UFC welterweight rankings: Sean Brady take huge leap up after UFC Vegas 97 victory (original) (raw)

The UFC welterweight rankings often include some of the most talented and popular fighters in the sport. From the legendary days of Georges St-Pierre reigning supreme as the king of Canada to the current era of “The Nigerian Nightmare,” the division is filled with some of the promotion’s most important talents.

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With that in mind, here are the official Sportsnaut rankings for the top 10 170-pound fighters in the best cage fighting promotion on earth.

10. Gilbert Burns (22-8)

For the last five years, Gilbert Burns has been the cream of the crop at welterweight. Fighting many of the top fighters of this era and scoring some big wins. However, eventually, time catches up with all star athletes and that has been the case for “Durinho” recently.

Following a main event loss to Sean Brady at UFC Vegas 97, the Brazilian has lost three straight for the first time in his career and is unlikely to ever get another title fight at 38 years old.

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9. Kamaru Usman (20-3)

For six straight years, Kamaru Usman set a legendary standard of excellence as he created a resume that will guarantee him a spot in the UFC Hall-of-Fame. He will go down as one of the greatest welterweight fighters of all time and one of the best pound-for-pound competitors of his era. However, all good things come to an end.

At UFC 294, “The Nigerian Nightmare” took a short-notice risk at middleweight and it did not pay off as rising star Khamzat Chimaev pushed his losing streak to three straight. Where the former welterweight king goes next at 36 is unclear.

8. Joaquin Buckley (19-6)

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Joaquin Buckley has hit several bumps in the road during his UFC career. However, after back-to-back losses, he finally decided to leave middleweight and has quickly evolved into a top 10 welterweight. He has won four straight and scored another big win in May at UFC S.t Louis. He is only 30, is in the midst of his fighting prime, and could make a lot more noise at 170 pounds.

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7. Stephen Thompson (17-7-1)

Stephen Thompson’s days as a serious title contender are done. However, he is still a skilled fighter deserving of high-level opposition and fights that would be featured bouts on future pay-per-view main cards. Or in the case of UFC Orlando, the main event of a Fight Night card.

Over his last two fights, “Wonderboy” showed that even at 40 he is still one of the most talented fighters in the division and an absolute handful on the feet. In his win over the always-tough Kevin Holland, Thompson displayed he is also just as tough as he is technically gifted.

In his UFC 296 defeat to Shavkat Rakhmonov, he was unable to stop the momentum of the young star as he was shockingly submitted in the second round.

6. Jack Della Maddalena (17-2)

Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena is quickly becoming the next big star from down under. The Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner is now 7-0 in the UFC and scored a massive win at UFC 299 when he was able to come from behind and score a third-round TKO over Gilbert Burns. Beating a former title challenger sent a huge message to the rest of the division.

5. Sean Brady (17-1)

Sean Brady has been very impressive during his eight-fight run in the UFC. Over that time his lone loss is against current champion Belal Muhammad. At UFC Vegas 97, he scored his biggest win yet when he earned a decisive decision victory over former title contender Gilbert Burns. The Philly native is deserving of a top-five opponent next. And a win could land him in a title fight in 2025.

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4. Ian Garry (15-0)

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There is no faster-rising star at 170 pounds than Irish fighter Ian Machado Garry. The undefeated athlete has won his first eight inside the Octagon and he continues to look better each time. In August, the 25-year-old scored his best win yet when dominated by top-15 stalwart Neil Magny.

In February he returned with a rock-solid and hard-fought victory over always dangerous strike Geoff Neal. In June he earned another major win, this time over fellow talented striker Michael Page. While the victory was panned by some, it showed his willingness to adapt and use other avenues to get a win instead of just his striking.

3. Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0)

If you weren’t a believer in Shavkat Rakhmonov as a legitimate top 10 welterweight before UFC 285, then those questions were likely dispelled after his submission victory over Geoff Neal at the event. The win moved “Nomad” to 17-0 overall with finishes in every fight (eight knockouts, nine submissions).

The 28-year-old also showed his inner fortitude and that he will not back away from elite-level resistance. He furthered that narrative at UFC 296 when he moved his record to 18-0 with an impressive submission win over an always-tough task in Stephen Thompson.

If he can score another win in his next bout, Rakhmonov could be fighting for gold in the second half of 2024.

Also Read: Khamzat Chimaev next fight – Details on ‘Borz’s’ next scrap in the Octagon

2. Leon Edwards (22-4)

Leon Edwards forever stamped his place in UFC and UK MMA history when he was able to topple division legend Kamaru Usman in 2022. His victories in the rematch and then against Colby Covington placed him among the greatest UK fighters of all time. However, all good things come to an end.

At UFC 304 his long win streak was ended to rival Belal Muhammad, and the new champ does not seem keen on giving Edwards a rematch any time soon.

1. Belal Muhammad (24-3)

You can no longer doubt the talents of Belal Muhammad. He has beaten high-level fighters like Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, and Gilbert Burns, and now can call himself world champion after defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

His rise to the top is one of the best stories in the UFC. Now, he must solidify his place among the best welterweights ever and get a few defenses under his golden belt.

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