!

He said something like that he wants to have a rematch with Gegard but to him it looks like that Gegard and Bellator is not interested in it.

 

[FKA]

He's also moving to WE so that doesn't help lol