MW is low-key the most stacked division in UFC

[GOATtalks]

Unless someone is going to retire in their prime, like GSP, "losses after that" is an inevitability in the fight game. It's how you learn you no longer have it. I don't put a ton of weight on it as far as legacy. It literally happens to the best ever.

Nah, everything counts.

If Volk would’ve beaten Topuria, he would’ve solidified himself as the FW GOAT, right? Yes, he’s at that age and point in his career where he might start to lose a step, but it’s still a blemish on his record and a huge feather in the cap for Topuria.

It’s a risk and reward type of situation. Every time a fighter steps in to the octagon, his legacy will change.

 

[jko1355]

To be honest I have Rich Franklin and Chris Weidman above Whittaker but he's a beast for sure

 

[fortheo]

Ehhhh. Aliskerov I can see. Pyfer and especially Bo Nickal have done absolutely nothing to suggest they are future champion material.

Pyfer has been beating guys who are just about UFC caliber.

Nickal has been beating cans, guys brought into the UFC specifically to fight him or guys on the verge of being cut. At least let's see how he fares against a top 50 middleweight before declaring him future champ material. And no, wrestling credentials don't automatically translate to elite talent in MMA.

145 has Diego Lopes who's looking like a future contender, so there's one, to match Aliskerov at 185.

145lbs has joanderson brito, who beat lopes, too. It also has road to ufc guys like Jeong yeung lee and Yizha who look to be legit prospects.

 

[Striker Fox]

id put luke rockhold over too and maybe even bisping shit

Rochold has beaten
Jacare
Kennedy
Jardine
Weidman
Machida
Bostch
Bisping
Branch

Weidman beat a lot of past prime guys tho including Anderson. No way he should be over Whittaker. Whittaker and Rockhold are tied for 3rd best MW all time imo.

 

[Siver!]

We got:

Izzy and Whittaker are #2 and #3 greatest MW’sof all time, both still in their prime too.

Strickland is most likely among top10 all time best boxers in UFC history. Very well rounded as well

Dricus is awkward, but extremely dangerous everywhere and he has that dog in him.

Sky is the limit for Khamzat, he’s a beast.

Cannonier, Vettori, Costa, Dolidze and Hermansson are all very well rounded tanks.

Brendan Allen is one of the best BJJ wizards in whole of UFC. Paul Craig isn’t far apart too.

Fluffy Hernandez is a beast too.

But her comes the crazy part. Just look at the list of names currently not ranked yet:

Bo Nickal, Ikram Aliskerov, Joe Pyfer, Muniz, Michel Pereira, Shara, Caio Borralho.

Usman might stay at MW too.

I honestly don’t know another division that is this deep right now. It’s crazy that someone like Rodolfo Vieira isn’t even in the top30 of the division.

Love this post, dude, full credit!

Middleweight has some really exciting prospects, has an extremely well-balanced top end (Strickland and Dricus are great alongside awesome veterans like Izzy and Rob), Khamzat is the wildcard of the division, and even the veterans are solid AF.

All eyes now on those fighting upwards.

 

[GiganticMeat]

This thread is months old but it's definitely true right now. I don't see mentions in the OP of Gregory Rodrigues, Brunno Ferreira, and Kopylov either. 185 is arguably the best weight for an all around fighter, too.

 

[BOTTICELLI]

I think its common knowledge that 155-LightWeight 145-Feather-Weight, and 185-Middle Weight (In that order) are the deepest most competitive divisions not only in UFC but MMA as well

135 is also stacked too

 

[filthybliss]

We got:

Izzy and Whittaker are #2 and #3 greatest MW’sof all time, both still in their prime too.

Strickland is most likely among top10 all time best boxers in UFC history. Very well rounded as well

Dricus is awkward, but extremely dangerous everywhere and he has that dog in him.

Sky is the limit for Khamzat, he’s a beast.

Cannonier, Vettori, Costa, Dolidze and Hermansson are all very well rounded tanks.

Brendan Allen is one of the best BJJ wizards in whole of UFC. Paul Craig isn’t far apart too.

Fluffy Hernandez is a beast too.

But her comes the crazy part. Just look at the list of names currently not ranked yet:

Bo Nickal, Ikram Aliskerov, Joe Pyfer, Muniz, Michel Pereira, Shara, Caio Borralho.

Usman might stay at MW too.

I honestly don’t know another division that is this deep right now. It’s crazy that someone like Rodolfo Vieira isn’t even in the top30 of the division.

I am surprised that this is not the consensus. The only one that come close is WW. Though, I don't feel like Rob's 3rd MW of all time. I feel like Weidman is definitevly better than him, maybe even frank shamrock but thats a ballsy take of mine.

 

[Alpha_T83]

I think Khamzat is insanely overrated. Until he fights a legitimate 185er, I don't consider him a legitimate contender at 185. So far he's fought THREE welterweights at 180-185.

 

[Portland8242]

To be honest I have Rich Franklin and Chris Weidman above Whittaker but he's a beast for sure

The Whittaker who fought Jacare and Yoel twice vs prime Weidman would be an interesting one. Doing my best to put bias aside I really do think I have to take Whittaker.

Rich Franklin is not even worth talking about, these guys from the past with limited skillsets shouldn't be compared.

 

[r-harper-1]

I like Bw better

 

[UncleChester]

Bro...low key, bro.

 

[Eric Silva 2.0]

We got:

Izzy and Whittaker are #2 and #3 greatest MW’sof all time, both still in their prime too.

Strickland is most likely among top10 all time best boxers in UFC history. Very well rounded as well

Dricus is awkward, but extremely dangerous everywhere and he has that dog in him.

Sky is the limit for Khamzat, he’s a beast.

Cannonier, Vettori, Costa, Dolidze and Hermansson are all very well rounded tanks.

Brendan Allen is one of the best BJJ wizards in whole of UFC. Paul Craig isn’t far apart too.

Fluffy Hernandez is a beast too.

But her comes the crazy part. Just look at the list of names currently not ranked yet:

Bo Nickal, Ikram Aliskerov, Joe Pyfer, Muniz, Michel Pereira, Shara, Caio Borralho.

Usman might stay at MW too.

I honestly don’t know another division that is this deep right now. It’s crazy that someone like Rodolfo Vieira isn’t even in the top30 of the division.

Only Izzy, Whittaker, Dricus, Strickland and Khamzat are contenders.

Out of those only Izzy is a bone fide superstar who was lording over this division only recently. I think he got a little stale. Khamzat could be quite easily be (a superstar).

Whittaker was great but got destroyed by an up and comer. - Dricus who looked phenomenal against Rob who was well and truly spanked:

Strickland is an unknown quantity against the absolute best bar 1 fight against Izzy who was dog shit.

With Izzy out for now you’ve got Dricus, Strickland and Khamzat and then a bunch of has beens/middle of the roaders.

Id take BW, FW, LW and LHW over MW. Hell even HE got interesting recently.

"Sky is the limit for Khamzat, he is a beast."
He hasn't done anything at MW against a contender. I'm reserving judgement until I see him fight a couple of guys in the top 10.

"Strickland and Khamzat are contenders"

Strickland is a contender. I haven't seen Khamzat do anything at MW to tell me he is a contender.

 

[GOATtalks]

"Sky is the limit for Khamzat, he is a beast."
He hasn't done anything at MW against a contender. I'm reserving judgement until I see him fight a couple of guys in the top 10.

"Strickland and Khamzat are contenders"

Strickland is a contender. I haven't seen Khamzat do anything at MW to tell me he is a contender.

Well, they both fought Usman and only one of them got the win

 

[Eric Silva 2.0]

Well, they both fought Usman and only one of them got the win

Usman isn't a MW.

 

[GOATtalks]

Usman isn't a MW.

The fight was at MW and Khamzat is actually 3-0 in UFC at MW. And we have a pretty good idea where Usman would be if he fought at MW.



This is FightMatrix MW ranking, which is computer generated. They have Khamzat at #4

 

[NoSmilez]

MW is fine but it is more or less a striker division. For years the wrestling test for that division was Brunson. There are guys like DDP or Whittaker who can wrestle a little but it's plan B for them. Vettori had a little bit of ugly wrestling but he is Bangkok ready now.

I think guys like Nickal can potentially clean up. We haven't seen much of Nickal yet but I am assuming he will mature as a fighter in two years. Maybe Khamzat but he is in the same spot as Nickal. They are relatively unproven at MW.