These are still in the alpha stages, and there are some important things to mention as there are some major differences between these rankings and the FightMatrix ratings.
- Rankings ARE division specific, however some fighters will experience run-over into divisions they jumped in and out of. Fighters CAN appear in more than one list, and will only given credit during times in which they produced quality performances in these divisions. Due to this, divisional info is seriously depended upon. This is a large reason why I think this is still in the alpha stage.
- Years of 1990 and later are considered.
- Monthly ranking snapshots are taken. Fighters are given points based on their standing in the Top 15, with the most points going toward a #1 spot, a little less to #2, right on down the line. Having longevity at the top of the division is key and those who only spend a limited time in a division will suffer. Divisional depth at the time is also given consideration.
- Heavyweight will look a bit odd, as it will include those who excelled at open-weight back in the 1990s.
Rank | Fighter | Total Record | All-Time Division Points | |
1 | ![]() Last Fight: 6/7/2009 |
22-3-0 |
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2 | ![]() Last Fight: 8/2/2009 |
20-3-2 |
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3 | ![]() Last Fight: 6/7/2009 |
22-4-0 |
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4 | ![]() Last Fight: 6/1/2008 |
13-5-2 |
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5 | ![]() Last Fight: 8/23/2009 |
17-7-1 |
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6 | ![]() Last Fight: 8/9/2009 |
31-12-1 |
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7 | ![]() Last Fight: 8/9/2009 |
24-7-2 |
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8 | ![]() Last Fight: 7/19/2008 |
16-8-0 |
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9 | ![]() Last Fight: 4/5/2009 |
12-1-0 |
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10 | ![]() Last Fight: 6/22/2008 |
10-4-0 |
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1. Urijah Faber (803 All-Time Featherweight Points)
The most dominant Featherweight in recent memory takes the top spot. Holding the #1 position for approximately two years, and competing in the division for his entire career has resulted in him being the top Featherweight of all-time.
2. Hatsu Hioki (520)
Hioki has long been the best Featherweight outside of North America. Also having spent his entire career at Featherweight, Hioki holds two wins over Mark Hominick, and a win over Jeff Curran, both of whom are on this list. Hioki has only lost three times, with two of those coming by way of split decision.
3. Mike Thomas Brown (480)
Having only come to prominence since first beating Urijah Faber, Brown has been a great Featherweight, as well as a decent Lightweight since 2004. The sky may be the limit now, as it appears that he may be the next dominant WEC Featherweight champion.
4. Alexandre Franca Nogueira (476)
Pequeño was the first great Featherweight when MMA emerged into the main scene, albeit at a time when the division was very weak and virtually non-existent in the Americas. As Nogueira aged, he decided to test the waters at Lightweight, and failed miserably.
5. Masakazu Imanari (419)
Although back at Bantamweight, Imanari has been a Top 15 featherweight for his entire tenure in the division. He holds wins over Mike Thomas Brown, and Yoshiro Maeda, two fighters that are on this list. His record is skewed by 7 losses, though a majority of them have come at Lightweight.
6. Jeff Curran (392)
Sporadically competing in the division since the late 1990s, Curran is probably the best Featherweight to not have won a major or mid-major championship in the division. Like Nogueira, Curran found it difficult to compete in this division, but has decided to go down in weight, rather than up, and like Nogueira, has not found success in this move.
7. Yoshiro Maeda (304)
His story sounds like a hybrid of the three mentioned above. Starting out a little later than Nogueira, Imanari found success in the Featherweight division, and even notched a few wins at Lightweight. However, upon reaching American soil, Maeda did not fare well, and decided to move to Bantamweight. With a record of 1-2, Maeda went to the 139lb DREAM Featherweight tournament, where he was TKO’d in the second round.
8. Mark Hominick (263)
The list weakens a bit as we get to #8. Undoubtedly the best Featherweight from Canada, Hominick has yet to reach elite status on the worldwide scene. Inactive since July 2008, Hominick has lost eight times, but almost all of those losses have come to top notch fighters.
9. Wagnney Fabiano (207)
A stint at Lightweight in the IFL cost him some tenure in the Featherweight division. However, while in the division, he has fared well, only losing a controversial split decision to #6 Jeff Curran. Fabiano remains a top ranked Featherweight fighter.
10. Antonio Carvalho (186)
Carvalho has flown under the radar a bit, but he’s #2 to Hominick as far as Canadian Featherweights go. He holds a close loss to Jeff Curran, as well as wins over Hatsu Hioki, Rumina Sato, and Takeshi Inoue.