UnderGround Forum >> Why is Belfort ranked so high still?

LilBrockonmychest - 

yellow wrkahlc - 

LilBrockonmychest - The Franklin fight was at a catchweight of 195 too, so that shoud have no bearing on his MW rankings. In the last 4 years, he's beat Akiyama at MW, and that's it.

It was at 195, you're right. Rich was still pretty high up in MW rankings around the time of that bout, so I can see why he brought up on the list so much after he beat him.

But still, it makes no sense how inactivity after a Top 10 win in 2009 and a loss to the champion in 2011 warrants a high ranking in 2013 over everyone else. He should drop for his inactivity at 185, rather than "get stuck".

Honestly, I doubt Rich was even ranked at MW at that point. After beating Lutter, he fought Hammil at LHW, Hendo at LHW, Wand at 195, and then Vitor at 195. It had been about a year and a half since he had competed at MW. So again, Vitor has 1 win at MW in the past 4 years and that was over Akiyama, who is now a 170er.

I do agree Rich is always a good win though.

Hey, if Vitor is ranked after all these years, I don't doubt for a second Rich was still in the Top 5. You get it, though. It makes no sense to have Vitor in the Top 10 right now.

If he beats Bisping, this thread dies. But, if Bisping wins, I want someone to come in here and explain to me why he's still included in the rankings.

yellow wrkahlc - 

OnlyTheStrongSurvive - 

^^^Last year was even worse, a rematch of a terrible football game in the championship from teams in the same conference. It's probably best I don't get started on the NCAA though, I would go on some rants that would put Thaiguy to shame.

It's fucking horrid, makes me wanna smash my face against the television set whenever SportsCenter comes on. I'm done with it.

I pretty much just watch NBA tv's highlight show now, I got tired of ESPN's agenda and constantly shoving football down my throat. The other day they spent like 15 minutes talking about Ray Lewis' dance on sportscenter. Reminded me why I don't watch it anymore.

Best I don't get started with them either lol.

OnlyTheStrongSurvive - 

yellow wrkahlc - 

OnlyTheStrongSurvive - 

^^^Last year was even worse, a rematch of a terrible football game in the championship from teams in the same conference. It's probably best I don't get started on the NCAA though, I would go on some rants that would put Thaiguy to shame.

It's fucking horrid, makes me wanna smash my face against the television set whenever SportsCenter comes on. I'm done with it.

I pretty much just watch NBA tv's highlight show now, I got tired of ESPN's agenda and constantly shoving football down my throat. The other day they spent like 15 minutes talking about Ray Lewis' dance on sportscenter. Reminded me why I don't watch it anymore.

Best I don't get started with them either lol.

Well, you'll never have to worry about seeing Ray's face again. I heard he's somewhere with Cole.

yellow wrkahlc - 

Shit guys, I just want some manswers.

I want point-of-views, I want discussions, I want a full-on brain orgy right about now over this topic.

sparkuri -  Because 60% of the time, he kicks ass every time.

He lives vicariously, through himself.
He speaks English, in Portuguese.
Sharks have a week dedicated, to him.
Mosquitoes don't bite him out of respect.
His mama has a tattoo that reads, "We deed eet".

He is, the most Vitor Belfort in the world.

While Dos Equis' influence rang true through your post, I could not get past the first sentence.

yellow wrkahlc -

OnlyTheStrongSurvive - 

yellow wrkahlc - 

OnlyTheStrongSurvive - 

^^^Last year was even worse, a rematch of a terrible football game in the championship from teams in the same conference. It's probably best I don't get started on the NCAA though, I would go on some rants that would put Thaiguy to shame.

It's fucking horrid, makes me wanna smash my face against the television set whenever SportsCenter comes on. I'm done with it.

I pretty much just watch NBA tv's highlight show now, I got tired of ESPN's agenda and constantly shoving football down my throat. The other day they spent like 15 minutes talking about Ray Lewis' dance on sportscenter. Reminded me why I don't watch it anymore.

Best I don't get started with them either lol.

Well, you'll never have to worry about seeing Ray's face again. I heard he's somewhere with Cole.

CoryMatthews - So maybe its just the way i think about ranking people who don't direct matchups. Do i think such and such can beat so and so. I don't recall anderson's 205 record but i'm sure it is limited.

Do i think he has a chance against jones? yes

What about him at 170 do i think he can beat gsp ... yes

yellow wrkahlc - 

I ask a question nearly everyone asks, and get voted down for it?

Once again, really anonymous poster?

@Jonesbonedpage - What happens outside of a division should not contribute to the reasoning behind their ranking inside that very same division.

CoryMatthews - O i have gifs too

<a href="http://imgur.com/zlEf6"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/zlEf6.gif" title="Hosted by imgur.com" alt="" /></a>

<a href="http://imgur.com/yItrV"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/yItrV.gif" title="Hosted by imgur.com" alt="" /></a>

I fail to see how they contribute to your point of view, but I appreciate you for posting such great gifs and I wanna give you a gold coin for your effort.

I'm gunna chime in my two cents. I think the reason he is ranked so highly and considered a perpetual contender is because of a variety of characteristics and facts. Not one of them out-weighs the others IMO, but when combined they make for a top ten fighter for the people who list them;

- Vitor's hand speed and ability to finish fights fast and violently. Everyone has seen this in the past in both the UFC and other organizations. 

- Former UFC LHW champion (as dubious as it was, he was still champ). 

- Former UFC tournament winner. 

- Vitor is a very well known person in the MMA world and even to casual fans. 

- If you actually look at his record, in his last 9 fight he has only lost twice and those losses were to Bones and Silva. Arguably #1 and #2 P4P fighters at this point in time. 

- Whilst the MW division is starting to flourish beautifully, it still isn't as stacked as other divisions in the UFC. A fighter like Vitor in a less stacked division means his ranking would be relatively high. If Shogun went to MW, fought and beat mid-tier fighters he would still be ranked very highly. 

There could very well be other reasons that those sources use as to why they put Vitor in their top ten, but those are the main reasons that stick out to me. 

yellow wrkahlc -

Vulva Fabulous -  The same reason why teams like Duke, UConn, Kentucky or Kansas get ranked higher in polls sometimes over teams that are better than them in certain years when they are good, but not elite. Body of work, name recognition and respect. It's very much politics. While he may in fact be lower in the real rankings, years of being on top and knowing that at anytime he can win a fight against anybody gives him favorable rankings in the polls, and is loved by Dana.

Just my opinion. Should he be ranked that high at this current moment based on his recent fights against the elite? No. Can he still go out there and win any fight at multiple weights....even on short notice, as well as putting on a good show? Yes.

Please don't vote me down for my opinion. Just trying to give this discussion a valid argument.

Fucker, I'll vote you up for contributing to the discussion, regardless of opinion.

I will tell you right now, I hate the way collegiate rankings are done. Perfect example to explain this because no matter how you look at the rankings, they're still baffling at times.

We have the same view on the matter. I understand at anytime he could validate his position on the list (ex. Bisping fight on Saturday), but it still escapes me how not one outlet takes him out of the Top 10 to make room for a name that is active in the division throughout the year.

5pointer - death beast, he also ko'd lindland and terry martin at 185. the lindland ko says something and beating rich even at 195 says something too as rich was a multiple former mw title holder with a win over okami

One word: SAFTA

nick diaz nut hugger - 

CoryMatthews - So maybe its just the way i think about ranking people who don't direct matchups. Do i think such and such can beat so and so. I don't recall anderson's 205 record but i'm sure it is limited.

Do i think he has a chance against jones? yes

What about him at 170 do i think he can beat gsp ... yes

Someone call an amber lamps, this guy is having a stroke.

Seriously I thought you had some logic in your post and thought you were headed to saying something like "Anderson is the #2 lhw even though he doesn't regularly and hasn't recently fought a lot at that weight", but then you went full retard with the gsp thing at the end.

5pointer - so where should he be ranked if he beats Bisping?

Rightfully on the Top 10, never disputed that. Read my posts, and you'll see I said this whole thing hits a moot point with a victory over Bisping on Sat nite.

Regardless, it's been years, he shouldn't be ranked that high up. That's my standpoint on the matter.

yellow wrkahlc - 

It's been over 3 years since he scored a Top 10 win at 185 (KO victory over Franklin), yet he's on every Top 10 list I've come across.

• Sherdog - #6
• FIGHT! Magazine - #3
• Fight Matrix - #5
• MMAWeekly - #3
• ESPN - #5
• BloodyElbow - #5

I like Belfort, but...why? Were the victories over Akiyama (185) and Johnson (Catchweight 197lbs) enough to maintain his position on the rankings after the loss to Anderson? Surely everyone else on those lists, despite losses to each other, move above him, no?

With a victory over Bisping this Saturday, all of this would become a moot point, but I just wanna understand.