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MMA Fighter Rankings: Welterweight

Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA TODAY

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

Ranking Fighter
1 Robbie Lawler
2 Johny Hendricks
3 Rory MacDonald
4 Tyron Woodley
5 Carlos Condit
6 Demian Maia
7 Ben Askren
8 Matt Brown
9 Dong Hyun Kim
10 Stephen Thompson
  • The welterweight world is still shaking from the titanic tussle between Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit. Much of the fallout centered around who truly won their title fight at UFC 195, with Lawler holding onto the championship via split decision. It's unknown when Lawler will be able to fight again, but one name that has stepped up to the plate is ... Conor McGregor? We can dream.
  • Johny Hendricks gets another stab at making weight after an embarrassing failed cut removed him from a No. 1 contender's bout with Tyron Woodley and almost out of the division entirely. He faces No. 10-ranked Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson in the main event of UFC Fight Night 82 on Saturday.
  • Woodley is waiting in the wings after being promised a title shot after Hendricks ruined their encounter. He has two straight wins over Dong Hyun Kim and Kelvin Gastelum. If Condit takes a long break or follows up on his retirement talk, it could be Woodley's time to fight for the belt.
  • Former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine showed little ring rust in his unanimous decision win against Jake Ellenberger at UFC on FOX 18. It was the first fight in two years for Saffiedine.
  • Consensus top-10 welterweights Demian Maia and Matt Brown are booked to fight at UFC Fight Night 87 on May 14. Maia and Brown are two of the longest-tenured fighters in the company and for one of them, this could be their last chance to make an argument for a future title shot.

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