Rankings Update – (Dec. 10)

All rankings have been updated following this weekend’s UFC on Fox 5 fight card. Fighters with the most movement in the rankings are listed below.

Biggest Winners
Ben Henderson
Ben Henderson’s stock as a UFC champion was at its lowest point coming into Saturday night’s card. Henderson had arguably been gifted a decision against Frankie Edgar in his last fight and most fans felt that Henderson’s title reign was based on his physical skills rather than his overall fight skills. Henderson put all those things in the rearview mirror though as he went out and dominated Diaz for 5 rounds. Henderson did not finish Diaz, which is nearly impossible, but he more than showed that his striking, wrestling, and submissions were all up to par. Henderson seems like the full package, but he has some hungry title contenders ready to test him. Gray Maynard, Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez, and possibly Eddie Alvarez are all opponents that could give Henderson a difficult challenge in what is a stacked UFC lightweight division.
Alexander Gustafsson
Gustafsson is now a full-blown title contender in the light heavyweight division. Gustafsson was having a difficult time shaking the label of never having competed against elite competition. The only time he previously had, resulted in a loss to Phil Davis. Now, Gustafsson’s resume is as good as any light heavyweight in the sport as he’s riding a 6-fight win streak against solid competition. Gustafsson’s finishing ability against top-tier competition is still questionable, but he seems to have the best chance of knocking off Jon Jones unless Daniel Cormier or Anderson Silva enter the picture.
Rory MacDonald
MacDonald has some remarkable parallels between himself and Jon Jones. Looking back, Jon Jones was a can’t miss prospect that quickly rose through the ranks before having to make the decision to undercut his former training partner and mentor Rashad Evans in order to capture UFC gold. Throw in Jones’ lack of popularity with fans, perceived cockiness, and disregard for their opponents, and one must wonder if Rory MacDonald read Jon Jones’ handbook on how to be a champion. No, MacDonald has not turned his back on Georges St.Pierre, but one has to wonder how long MacDonald is willing to wait, considering his terrifying competitive spirit. There are still a ton of fights for MacDonald at 170 lbs., but if he keeps leaving hints that he willing to do what it takes to win the title, Dana White is going to pick up on that and possibly look to market that rivalry for PPV purposes. MacDonald put on a remarkable performance against Penn, but his showboating did not help him win any fans outside of Canada. MacDonald needs to start smoothing out his relationship with fans or risk being a heel for the rest of his UFC career. One would think that GSP would have guided Rory properly, but Rory may want to enter UFC stardom under his own terms and identity.
Yves Edwards
I admit, I thought Yves Edwards was getting knocked out on Saturday night. I figured if Sam Stout was able to knock out Edwards, Jeremy Stephens would be able to easily do the same, but the 60-fight veteran pulled off the upset, stunningly knockout out the usually iron-chinned Stephens in the 1st round. Edwards’ stock in the lightweight division has quickly risen and he will likely be booked against a marquee opponent next time out. Yves is one of those old-school fighters that always comes to fight, win or lose. There are not many fighters still competing at the UFC level that made their debuts in 1997. Hopefully, he can rack up a couple more wins and make one last run in the division before hangs up the gloves for good.
Abel Trujillo
Abel Trujillo came out of nowhere to put on an absolute clinic against Marcus LeVesseur. Trujillo was able to nullify LeVesseur’s wrestling in order to take control of the fight with his heavy hands and knees. Trujillo’s fight record did not accurately reflect his skill-level, and it seems as if his recent affiliation with the Blackzilians has him suddenly ready to contend with UFC-level competition. Trujillo seemed to carry a similar style into the cage as his lightweight training partners Michael Johnson, Melvin Guillard, and Eddie Alvarez. If Trujillo can avoid being submitted, his UFC career looks very promising.
Matt Brown
Many fans were calling for Matt Brown’s release during a 3-fight losing streak in 2010, but Brown has once again defied the odds and is now currently riding a 4-fight win streak. Brown does not possess any overpowering attribute, buts his grit and determination mixed with a bit of knockout power has been just enough to win at the UFC level. Brown’s submission defense and overall ability to beat top-tier competition are still unproven, but his win over Mike Swick should be a wake up call for any UFC welterweight contender thinking Brown is an easy win.
Daron Cruickshank
I considered Cruickshank a heavy favorite to win TUF Live, but he was unceremoniously knocked out in his 1st round matchup against James Vick. Fans finally got to see what Cruickshank is capable of as he put a beating on undersized lightweight Henry Martinez. If Cruickshank can continue to improve his overall fight skill he has a shot at being a mid-level contender. Cruickshank has underrated wrestling as well, so his career may come down to whether his chin can withstand the power of his opponents should he take a step up in competition.

Biggest Losers
Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz’s title aspirations came up way short Saturday night. During pre-fight, it was strange to hear him talking about Gilbert Melendez finishing the job if he came up short, or answering the media about his brother’s whereabouts. It seemed as if the controversy surrounding his own fight gym was actually taking precedent over his own hopes at winning the title. Then, throw in the weight cutting issues and you suddenly have questions about if Diaz’s camp had fully prepared him for Ben Henderson. Regardless of the outside drama, Diaz did not put up a championship-caliber performance come fight time. He played right into Henderson’s strengths and was never able to change up his strategy in the later rounds. Diaz was given the opportunity to be the #1 lightweight in the world, but he ultimately came up short.
Jeremy Stephens
Stephens’ year continues to get worst as he lost via knockout this weekend. Stephens has lost 3 straight fights and is just 2-4 overall in his last 6 bouts. Both of those wins were to fighters currently not on the UFC roster. Stephens is unlikely to be released due to his longevity with the UFC and his penchant for knockouts, but with his recent legal troubles and declining performance, he may in need of a return to the independent circuit to rebuild back his confidence, hopefully as a featherweight. Stephens is still a dangerous opponent, but his lack of reach and all-around skills have led to him continually losing to upper-echelon competition.
Guram Gugenishvili (Independent Circuit/M-1)
M-1 was banking on Guram being its new heavyweight star following the retirement of Fedor Emelianenko, but following injuries and back-to-back losses to Kenny Garner those hopes are officially over. Guram’s striking has not improved enough to compete at the UFC level. In addition, Guram’s conditioning has not been up to par. M-1 would be wise to have him beat up a few cans before trying to work something out with Bellator, KSW, or World Series of Fighting.
Zack Makovsky (Bellator)
Zach Makovsky was Bellator’s inaugural bantamweight champion before falling to Eduardo Dantas earlier this year. Makovsky had hinted that he was hoping to drop down to flyweight, which ultimately meant that he may have been asking for his release since Bellator does not house a flyweight division. Yet, a few months later Makovsky returned to the Bellator cage and lost a decision to unsung Anthony Leone. Now, Makovsky is likely out of the upcoming bantamweight tournament in 2013. Makovsky still might make it on name appeal alone, but his lack of size will likely not equal success. Hopefully, Bellator releases Makovsky so he can go get a few fights at flyweight under his belt and possibly sign with the UFC.

Other Fighters in Action this Weekend:
Katsunori Kikuno (Lightweight, Top 10 Prospect) – defeated Luiz Andrade via 1st round KO
Kenny Garner (Heavyweight, Top 10 Free Agent, Top 10 Prospect) – defeated Guram Gugenishvili via 4th round TKO