Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Return to Form
Don’t write off Francis Ngannou just yet.
“The Predator” was back to his old ways at UFC Fight Night 141, as he scored a 45-second technical knockout of Curtis Blaydes in the evening’s headliner at Cadillac Arena in Beijing. After back-to-back disappointing losses against Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis, much of the hype surrounding Ngannou had subsided. However, in earning his second victory over Blaydes in the Octagon, the Cameroonian-born Frenchman reminded everyone of the formidable power in his hands.
On the strength of that victory, Ngannou climbs to No. 5 in our latest heavyweight poll. Blaydes, meanwhile, saw a six-fight unbeaten streak come to an end in disappointing fashion. He nonetheless moves up a spot to sixth, as Fabricio Werdum tumbles to No. 9 and could be on his way out of the rankings as a result of a lengthy USADA suspension.
Elsewhere, Alistair Overeem returned to the win column in the UFC Beijing co-main event with a ground-and-pound stoppage of Octagon debutante Sergey Pavlovich. Like Ngannou, “The Reem” ended a two-fight skid. He also moves up a spot, from eighth to seventh.
Continue Reading » Heavyweight
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