155 is the only division where #30 could contend with Top 10

[Rebel_LioN]

There are guys waaaaaaay out of the rankings that would absolutely hang and contend with anyone in the Top 10 if given the opportunity.

The division is saturated with talent but are unable to even sniff even a Top 15 opponent, let alone Top 10.

Just a few examples,

Mairbek Taisumov arbitrarily is anywhere from #25-30 and he’s a beast who nobody wants to fight. He’s 6-1 with 5 consecutive KO’s. If he did this any other division he’d already been fighting for the title! Think about it and let that settle in for a second..

James Vick is 8-1 in the UFC and gets Trinaldo, who for a long time was kept away from the Top 10 going on a 7 win streak himself.

Just look for yourself, you’ll find the division is littered with top talent that can’t get a chance to prove themselves. I honestly think a division sandwiched between 150-170 would be a great idea...

 

[Gangsters_Paradise]

which is why rankings don't mean shit

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

This is how it should be the UFC needs less divisions not more 125, 135 and 145 should all be rolled into 140 to make a legit beast category.
You're romantic about 155 tho I don't the #30 heavyweight but don't tell me he can't compete with Stefan at #10. If 155 need to move up 170 isn't that hard look at Cowboy and RDA. MMA fans just need to enjoy non title fights more between good fighters rather than wanting 100 belts of paper thin divs so the best can avoid eqch other that's what ruined boxing.

 

[MMAProfessional]

There are guys waaaaaaay out of the rankings that would absolutely hang and contend with anyone in the Top 10 if given the opportunity.

The division is saturated with talent but are unable to even sniff even a Top 15 opponent, let alone Top 10.

Just a few examples,

Mairbek Taisumov arbitrarily is anywhere from #25-30 and he’s a beast who nobody wants to fight. He’s 6-1 with 5 consecutive KO’s. If he did this any other division he’d already been fighting for the title! Think about it and let that settle in for a second..

James Vick is 8-1 in the UFC and gets Trinaldo, who for a long time was kept away from the Top 10 going on a 7 win streak himself.

Just look for yourself, you’ll find the division is littered with top talent that can’t get a chance to prove themselves. I honestly think a division sandwiched between 150-170 would be a great idea...

Fighters with high win streaks and low rankings typically don't sell well. They UFC doesn't want to risk giving a number 10 guy on the rise a number 15 guy who no one knows of. Basically is the Demian Maia effect. Keep in mind Maia was known especially amoung MMA fans but since he wasn't all that popular had to go through everyone till they couldn't deny him. Now imagine being a really good fighter who no one knows with no one wanting to fight you and the UFC not wanting to risk giving up a promotable fighter to fight you. If Trinaldo or Vick talked mad shit (or if Trinaldo spoke English which I don't think he does) they would be much further ahead.

 

[Thesnake101]

What about 145? Emmett was barely in the top 50, I think, and he blasted top 5 Lamas into another dimension.

 

[Pitier of Fools]

And Conor McGregor, who has ONE win at LW....is ranked number three. I'm not convinced he belongs in the top 10 at lightweight.

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

What about 145? Emmett was barely in the top 50, I think, and he blasted top 5 Lamas into another dimension.

except he wasn't a 145lbs when he KO'd Lamas.

 

[Franc Mittelo]

There are guys waaaaaaay out of the rankings that would absolutely hang and contend with anyone in the Top 10 if given the opportunity.

The division is saturated with talent but are unable to even sniff even a Top 15 opponent, let alone Top 10.

Just a few examples,

Mairbek Taisumov arbitrarily is anywhere from #25-30 and he’s a beast who nobody wants to fight. He’s 6-1 with 5 consecutive KO’s. If he did this any other division he’d already been fighting for the title! Think about it and let that settle in for a second..

James Vick is 8-1 in the UFC and gets Trinaldo, who for a long time was kept away from the Top 10 going on a 7 win streak himself.

Just look for yourself, you’ll find the division is littered with top talent that can’t get a chance to prove themselves. I honestly think a division sandwiched between 150-170 would be a great idea...

I have to agree. No hate on Conor, but I believe there are Top 50 guys who beat him on toughness and cardiopulmonary endurance alone.

When your gas tank is suspect and you are not a lay-n-prayer, I don't care what is your name, you have a huge gaping hole in your game, and random "who that fook is that guy?" fighters can beat you on that alone.

Without cardiopulmonary endurance, you are not an elite athlete for your sport. Period.

 

[blewgums]

What about heavyweight?

My favorite to watch, but not a very deep division.

 

[Ares Black]

And Conor McGregor, who has ONE win at LW....is ranked number three. I'm not convinced he belongs in the top 10 at lightweight.

I'm convinced that he doesn't.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Not a fan of the rankings. Just there to sell fights. But 155 is stacked from top to bottom. Could get interesting these next 12 months.

 

[AP_RESURRECTION]

Big smoker and mirror show, you're falling for it if you think the rankings tell a big story of who is the absolute best. Those are the fighters currently being promoted who have the best opportunities. We've countless times seen fighters get beat by 'nobodies' or go to other promotions and get their asses kicked. Fact is, after a certain point, most of the fighters are quite close. Especially over a longer period of time, given injuries, improvements etc. At certain moments of time, it truly feels like a few fighters stand above others. I think that is probably true at that moment. But then we usually see that person get smashed shortly thereafter.

 

[Ares Black]

Not a fan of the rankings. Just there to sell fights. But 155 is stacked from top to bottom. Could get interesting these next 12 months.

The LW landscape will be unrecognizable in 12 months.

 

[surgeyou1]

And Conor McGregor, who has ONE win at LW....is ranked number three. I'm not convinced he belongs in the top 10 at lightweight.

I'm not convinced he is even UFC caliber. Every win was a fluke.

 

[Substance Abuse]

What about 145? Emmett was barely in the top 50, I think, and he blasted top 5 Lamas into another dimension.

He also missed weight and was huge comparatively. Additionally, the division isn't half as deep as 155.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Not a fan of the rankings. Just there to sell fights. But 155 is stacked from top to bottom. Could get interesting these next 12 months.

It's always been a shark tank.

 

[djason1988]

There are guys waaaaaaay out of the rankings that would absolutely hang and contend with anyone in the Top 10 if given the opportunity.

The division is saturated with talent but are unable to even sniff even a Top 15 opponent, let alone Top 10.

Just a few examples,

Mairbek Taisumov arbitrarily is anywhere from #25-30 and he’s a beast who nobody wants to fight. He’s 6-1 with 5 consecutive KO’s. If he did this any other division he’d already been fighting for the title! Think about it and let that settle in for a second..

James Vick is 8-1 in the UFC and gets Trinaldo, who for a long time was kept away from the Top 10 going on a 7 win streak himself.

Just look for yourself, you’ll find the division is littered with top talent that can’t get a chance to prove themselves. I honestly think a division sandwiched between 150-170 would be a great idea...

I would like to see some of those guys advance. The current top ten at LW is pretty terrible, tbh. The current interim champ is a jack-of-all-trades scrapper ala Matt brown, the "champ" is a one dimensional boxer in nearly every sense of the word, and the rising star is a one dimensional grappler who barely eaked out a decision against a gatekeeper who could defend his takedowns. There's a complete lack of high level wrestlers, so nobody in the division can stop McGregor or khabib from plying their trade, except each other. With Melendez and Pettis officially over-the-hill and RDA at WW, they desperately need some new blood.

 

[JonnyRingo84]

most men are the size of lightweights when theyre in shape.

for that reason, this division is, and always will be, the most competitive.

 

[Chivas GDL]

most men are the size of lightweights when theyre in shape.

for that reason, this division is, and always will be, the most competitive.

This .

Lightweights have the average height of most men around the world. Except for sherdog where everyone is 6 foot 7 inches 250 pounds solid muscle 7% body fat.

 

[ShreddinMMA]

I think the better solution is to have the 155 champ of over a year defend his belt for once.