Tag: Ilima-Lei MacFarlane

Bellator 236 Live Coverage

Wrapping up their two-night events in Honolulu, Hawaii, Bellator returned with Bellator 236 on Saturday night. Headlining the card, Bellator Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei MacFarlane attempted to defend her belt against Kate Jackson. Also in the co-main event was a quarter-final fight in the promotion’s featherweight grand prix. The fight was between A.J. McKee and Derek Campos.

Quick Results:

  1. Keoni Diggs def. Scotty Hao via Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 2:23)
  2. Kai Kamaka III def. Spencer Higa via Unanimous Decision
  3. Dustin Barca def. Brandon Pieper via Rear Naked Choke (RD 1: 0:58)
  4. Ben Wilhlem def. Keali’i Kanekoa via Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 2:24)
  5. Swayne Makana Lunasco def. Kaylan TKO, Unanswered Strikes (RD 3, 3:29)
  6. Zach Zane def. Nainoa Dung via Unanimous Decision
  7. Raufeon Stots def. Cheyden Leialoha via Unanimous Decision
  8. Juliana Velasquez def. Bruna Ellen via Unanimous Decision
  9. Jason Jackson def. Kiichi Kunimoto via Unanimous Decision
  10. A.J. McKee def. Derek Campos via Armbar (RD 3, 1:08)
  11. Ilima-Lei MacFarlane def. Kate Jackson via Unanimous Decision
  12. Nate Yoshimura def. Chas Dunhour via Knockout, Elbow (RD 2, 2:46)

Bout 1: Keoni Diggs (7-0) vs. Scotty Hao (4-2) (Lightweight)

The first fight of the evening saw undefeated Keoni Diggs face Scotty Hao. Diggs got a takedown in the first minute of the fight. He landed some punches from the top position. Hao started to bleed from his nose in the final minute of the round. Diggs stayed in the dominant position until the round ended.

Diggs came forward with punches at the start, then got a takedown from a bodylock. Halfway through the round, Diggs got on the back of Hao and put in a rear naked choke to get the win. Moving to 8-0 as a pro, Keoni Diggs put on a ground game clinic for one-and-a-half rounds.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Diggs 10
Hao 9

Bout 2: Kai Kamaka III (5-2) vs. Spencer Higa (7-10) (Featherweight)

In the next fight, Kai Kamaka III and Spencer Higa competed. After two minutes of a fast-paced striking battle between the two, Kamaka landed a double leg takedown. Kamaka kept ground and pound going for a few minutes before they got up against the cage in the closing seconds of the fight.

Kamaka got a very well timed double leg takedown early in the second round. He stayed in half guard on the ground while throwing punches. Just like the round before, Kamaka was dominant throughout.

Kamaka landed a good head kick in the first minute of the final round. Becoming more aware of Kamaka’s playbook, Higa stopped a takedown attempt and kept it in stand-up. Kamaka got a takedown in the second minute of the round. Kamaka put in a choke with a minute left in the round, but let it go. They stood up with under a minute left in the round. Higo landed knees to the body in the clinch. Kamaka went into a clinch, trying for another takedown, finishing it just as the round ended. Going to the decision, all three judges were in agreement that Kai Kamaka III was the winner (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Kamaka III 10 10 10 30
Higa 9 9 9 27

Bout 3: Dustin Barca (3-0) vs. Brandon Pieper (11-13) (Lightweight)

Early in his pro-MMA career, undefeated Dustin Barca fought the much more experienced Brandon Pieper next. Early into the fight, the fighters got into a body lock on the cage. Barca took down Pieper with a rear naked choke. Pieper tried to fight out of it, but tapped out eventually. With a very quick win, Dustin Barca moved to 4-0 as an MMA pro.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Barca
Pieper

Bout 4: Ben Wilhelm (3-0) vs. Keali’i Kanekoa (2-2) (Welterweight)

In another fight that showcased an undefeated fighter, Ben Wilhelm faced Keali’i Kanekoa. They were swinging hard right out of the gates. Kanekoa got a takedown quite quickly. They stood up only moments later, fighting in a clinch. Wilhelm caught a leg and tried for a takedown, but couldn’t get uit. They really enjoyed fighting in the clinch, throwing lots of knees from the position. Rolling onto the ground, Wilhelm put in a rear naked choke. It got under the chin, with Kanekoa eventually tapping out. With a very flashy takedown and choke, Ben Wilhelm continued his undefeated career after a fast and chaotic fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Wilhelm
Kanekoa

Bout 5: Swayne Makana Lunasco (0-0) vs. Kaylan Gorospe (0-0) (Bantamweight)

In a double debut, Swayne Makana Lunasco and Kaylan Gorospe fought next. This was a rematch, as these two have faced off as amateurs in the past. Lunasco got a takedown after a minute or so of inactive striking. Lunasco got on Gorospe’s back, trying to join the club of rear naked choke winners on this card. They got back up, where Gorospe landed a couple of good punches. Lunasco got a double leg takedown that didn’t have much setup. Lunasco tried for a guillotine choke, but Gorospe’s head popped out of it. He tried for an arm triangle with a minute left in the fight. After enduring the choke for quite some time, Lunasco eventually lost the choke. He landed a couple of punches before the round clock expired.

Lunasco tried for another takedown early in the first round but did not get it. Gorospe landed a knee and some strikes Lunasco as he failed to secure his takedown. Lunasco got his first takedown of the round in the second minute. They got back up shortly after. While Lunasco was rolling around he got caught in some punches. Lunasco got a double leg takedown. Lunasco was dominant on the ground, trying for an arm triangle again. He let go of the hold, then landed a few more strikes from above. Lunasco started to let some elbows fly. Gorospe started to bleed from the nose. After Lunasco landed dozens of unanswered strikes, the round finally ran out of time.

Lunasco got a takedown to start off the final round. He stayed in the top position on the ground for a few minutes. After Lunasco continued with strikes for quite some time, the referee finally stepped in. With nothing short of a dominant performance, Swayne Makana Lunasco started his pro-MMA career with a win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Lunasco 10 10
Gorospe 8 8

Bout 6: Nainoa Dung (3-0) vs. Zach Zane (13-9) (Lightweight)

Kicking off the main card, the experienced Zach Zane fought the up-and-coming Nainoa Dung. Zane got a single leg takedown in the first 30 seconds of the fight. He did minimal ground and pound from top position. They got up for a moment where Dung threw a head kick, but Zane was able to control the situation and bring it back to the ground. Zane continued to hold top position until the round ended.

In a body lock at the start of the second round, Zane got another takedown. Dung got up but was tossed right back down. Zane got on the back of Dung, where he tried for a rear naked choke. Both of them went into a combination of moveson  the ground which was fast and ended with Zane back in top position. Zane tried for a guillotine choke as the second round closed out. In this round, Zane showcased his talent on the ground.

The two fighters traded punches to open the final round. Dung landed some good shots, keeping it in stand-up. He put in a guillotine choke while in stand-up, which was brought to the ground. Zane escaped the choke, but Dung got on his back and tried for a rear naked choke. Zane got Dung off of his back, getting into top position. They went back to stand-up with a minute and a half left in the round. Zane tried for a takedown but didn’t fully commit to it. Zane at a body kick, but used it to land a takedown. They switched positions many times, with Zane being in the controlling position most of the time. Zane held off Dung until the round ended. The fight went to the scorecards after the three rounds, with Zach Zane getting a unanimous decision victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). After the fight, Zane praised Dung.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Dung 9 9 10 28
Zane 10 10 9 29

Bout 7: Raufeon Stots (12-1) vs. Cheyden Leialoha (7-1) (Bantamweight)

The seventh fight saw two experienced bantamweights make their Bellator debut against each other. Both only losing once prior to this meeting, Raufeon Stots and Cheyden Leialoha battled. Stots put Leialoha up against the cage in a body lock early on. Stots got a takedown halfway through the round, but Leialoha got up shortly after, still in the body lock. They went back to striking with two minutes left in the round. Stots reversed a takedown, getting his own.

Leialoha got a takedown in the second round, but not after lots of resistance from Stots. Stots reversed the position on the ground, taking top position and staying in control for most of the round. He didn’t do anything substantial, but he did keep active enough for the referee to keep them on the ground for the whole round.

Stots put Leialoha up against the cage early on in the final round. They went back to stand-up, although Stots landed a takedown shortly after. Leialoha tried for an armbar on the ground, but Stots slipped out of it eventually. Stots stayed on top of Leialoha. They got up and traded punches as the fight clock finished. After three rounds, it was Raufeon Stots who got the unanimous decision win (29-28, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Stots 10 10 10 30
Leialoha 9 9 9 27

Bout 8: Juliana Velasquez (9-0) vs. Bruna Ellen (5-2) (Flyweights)

In the next matchup, undefeated fighter and potential title contender Juliana Velasquez faced Bruna Ellen. It was an all-Brazilian match. Velasquez had a clear height and reach advantage. After nearly two minutes of inactive standup, Velasquez dropped Ellen with a left straight punch. She took top position on the ground, where Ellen held a body lock to slow the momentum of Velasquez. They got back up and returned to stand-up. Ellen often came in with combinations but they hardly connected.

Ellen continued to be on the perimeter of the cage throughout the second round. Velasquez got some good jabs in throughout the round, often counter-punching. Velasquez turned up the head in the closing seconds of the round, coming forward with many strikes including a flying knee.

Velasquez had her best round in the third, connecting with tons of combinations. She landed tons of punches when in a clinch up against the cage. When finally going to the scorecards, Juliana Velasquez upped her wins to double digits (30-27, 30-27 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Velasquez 10 10 10 30
Ellen 9 9 8 26

Bout 9: Jason Jackson (10-4) vs. Kiichi Kunimoto (20-8-2) (Welterweight)

In the next fight, former RIZIN fighter Kiichi Kunimoto faced Jason Jackson, who took this fight on short notice. Jackson was quick from the start, throwing a head kick in the opening seconds. Jackson landed a right hook which cleaned Kunimoto’s clock, putting him on his back. Jackson made the referee stand Kunimoto back up, and they returned to striking. Kunimoto landed a takedown and got on Jackson’s back. Jackson turned the situation around, taking top position on the ground. From the bottom, Kunimoto tried for a kimura. Jackson rolled out of it. They got back up for the final minute of the round. Kunimoto put on a body lock, but was slammed in the end by Jackson.

The second round was mostly striking, with Jackson landing good shots. Kunimoto failed many times to get the fight to the ground. Jackson almost got roped into a takedown in the final minute, but avoided it and made the referee stand Kunimoto up.

Kunimoto shot for a takedown early in the final round, which Jackson reversed into a takedown of his own. He got up moments later. Jackson had some good striking throughout the third round., Jackson got in top position on the ground in the final minute of the round. Jackson tossed Kunimoto as the fight ran out of time. At the end of the fight, all three judges thought Jason Jackson pulled off the victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Jackson 10 10 10 30
Kunimoto 9 9 9 27

Bout 10: A.J. McKee (15-0) vs. Derek Campos (20-9) (Featherweight World GP Quarter-Final)

In the co-main event of the evening, A.J. McKee and Derek Campos fought in the quarter-finals of the Featherweight GP. Right off the bat, McKee tried for a flying knee which did not connect. He slipped when throwing a punch, which allowed Campos to take the fight to the ground. They got back up, where McKee shot for a takedown. He got on Campos’ back and tried for a rear naked choke. He didn’t get it, but stayed on the back of Campos. He stayed there until the round ended.

Campos got dropped early in the second round, but it was hard to tell whether it was from a punch or not. McKee tried for a choke on the ground but couldn’t get it. When in stand-up, McKee got on his back on the ground. Campos took top position on the ground. Campos stayed in top position for quite some time, landing punches every once in a while.

McKee got a good takedown in the first minute of the third round. Campos was able to reverse the position, but from the bottom McKee put in an armbar while Campos transitioned. It made Campos tap out quite quickly. Continuing his undefeated record, A.J. McKee reached the halfway point of the Featherweight World Grand Prix, with the final destination possibly being a one million dollar prize.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
McKee 10 9
Campos 9 10

Bout 11: Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (10-0) vs. Kate Jackson (11-3-1) (Bellator Flyweight World Championship)

Finally, in the main event of the evening, Hawaii’s own Ilima-Lei MacFarlane attempted to defend her Bellator Flyweight Championship against England’s Kate Jackson. MacFarlane had quite the grand entrance, with 11 other people onstage with her doing a performance before her walk to the cage. As expected, the crowd was quite behind MacFarlane. Jackson tried to trip MacFarlane early on in a clinch, but it was avoided. MacFarlane landed a trip takedown later on. From the bottom, Jackson landed some good upkicks and punches. They stood up in a clinch with two minutes left in the round. MacFarlane landed knees to the head while in the clinch, which cut Jackson open. They stayed in the standing clinch until the last few seconds of the first round.

MacFarlane started the second round with a good two-punch combo. They went into another standing clinch, where Jackson landed some punches that made MacFarlane start to bleed as well. MacFarlane secured a takedown with under two minutes left in the round. MacFarlane landed elbows from top position. In the final seconds of the round, MacFarlane put in a hold, but didn’t have enough time to finish Jackson with it.

The third round included the most kickboxing from both fighters. MacFarlane landed some great punches coming forward in the fourth minute. MacFarlane got another takedown, this time in the final minute of the third round.

MacFarlane opened the fourth round by landing some punches in clinch and then landing a takedown. After being in top position for a while, MacFarlane got up and took the back of Jackson. MacFarlane started to try for an armbar, but Jackson kept a hold of her arm. Jackson avoided the hold until the round expired.

The first two minutes of the final round was a close striking battle between two fighters who were clearly fatigued. MacFarlane landed a takedown in the closing seconds of the fight. She continued with strikes, nearly getting a stoppage win, with the bell stopping her. After fighting for 25 minutes, the fight went to the scorecards. When consulting the judges, Ilima-Lei MacFarlane pitched a shutout to defend her Flyweight Championship yet again (50-45, 50-44 & 50-44).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
MacFarlane 10 10 10 10 10 50
Jackson 9 9 9 9 9 45

Bout 12: Nate Yoshimura (0-0) vs. Chas Dunhour (0-1) (Flyweight)

 

Before the show completely wrapped up, they had one post-lim to present. In that fight, Nate Yoshimura debuted against Chas Dunhour, who had yet to win as a pro. Dunhour got dropped by a strike in the third minute of the fight. They were trading blows throughout the first round. Yoshimura got a takedown with a minute to go, but Dunhour got up quite quickly. Dunhour stopped a takedown in the final seconds of the round.

Yoshimura came forward with some hard punches early in the second round. Yoshimura got hurt halfway through the round. He was hit with a counter right which started everything. A left hook made Yoshimura retreat to the cage. With Yoshimura up against the cage, Dunhour landed an elbow which took Yoshimura out cold. After a loss when debuting in professional MMA, Chas Dunhour bounced back in explosive fashion, getting a knockout victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Yoshimura 10
Dunhour 9

Bellator wraps up it’s 2019 season next week when it heads to Japan for a co-promoted card with RIZIN Fighting Federation. Headlining the card will be Fedor Emelianenko and Rampage Jackson.

The October 2019 MMA P4P List

Here’s the website’s October 2019 Pound for Pound rankings. There was only two changes between both lists, although there is lots of announced fights to discuss.

Men’s Rankings:

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0)

Last month, Khabib Nurmagomedov added a 28th win to his undefeated record, defeating “Diamond” Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian fighter out-wrestled Poirier for two whole rounds before slipping in a rear naked choke in the third round to close out the show. The mostly dominant performance reminded viewers that nobody has come close to defeating Nurmagomedov yet. 

2. Jon Jones (25-1)

While Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has for a long time been one of the best fighters, his most recent win was a close one. Unexpectedly, Jones went five rounds with Thiago Santos at UFC 239, scraping by on the scorecards. The high profile fighter hasn’t lost since 2009, hence his high ranking. Jones isn’t ranked for another fight, despite teasing the matter in September.

3. Henry Cejudo (15-2)

UFC’s only male double-champ Henry Cejudo sprung to relevance in 2019. After defeating Demetrious Johnson in the summer of 2018 to win the Flyweight Championship, Cejudo has went on defend it once and defeat Marlon Moraes to win the Bantamweight belt. While it’s a feat to be a double champ, Cejudo’s reign is still young. The 32-year-old fighter is not currently booked for a fight.

4. Robert Whittaker (20-4)

Robert Whittaker has been out of the octagon for more than a year, but that will hopefully change this weekend. On a nine-fight losing streak, “Bobby Knuckles” will match up against Interim Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya this Saturday at UFC 243. After a long absence, all eyes will be on Whittaker to perform against Adesanya, who has fought four times within the same timeframe.

5. Stipe Miocic (19-3)

Stipe Miocic reigned terror over the Heavyweight division for two years, but all that came to an end in the summer of 2018, with Daniel Cormier finishing him within one round. After a year without fighting, Miocic avenged the loss, getting a fourth round TKO victory to reclaim his belt. The win showed not only that Miocic could learn from his loss, but also that he is still relevant within the division.

6. Max Holloway (21-4)

Despite a loss earlier this year, Max Holloway is still one of the most established names within the UFC. While currently holding the UFC Featherweight Championship, defending it three times, Holloway was too ambitious when challenging for the Interim Lightweight Championship in April, losing to Dustin Poirier. He bounced back three months later with a win over Frankie Edgar. His next challenge is Alexander Volkanovski, who will aim to dethrone him in December at UFC 240.

7. Kamaru Usman (15-1)

For the longest time, Tyron Woodley was the established UFC Welterweight Champion. That was, until he ran into Kamaru Usman. The Nigerian fighter ended Woodley’s three-year reign in March of 2019, taking him to the scorecards to get the win. His next challenge comes against Colby Covington, who is currently riding an impressive seven-fight winning streak.

8. Israel Adesanya (17-0)

Interim UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya has become a big name in a short amount of time. Still undefeated as a pro, Adesanya came into the UFC in early 2018, going 6-0 in the promotion since. His most recent victory gave him the “Interim Champion” title, taking Kelvin Gastelum to the decision in a fight of the year contender. Adesanya will have his biggest test yet when he faces Robert Whittaker at UFC 243.

9. Daniel Cormier (22-2)

While his future within the sport is still somewhat unknown, Daniel Cormier comes in high on this list. “DC” has stayed a big name in the light heavyweight division, even during the absences that Jon Jones would take due to suspensions. His most recent fight saw him lose his UFC Heavyweight Championship to Stipe Miocic via fourth round stoppage. Cormier is the first non-champion on the men’s list this month.

10. Colby Covington (15-1)

Colby Covington has proven more than enough that he is a relevant UFC Welterweight challenger. His work will come to fruition in December at UFC 245 when he gets a title shot against champion Kamaru Usman. The most recent win in Covington’s ongoing seven-fight winning streak was against Robbie Lawler. The frustrating and grinding wrestling style of Covington tired out Lawler and allowed the now challenger to earn a scorecard victory.

11. Paulo Costa (13-0)

While fans of the middleweight division currently have their sights set on Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, they can’t forget who’s arguably next in line: Paulo Costa. Costa’s short stint within the UFC has shown that he is a dangerous contender. This was proven more than ever in his recent bout with Yoel Romero, which could purely be described as violence.

12. Demetrious Johnson (29-3-1)

Demetrious Johnson crashes the UFC party on the men’s P4P rankings at #12, representing ONE Championship. “Mighty Mouse” has been 2-0 since his loss to Henry Cejudo in 2018. Later this month, Johnson will see the culmination of a tournament he entered back in March when he first joined the promotion. Danny Kingad will aim to spoil Johnson’s undefeated promotional run on the 13th.

13. Tony Ferguson (25-3)

It could be argued that Tony Ferguson is the most cheated fighter in the UFC. Currently on a 12-fight winning streak, the lightweight is undoubtedly the next in line to face Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ferguson’s dangerous style makes for entertaining fights, and makes him a scary opponent. His most recent wins came against high level opponents in Anthony Pettis and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone.

14. Kai Asakura (12-1)

Before August, nobody would have expected that Kai Asakura would be on a pound-for-pound list. But after his sudden win over Kyoji Horiguchi at RIZIN 18, Asakura has established himself as a big name. Will that last? We don’t know yet. While undoubtedly eligible to face Horiguchi for his belt, his next fight is booked against Ulka Sasaki at RIZIN 19.

15. Ryan Bader (27-5)

Bellator’s Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader has been undefeated since 2016, stretching back to his UFC career. His most recent fight wasn’t a satisfying one, as an eye poke to Cheick Kongo in the first round made the fight end. Nonetheless, his stubborn winning streak over big-time Bellator names makes him eligible for the always unknown #15 spot on the pound for pound list.

 

Women’s Rankings:

1. Amanda Nunes (18-4)

It’s nothing short of an uphill battle to convince most people that Amanda Nunes isn’t the best female fighter in the world. Being one of the two current “Champ Champs” in the UFC, Nunes has stayed undefeated since 2015, putting on dominant performances against high level fighters. Nunes has been the Bantamweight Champion since 2016, defending it four times since then. She’s also taken the Featherweight Championship, running over Cris Cyborg in under a minute. Her next defense is set to be against Germaine de Randamie.

2. Valentina Shevchenko (18-3)

Valentina Shevchenko has had a great past 12 months, winning the UFC Flyweight Championship and defending it twice. Her most recent win was a lopsided victory over Liz Carmouche, going all five rounds. Her most memorable title fight in this run was against Jessica Eye, closing out the fight with an explosive head kick.

3. Weili Zhang (20-1)

UFC’s newest Champion, Weili Zhang, shocked some when defeating Jessica Andrade in under a minute to claim the UFC Strawweight Championship. The win was her 20th in a row, and her fourth straight within the UFC. Having a quick rise to relevance, it’s fair to argue that Zhang has more to prove before being put above other Champions on a pound for pound list. Zhang’s next matchup is yet to be known.

4. Cris Cyborg (21-2)

This month, news broke that Cris Cyborg’s new home would be Bellator MMA. Weeks afterwards, her first fight within the promotion was announced. Wasting no time, Cyborg will go against the promotion’s Featherweight Champion Julia Budd. Cyborg left the UFC on a sour note, despite being a high-level fighter. Cyborg lost to Nunes in December, but picked up a victory over Canadian prospect Felicia Spencer before her contract expired. Cyborg will have her eyes set on gold yet again as the new year kicks off.

5. Jessica Andrade (20-7)

While Jessica Andrade is no longer Champion, there is fair justification to give her another shot. After defeating Rose Namajunas via a second round slam, Andrade became the Strawweight Champion. Then, as already mentioned, she was swarmed and crushed by Weili Zhang to lose her belt. Similar to Namajunas, Andrade is still very much in the fold and shouldn’t be counted out as a top contender.

6. Germaine de Randamie (9-3)

Throughout her career, Germaine de Randamie hasn’t been a very active fighter. Since her debut in 2008, she hasn’t once fought more than twice in a year. Although she lacks the frequency that most fighters have, she has a success rate that others don’t. Currently riding a five fight winning streak, de Randamie will face Amanda Nunes at UFC 245, attempting to claim the Bantamweight Championship. De Randamie has been champion before, having a brief stint with the Featherweight Championship before it being stripped due to her refusal to fight Cris Cyborg.

7. Rose Namajunas (8-4)

“Thug” Rose Namajunas hasn’t been booked for a fight since her loss to Jessica Andrade. There isn’t anything wrong with that since it was such a brutal loss, but it makes it easy for some to forget her relevance in the strawweight division. One loss doesn’t define Namajunas. We can’t forget her dominant fights against Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2017 and 2018 which did a whole lot to legitimize her talent. The strawweight division has lots of contenders, so Namajunas might have to fight someone else before getting a title shot, but she isn’t far from getting a competition for gold.

8. Tatiana Suarez (8-0)

Up-and-coming Tatiana Suarez isn’t at title level just yet – but she’s definitely on her way. Still undefeated as a professional, Suarez has put on successful fights against other mid-level Strawweights with nobody being able to best her yet. 

9. Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (10-0)

Bellator’s Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei MacFarlane has remained flawless throughout her professional career. She earned the belt in late 2018 by defeating Valerie Letourneau in a homecoming bout, and has since defended it against Veta Arteaga. News broke recently that her next challenge will be against Kate Jackson, headlining a December card.

10. Julia Budd (13-2)

Julia Budd has now held the Bellator Featherweight Championship for three fights. While undeniably dominant within the promotion’s biggest female division, Budd’s skill will be tested more than ever when facing newcomer Cris Cyborg in January. 

11. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-3)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk is in the #11 spot but should see either a climb or a drop this month after she faces Michelle Waterson. The fight is likely going to set up the next challenger for Weili Zhang’s Strawweight Championship. Jedrzejczyk recently lost to Valentina Shevchenko, failing to win the Flyweight Championship in the process. She’s been 1-3 in her last four, all against high profile opponents.

12. Michelle Waterson (17-6)

Michelle Waterson didn’t have an optimal entrance into the UFC. She went 2-2 in her first four fights. In recent times however she’s strung together three straight wins, with her most prominent win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz. She’s moved up the strawweight rankings, and could do it yet again when she faces Joanna Jedrzejczyk this month.

13. Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2)

The niche division of Super Atomweight is one which Ayaka Hamasaki currently reigns over. Being the RIZIN Super Atomweight Champion, Hamasaki has had a flawless 2019. On New Year’s Eve she captured the belt in a dominant performance over Kanna Asakura. She has since went on to avenge a loss over Jinh Yu Frey, and defeat up and coming Thai fighter AMP The Rocket. Hamasaki’s next clear opponent should be Ham Seo Hee, who had a dominant RIZIN debut over Tomo Maesawa. “Hamderlei” is booked to face Miyuu Yamamoto this month. Should she win that fight, a superfight for New Year’s Eve is the likely next step.

14. Viviane Araujo (8-1)

Viviane Araujo’s UFC tenure hasn’t lasted long, but she’s already made an impact. The Brazilian fighter came from JMMA promotion Pancrase, having two stoppage wins in the promotion. Since joining the UFC, Araujo has gotten two wins, one via a nasty overhand right, another through decision. Araujo isn’t a name most are familiar with right now, but if the case is the same in a year’s time, I’ll feel like a fool.

15. Joanne Calderwood (14-4)

Joanne Calderwood is the only female fighter to crash the rankings this month after defeating Andrea Lee at UFC 242. Calderwood bumped Lee out of her ranking which borders exclusion. While Calderwood had lost her fight before, she is clearly one of the rising stars of her division. 

Fight Radar:

This is the section that shows upcoming fights from fighters on the P4P lists.

10/5/19 UFC 243: Robert Whittaker (#4) vs. Israel Adesanya (#8)

10/12/19 ONE Championship: Century: Demetrious Johnson (#12) vs. Danny Kingad

10/12/19 UFC on ESPN+ 19: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (#11) vs. Michelle Waterson (#11)

10/12/19 RIZIN 19: Kai Asakura (#14) vs. Ulka Sasaki

12/14/19 UFC 245: Viviane Araujo (#14) vs. Jessica Eye

12/14/19 UFC 245: Amanda Nunes (#1) vs. Germaine de Randamie (#6)

12/14/19 UFC 245: Max Holloway (#6) vs. Alexander Volkanovski

12/14/19 UFC 245: Kamaru Usman (#7) vs. Colby Covington (#10)

12/21/19 Bellator: Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (#9) vs. Kate Jackson

1/25/20 Bellator: Cris Cyborg (#4) vs. Julia Budd (#10)

List Entrants:

Ryan Bader (#15)

Joanne Calderwood (#15)

List Exits:

Dustin Poirier

Andrea Lee

 

The September 2019 MMA P4P List

Here is the very first pound-for-pound MMA ranking list on the site. This will be updated monthly as fights change the list. Let’s start:

Men’s P4P Top 15:

1. Khabib Numagomedov (27-0)

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been a flawless fighter in his whole professional career. After getting a round four victory over Conor McGregor, Numagomedov not only became the best fighter in his weight class, but became the best in the world. In days he will be tested once again when he faces interim champion Dustin Poirier.

2. Jon Jones (25-1)

While Jon Jones has been a highly ranked fighter for quite some time, his recent nail-biting performance against Thiago Santos has knocked him down a spot on the list. On paper, Jones continues to reign terror over the light heavyweight division.
3. Henry Cejudo (15-2)

If 2019 has been a breakout year for anyone, it was for Henry Cejudo. After pulling off an upset last summer against Demetrious Johnson, Cejudo has successfully defended his belt while also climbing up to bantamweight, claiming that championship over Marlon Moraes. While being the only male double champ is a valid case to take the #1 spot, Cejudo’s championship reign has been short thus far. Nonetheless, his success in 2019 can’t be emphasized enough.

4. Robert Whittaker (20-4)

Since it’s been a year and some change before Robert Whittaker last fought, his skillset isn’t necessarily fresh in our minds. But, looking at the stats, it’s there, and nobody has proven superior to it yet. Carrying a win streak that dates back to 2014, “Bobby Knuckles” won a title fight over Yoel Romero back in 2018 to earn Middleweight gold. In October, Whittaker will face Israel Adesanya in his home country of Australia.

5. Stipe Miocic (19-3)

After a year’s absence from the MMA, Stipe Miocic came back last weekend to reclaim his Heavyweight Championship, taking Daniel Cormier four rounds deep before finishing him with punches. After having three defenses before, Miocic showed that his chapter with the championship isn’t done as he started his second reign as the champ in July.

6. Max Holloway (21-4)

If this list was created months ago, Max Holloway would be in the conversation of being one of the top fighters. Although after his loss to Dustin Poirier in April, losing his interim Lightweight belt, he lost some value. In a bounce-back bout back in July, beating Frankie Edgar and retaining his Featherweight Championship, Holloway showed that he is still a very valuable fighter in the division.

7. Kamaru Usman (15-1)

Kamaru Usman earned his long-deserving Welterweight Championship shot back in March, defeating Tyron Woodley via decision. With a fifteen win record with only one blemish, Usman has been nearly perfect in his career. People are awaiting the announcement of his next fight.

8. Israel Adesanya (17-0)

Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker’s time on the bench has given Israel Adesanya a chance to fight up the division’s rankings. Only joining the UFC in 2018, Adesanya has went 6-0 since then, defeating big names like Derek Brunson, Anderson Silva and most recently, Kelvin Gastelum. His recent win pushed him to the front of the divisions line, as Gastelum was aimed to be the next person to fight Whittaker.

9. Dustin Poirier (25-5)

“Diamond” Dustin Poirier dethroned Max Holloway back in April, and now awaits his championship fight in September against Khabib Nurmagomedov, unifying the interim and Lightweight UFC Championship. His impressive recent wins have put him on this list, but his next particular fight give him a chance to shoot even higher up the rankings.

10. Daniel Cormier (22-2)

While Daniel Cormier lost to Stipe Miocic on Saturday, the loss ended a year long stretch of high level wins. Cormier had a strong 2018, continuing to defend the light heavyweight championship and claiming the heavyweight championship. Now, despite only losing once, Cormier is now beltless. And while politics could describe the end of his light heavyweight reign, Miocic beat “DC” fair and square. Since Cormier has been public about contemplating ending his MMA career lately. So, his next move, whether it’s in or out of the octagon is yet to be seen.

11. Colby Covington (15-1)

For a year or so now, Colby Covington has been the odd man out of the Welterweight title picture. In 2018, he beat Rafael dos Anjos in an interim title match. After getting his belt taken away from him, he came back in early August to beat Robbie Lawler in a five round clash. Likely being the next person to face Usman, Covington is one of the biggest names to watch.

12. Paulo Costa (13-0)

In July, Paulo Costa defeated Yoel Romero in a three-round war, moving to the front of the Middleweight lineup. The jacked Brazilian fighter has been undefeated since his entrance into the UFC in 2017. His more notable wins came over Uriah Hall and Johny Hendricks.

13. Demetrious Johnson (29-3-1)

Easily the best Flyweight outside of the UFC, Demetrious Johnson has had a graceful transition into ONE Championship, after being traded there in early 2019. Heading into the Flyweight GP finals in October, “DJ” has defeated Yuya Wakamatsu and Tatsumitsu Wada before. His exit in the UFC came after taking his first loss in a long time against Henry Cejudo via split decision.

14. Tony Ferguson (25-3)

Tony Ferguson has been chasing the Lightweight Championship for a long time. Despite his resume, Ferguson isn’t the next person to get a shot, something he’s heard before. In the meantime, he’s beat high profile names like Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis and most recently, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Showcasing his “SnapJitsu” on the big stage, “El Cucuy” is one of the many big names within the stacked 155-pound division.

15. Kai Asakura (13-1)

At RIZIN 18, Kai Asakura went from prospect to title contender, defeating Kyoji Horiguchi in over a minute, causing a huge upset in Japanese promotion RIZIN. The win makes it so that Asakura will likely get another fight with Horiguchi, but that time in a championship setting. Becoming the best in the bantamweight division overnight, Asakura is someone to watch.

Women’s P4P Top 15:

1. Amanda Nunes (18-4)

There’s no doubt, Amanda Nunes is the best female fighter on the planet. Being the Bantamweight Champion for three years, and winning the Featherweight Championship from Cris Cyborg in December, Nunes is one of the two double-champs in the UFC. Attempting to make her fifth bantamweight title defence, Nunes will face Germaine de Randamie in December.

2. Valentina Shevchenko (18-3)

Claiming the Flyweight Championship back in December, Valentina Shevchenko has kept a close hold onto her belt. After defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a five round decision, she has beat Jessica Eye with a rude head kick and Liz Carmouche in a heavily dominant bout. The Flyweight division’s biggest struggle is finding someone who can actually give the Kyrgyzstan fighter a run for her money.

 
3. Weili Zhang (20-1)

For all of 2019 so far, the UFC Strawweight Championship has been a hot potato. From Rose Namajunas, to Jessica Andrade, and now to Weili Zhang, the belt hasn’t had any real home. Zhang claimed the belt last weekend, steamrolling Andrade in a fight that could fit within an Instagram video. Being China’s first Champion, Zhang could open business doors for the UFC with her reign.

4. Cris Cyborg (21-2)

Cris Cyborg’s short run in the UFC seemingly ended back in June, when she went three rounds with featherweight prospect Felicia Spencer, getting the nod via the judges. But, although that is the case, Cyborg is still a very high level fighter. Despite a sudden loss to Amanda Nunes in 2018, Cyborg has had a nearly flawless career. Wherever she goes next in her career, she will be expected to continue her dominance.

5. Jessica Andrade (20-7)

Jessica Andrade suffered a loss to Weili Zhang last weekend via strikes. Before then, she wrapped up her four-fight winning streak with a slam KO over Rose Namajunas. Andrade’s sudden loss is one that likely won’t make her fall too far away from the title picture. While she might have to fight someone else before another title shot as many people are high level contenders currently, Andrade getting another shot in the future is not a wild prediction.

6. Germaine de Randamie (9-3)

Germaine de Randamie has been a dominant fighter in her UFC career, although she hasn’t always been in the spotlight. Many could remember her controversial win over Holly Holm back in 2017, making her the first Featherweight Champion. Since then she has only fought twice, bettering Raquel Pennington and most recently Aspen Ladd. In December, de Randamie will have the biggest challenge of her career ahead of her, facing Amanda Nunes for the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

7. Rose Namajunas (8-4)

Sometimes it’s easy to forget how fights went when the finish stealed the show. Rose Namajunas lost to Jessica Andrade back in May via a second round slam KO. While the knockout was absolutely brutal, it’s worth remembering that Namajunas was putting up a good battle before then. While seemingly being prone to takedowns, Namajunas didn’t disappoint in the striking department. It’s clear that Namajunas is a high level strawweight, and now no longer being a champion, is clearly a high level prospect.

8. Tatiana Suarez (8-0)

Despite having a short MMA career, Tatiana Suarez can say something about herself that many other fighters can’t: she’s undefeated. While the strawweight division is easily the most stacked women’s division, Suarez’s track record shows that she is likely a win or so away from a title shot. However, it looks like that can’t come immediately as the top dogs of the division have to hash out their fights.

9. Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (10-0)

Bellator were either really lucky or had a great eye for talent when they signed the 1-0 Ilima-Lei MacFarlane. The Hawaiian born fighter is approaching her second full year as their flyweight champion, with three title defenses since being crowned. While all opponents have been fair matchups, her biggest win was over UFC alumni Valerie Letourneau, which took place in Honolulu.

10. Julia Budd (13-2)

Julia Budd is also an example of talent that was early in their career when Bellator discovered them. Julia Budd fought in Strikeforce and Invicta before her 2015 Bellator debut. It’s worth noting that her two losses were in Strikeforce and came to Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey. Similar to the promotion’s Flyweight Champion, Budd is riding a three-fight winning streak and is undefeated within the promotion. While not at the highest tier of MMA, Budd’s skill level is undoubtedly at a high tier.

11. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-3)

For a large portion of her career now, Joanna Jedrzejczyk has competed at a high level of MMA. The Polish fighter has a record of 2-3 in her last three fights, recently losing a title fight to Valentina Shevchenko in December. She has a chance to bounce back into title contender status when she faces Michelle Waterson in October.

12. Michelle Waterson (17-6)

Michelle Waterson has been a real up-and-comer in the strawweight division recently. On a three fight winning streak, Waterson has defeated big names in Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Felice Herrig recently. Wanting to become the first “Mom Champ,” undoubtedly the biggest test for the Jackson Wink fighter will come in a five round fight against Joanna Jedrzejczyk in October on ESPN+.

13. Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2)

The atomweight divison has long been a (no pun intended) small division in MMA. It’s not represented in many large organizations like UFC or Bellator. But in Japan, the weight class has it’s niche, and it definately has it’s #1 fighter in Ayaka Hamasaki. The experienced fighter is on a five-fight winning streak. She punched in her title fight ticket by defeating DEEP Jewels Champion Mine Kuroba. On New Year’s Eve, she dethroned Kanna Asakura, and has won in a rematch against Jing Yu Frey and defeated Thailand prospect Suwanan Boonsorn A.K.A AMP The Rocket. Many people predict a superfight between her and Road FC Champion Seo Hee Ham on the horizon. The fight would be the biggest in the division in years.
14. Viviane Araujo (8-1)

Viviane Araujo has quickly made a name for herself in the UFC. Taking a short notice fight against Talita Bernardo in May was what got her foot through the door. She won the fight with an overhand right, which was working for her in the three rounds she competed. She has since defeated Alexis Davis via decision and landed a December fight against Jessica Eye. The fight would spring her up the rankings even more, as currently she is still not on the radar of some MMA viewers.

15. Andrea Lee (11-2)

Andrea Lee’s short UFC career has made her one to watch. Coming from Invicta FC including a couple fights within LFA, Lee has went to the scorecards three times in the UFC, all earning herself a win. In a week’s time, Lee will face arguably a similar-level fighter in Joanne Calderwood, who fell to Katlyn Chookagian in June.

Radar Fights:

This is the section that shows upcoming fights from fighters on the P4P lists.

9/7/19: Khabib Nurmagomedov (#1) vs. Dustin Poirier (#9) – UFC 242

8/7/19: Andrea Lee (#15) vs. Joanne Calderwood – UFC 242

10/5/19: Robert Whittaker (#4) vs. Israel Adesanya (#8) – UFC 243

10/12/19: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (#11) vs. Michelle Waterson (#12) – UFC on ESPN+ 19

10/13/19: Demetrious Johnson (#13) vs. Danny Kingad – ONE Championship: Century Show 1

12/14/19: Amanda Nunes (#1) vs. Germaine de Randamie (#6) – UFC 245

12/14/19: Viviane Araujo (#14) vs. Jessica Eye – UFC 245