Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Middleweight

1. Michael Bisping (29-7)

The minute Bisping pulled off his incredible upset of Luke Rockhold at UFC 199, the middleweight populace were champing at the bit to get a crack at “The Count.” In spite of how many men have a legitimate claim to 185-pound contendership at the moment, UFC President Dana White has stated that Bisping's first title defense later this year figures to be against old rival Dan Henderson, whose candidacy is based almost entirely on his iconic knockout of Bisping back at UFC 100 in July 2009.

2. Luke Rockhold (15-3)

Rockhold thought he would have a walk in the park in his UFC 199 rematch with Michael Bisping, a man he ran over just 19 months ago on his way to the UFC middleweight title. Instead, the American Kickboxing Academy rep came out on the wrong end of an “Upset of the Year” candidate when he was punched cold by “The Count” inside four minutes. The table is set for a rubber match between the two, though Rockhold may need to first fight for his No. 1 contender’s spot in the crowded upper echelon at 185 pounds.

3. Chris Weidman (13-1)

Preparing for his slated UFC 199 middleweight title rematch with Luke Rockhold, Weidman suffered a neck injury that required surgery. In his stead, Michael Bisping stepped into the title fight and made improbable history, knocking out Rockhold in the first round and taking the UFC middleweight crown. After healing from surgery, Weidman will inevitably be right back in the 185-pound title mix, even if he will be returning to a surprisingly different division than the one he ruled just six months ago.

4. Yoel Romero (11-1)

Romero’s fearsome power was on full display at UFC 194, as the Cuban wrestler nearly polished off Ronaldo Souza in the opening round. In the end, Romero was forced to withstand a “Jacare” comeback in order to earn a split decision. The “Soldier of God” was notified by the United States Anti-Doping Agency of a potential anti-doping violation one month after the bout. Romero recently appealed and negotiated a six-month suspension.

5. Ronaldo Souza (23-4, 1 NC)

He was a healthy favorite heading into his UFC 198 bout with Vitor Belfort in Curitiba, Brazil, and “Jacare” looked every part the alpha dog. He took down Belfort, smashed his face bloody and then assumed full mount to pound “The Phenom” to the finish. Despite his razor-thin UFC 194 loss to Yoel Romero, it is not crazy to imagine the former Strikeforce middleweight champion challenging for the UFC gold in the near future.

6. Derek Brunson (15-3)

Brunson missed a big opportunity because of recurring vision issues, as he pulled out a slated bout with perennial middleweight standout Gegard Mousasi at UFC 200. However, with his eye problems put aside, Brunson will still get a noteworthy opponent next time out, meeting Uriah Hall -- a man who knocked out Mousasi in highlight-reel fashion -- at UFC Fight Night 94 on Sept. 17.

7. Vitor Belfort (25-12)

A nearly two-decade veteran of the cage, Belfort looked every bit of 39 years old at UFC 198 on May 14. “The Phenom” was battered and bloodied on the ground by Ronaldo Souza, eventually succumbing to strikes in under five minutes. Belfort’s testosterone-fueled successes of 2013 seem like they took place eons ago now.

8. David Branch (18-3)

World Series of Fighting’s two-division champion made a dominant defense of his 185-pound title on April 2 with a five-round rout of Clifford Starks. Since exiting the UFC in 2011, Branch has won 10 of his 11 outings, including his current eight-fight winning streak in the WSOF cage.

9. Robert Whittaker (16-4)

Whittaker outworked Rafael Natal on the feet for three rounds to claim a unanimous decision at UFC 197, boxing with constant pressure even as the veteran attacked his legs with harsh kicks. After five straight wins against dangerous opponents like Uriah Hall and Brad Tavares, the young Australian is rapidly rising to meet the lofty expectations placed upon him when he won “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” as a 21-year old in 2012.

10. Gegard Mousasi (39-6-2)

A perennial standout at 185 and 205 pounds, Mousasi’s march toward a UFC title shot was halted in September, when he succumbed to a shocking upset and unreal knockout from Uriah Hall. However, since the defeat, Mousasi has gone on to show the elite skills and ability that have made him a noteworthy fighter for the last decade, dominating Thales Leites in February before blasting out Brazilian heavy hitter Thiago Santos at UFC 200.

Other Contenders: Uriah Hall, Dan Henderson, Thales Leites, Rafael Natal, Mamed Khalidov

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