Nov 08 Power 25 for November

Jordan Small is back with the November Edition of our Power 25. Things rankings are based on a combination of record, talent, activeness, and marketability of the up and comers to MMA

25. Bart Palaszewski
Scratching your head on why Palaszewski is in here? Don’t be, the guys a killer. The World Extreme Cagefighting was built on guys like Palaszewski and his balls-to-the-wall fighting. Not only is he on a four fight win streak, during this streak he defeated Anthony Pettis, who is getting a title shot against Ben Henderson this December in the WEC’s promotion-ending show. Palaszewski makes the top 25 for being badass and generally kind of awesome.
24. Cole Konrad
Konrad has started his MMA career by reeling off seven straight wins. Oh yeah, did I mention he made his pro debut in 2010! Not only has he had seven fights in around 10 months, Konrad has also become heavyweight champion of Bellator. In the useless stat of the day, Konrad has fought just shy of seventy minutes longer than Fedor Emelianenko in 2010. Now I’m not saying Konrad is a world beater for defeating the likes of Pat Bennett and John Orr, but any man who can win a grueling tournament that Bellator puts on deserves his spot in the top 25. Now give that man a vacation, Bellator.
23. Josh Grispi
Josh Grispi AKA Jose Aldo’s Next Meal, will fight for the new UFC featherweight title on New Years day. This guy has only been out of the first round once in his career and picked up submission of the night at WEC 49 in June. “Jose Aldo can be knocked out, choked out,” said Grispi. Just don’t say you’re the Fedor to Aldo’s Anderson Silva, Josh… Didn’t turn out to well for the last guy who said that.

22. Hector Lombard
Why even bother showing up to fight Hector Lombard? You’re just going to lose anyways. Seriously, this Cuban goes Castro on his opponent’s ass. Bellator’s middleweight title looks pretty snug around waist and anything less than a gorilla isn’t taking it away… And even then I’d wait for the Vegas odds. Lombard has fought twice recently, one being a 38 second “Why did I show up?” and the other was a competitive and successful title defense against Alexander Shlemenko. Lombard is in the top 25 for being most likely to choke out a gorilla.
21. Michael Bisping
Love him or (more likely) hate him, Bisping deserves his props. Not only did he beat the Japanese Sex God, “Sexyama” (Yoshihiro Akiyama) he did it pretty convincingly. The Brit’s key to victory was great planning and staying composed — and it didn’t hurt that Akiyama decided his face was too pretty for mortals and needed to be repeatedly punched for 15 minutes.
20. Donald Cerrone
“The Cowboy” finally defeated his arch nemesis, Jamie Varner, in one of the most entertaining bouts this year. Cerrone is another reason why fans love the WEC and its events. He’s making his final appearance with the promotion in December before merging with the UFC lightweight division.
19. Gray Maynard
Another fight, another decision. Despite being undefeated, Maynard continues to be one of the worst fighters to watch in MMA. His take downs transition into a ‘finishing fights phobia’ — known as lay-n-pray. Maynard’s style has been called out numerous times and most recently by B.J. Penn and Cole Miller. Maynard is getting a title shot because he is the only guy that has beat Frankie Edgar… Otherwise he wouldn’t be getting one; i.e. See Jon Fitch.
18. Charles Oliveira
For being so young, he’s unbelievable. At only 20-years-old, Oliveira is 2-0 in the UFC (14-0 MMA) and has taken both submission of the nights. When the WEC lightweight’s merg it is going to make for some insane super-fights.
17. Carlos Condit
Condit’s win over Dan Hardy is easily one of the top five knockouts this year. Not a lot of people were expecting Condit to out duel Hardy in a stand up fight after his last outing against newcomer Rory MacDonald. Regardless, the KO put a dim silence over the English crowd. But hey, at least the fan situation wasn’t completely awkward for Condit; Robert Downey Jr.’s voice could be heard throughout the arena.
16. Ben Askren
Before losing his title, Lyman Good made sure to make Askren’s face look as much like Sloth from the Goonies as possible. Even Askren admitted to this in the post-fight interview. Askren fought for the belt after winning the 2010 welterweight tournament where he defeated head kicker, Dan Hornbuckle. Currently, Askren is undefeated in MMA at 7-0.
15. Anthony Pettis
Head kicks and Triangles. Pettis is having a break through year in 2010 and if you’ve been following him, you’ve enjoyed every minute. Pettis will fight Bendo in the WEC’s last event for the 155 pound title, which is sure to be nothing short of a fight of the year candidate. The WEC’s lightweight division brings it every time and I wouldn’t expect anything less.
14. Marloes Coenen
Sarah Kaufman was looking pretty untouchable at 135 pounds until Coenen came along. Even in their fight, Kaufman’s ground and pound looked like the end of the line until Coenen did her best impression of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and came back to submit Kaufman off her back. Coenen and her new belt were welcomed back home in Amsterdam by Ubereem and a marching band, literally.
13. Joe Warren
From one come back to another. Warren was getting embarrassed by former Bellator champ, Joe Soto, but after a little cockiness and forgetting to finish the fight, Soto was caught with a punch in the opening seconds of the second round. Thirty seconds later, Soto lost by TKO to the self proclaimed “baddest man on the planet” and Bellator featherweight champion.
12. Scott Jorgensen
Jorgensen has ascended his way up to the top of the bantamweight rankings. The only man that stands in his way is champ Dominick Cruz, who he’ll be fighting at WEC 53. Jorgensen’s name is on the long list on WEC fighters that made it the most exciting promotion to watch.
11. Jorge Santiago
Forget about Leonard Garcia and the Korean Zombie; Santiago had the fight of the year with Kazuo Misaki at Sengoku 14, where he won by a corner stoppage with 30 seconds left in the fifth round. Santiago is currently the Sengoku middleweight champion and gets his spot at 11 for badass fight of the year.
10. Dominick Cruz
Cruz had a five round thriller with Joseph Benavidez for the bantamweight title at WEC 50. Cruz and Jorgensen should have a similar style fight of high energy and skill in December when they meet up.
9. Nick Diaz
K.J. Noons (one of many of Diaz’s enemies) lost at his own game when he stood and traded with Diaz for five rounds. Surprisingly, Diaz rarely attempted a take down where on the ground is light years a head of Noons. Cementing his spot as Strikeforce’s most dominant champ, Diaz has a few intrinsic fights on the horizon with potential opponent and “Don’t Be Scared, Homie” creator, Jason “Mayhem” Miller; rising prospect, Tyrone Woodley and Dana White’s latest “You’ll never see him in the UFC again” candidate, Paul Daley.
8. Eddie Alvarez
This guy is on a tear and completely manhandled Roger Huerta in his last bout. Alvarez has been getting more media exposure lately for calling out Strikeforce’s CEO, Scott Coker, and their lightweight champ, Gilbert Melendez. I’m sure Alvarez will try some new crafty way of calling them out again, but let’s hope it doesn’t happen like the last time a Caesar Gracie fighter was called out in person.
7. Ronaldo Souza
“Jacare” fought to a five round decision to capture Strikeforce’s vacant middleweight crown over Tim Kennedy. “The Alligator” is most likely to arm chop his way to Bellator where the gorilla choker will meet the gator roll.
6. Rafael Cavalcante
A stunned MMA world watched on as “Feijao” TKO’d Mo Lawal to win the Strikeforce light heavyweight title. Cavalcante was simply the better man and picked up the biggest win in his career. Unforunetely for Cavalcante, guys like” Babalu” Sobral, Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi are waiting for their shot at his belt. Live it up while you can, Feijao!

5. Ryan Bader
Bader stayed undefeated by defeating one of the best at 205 in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Up next for Bader is Jon Jones in a battle of the undefeated phenoms — let’s be real, Jones didn’t lose to Hamill, quite the opposite actually. The results of their bout is going to set the pace for the entire UFC 205 pound division.

4. Miesha Tate
The gorgeous and talented Miesha Tate makes the top five for her amazing one night, two fight tournament victory in Strikeforce. Tate defeated Maiju Kujala and Hitomi Akano in the four-woman tourney and will get the next title shot against Marloes Coenen at 135 pounds.


3. Jose Aldo
The human destroyer, otherwise known as Jose Aldo is one of the most feared and exciting fighters in the biz. The 24-year-old last fought Manny Gamburyan at WEC 51, which ended by Aldo pounding Gamburyan’s head into oblivion. Aldo’s next fight is at UFC 125 where he will fight for the newly formed UFC featherweight title. Or should I say, Aldo’s new title.

2. Frankie Edgar
Taking one fight from B.J. Penn is an accomplishment in itself, but taking two away from Penn is something else. Edgar is the undisputed lightweight champ of the UFC and he’ll be fighting an old foe in Gray-N-Pray at UFC 125. Edgar should be sure to expect take downs and being held there for 25 minutes.

1. Cain Velasquez
Number one on the list is the new heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez. How Velasquez was able to out power Brock Lesnar, get up from his take downs and in general just own Lesnar is beyond me. Junior dos Santos said the winner would be getting knocked out by him and after watching Velasquez manhandle Lesnar; who can’t wait for this fight to happen?

Tags: MMA \ Power 25 \ Rankings

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