MMA Fighter Rankings: Middleweight
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 | Luke Rockhold |
| 2 | Chris Weidman |
| 3 | Yoel Romero |
| 4 | "Ronaldo ""Jacare"" Souza" |
| 5 | Vitor Belfort |
| 6 | Lyoto Machida |
| 7 | Michael Bisping |
| 8 | Thales Leites |
| 9 | Tim Kennedy |
| 10 | Robert Whittaker |
- There's a new sheriff in town at 185 pounds. Former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold added UFC gold to his trophy case at UFC 194, violently wresting the title away from longtime champion Chris Weidman.
- Rockhold's first title challenge will likely come from the hulking Yoel Romero. Perhaps the most terrifying one-round fighter in the UFC, Romero punched his ticket to a title shot with a narrow split-decision victory over perennial contender Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza in December.
- Once king of the middleweights, pound-for-pound great Anderson Silva has a chance to burst back into the upper echelon against Michael Bisping at the UFC's return to England in February. Silva hasn't competed since the beginning of 2015, when be bested Nick Diaz via unanimous decision. The victory was later changed to a no contest when Silva failed a postfight drug test for PEDs.
- After having an eight-fight winning streak snapped by Bisping at a Fight Night event in July, Thales Leites will try to get back on track against the dangerous but inconsistent Gegard Mousasi when the two meet on Feb. 27.