MMA Fighter Rankings: Middleweight
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
On the first Wednesday of every month, theScore's MMA editors compile a list of the top 10 fighters in each of the major weight classes.
Rankings
Heavyweight | Light Heavyweight
Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Featherweight
Bantamweight | Flyweight
Women: Bantamweight | Strawweight
Middleweight
| Ranking | Fighter |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Weidman |
| 2 | Luke Rockhold |
| 3 | Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza |
| 4 | Yoel Romero |
| 5 | Vitor Belfort |
| 6 | Lyoto Machida |
| 7 | Gegard Mousasi |
| 8 | Tim Kennedy |
| 9 | Michael Bisping |
| 10 | Thales Leites |
- Chris Weidman will look to solidify his place as one of the best 185-pounders of all time in December when he squares off with former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold. Rockhold's ascension up the middleweight ladder is littered with top-flight competition, capped off by an absolute decimation of Lyoto Machida at UFC on FOX 15.
- Another Strikeforce Champion looking to make his mark, Gegard Mousasi's trek to the top features a pit stop against the talented - but wildly inconsistent - Uriah Hall. The terrifyingly stoic Mousasi is enjoying the first winning streak of his UFC campaign, racking up consecutive wins over Dan Henderson and Costas Philippou.
- In a trilogy bout likely years past its expiration date, Vitor Belfort will step into the cage against Dan Henderson at UFC Fight Night 77 in November. Henderson won their initial encounter at PRIDE 32 in 2006, while Belfort roared back with a spectacular head-kick knockout in 2013.
- After multiple botched attempts to book the bout, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and Yoel Romero will finally square off at UFC 194. Barring any controversy, the winner will likely be fast tracked into a title bout against the winner of Weidman-Rockhold.
- Currently mired in a lengthy steroid suspension, and with no legitimate middleweight victories since 2012, pound-for-pound great Anderson Silva finally drops out of the top-10.