Tag: Rankings/List

5 Current UFC Fighters Who’ve Shown the Most Improvement

Some fighters are shipped to the UFC with “greatness” stamped onto the package. 
For example, Anderson Silva immediately made his presence known within the first minute of his UFC debut. Jon Jones ran through every single opponent, regardless of t…

Some fighters are shipped to the UFC with “greatness” stamped onto the package. 

For example, Anderson Silva immediately made his presence known within the first minute of his UFC debut. Jon Jones ran through every single opponent, regardless of the name, like a hot knife through butter. 

Other fighters don’t have that stamp of domination from the start.

These are the fighters who, for one reason or another, took time to improve and hone their skills before they could be considered atop the crowd of athletes in their division. 

Scroll on to see which fighters made the cut. 

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The Beaten Path: 5 Prospects to Watch in October

The MMA world will be occupied in the month of October with plenty of UFC, Bellator and regional MMA action. If you like lots of MMA, get excited because your time is here.
With all these events and fights, you are bound to see some great prospects in …

The MMA world will be occupied in the month of October with plenty of UFC, Bellator and regional MMA action. If you like lots of MMA, get excited because your time is here.

With all these events and fights, you are bound to see some great prospects in action. Here at The Beaten Path, it’s our job to find you the men and women with the best potential and point you toward them, as they could be the future of the sport.

So, who are the prospects you should watch in October? Here is a guide to the five to keep tabs on.

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UFC Rankings: Good Calls and Bad Calls Following UFC 178

Demetrious Johnson is becoming harder and harder to overlook as one of the best fighters in MMA.
At UFC 178, Mighty Mouse submitted Chris Cariaso to successfully defend his 125-pound championship for the sixth consecutive time. That mark ties the champ…

Demetrious Johnson is becoming harder and harder to overlook as one of the best fighters in MMA.

At UFC 178, Mighty Mouse submitted Chris Cariaso to successfully defend his 125-pound championship for the sixth consecutive time. That mark ties the championship reigns of UFC legends Tito Ortiz and Matt Hughes, so Johnson is clearly dominating the flyweight class.

He may not be as popular as Ortiz and Hughes, but Johnson will eventually get his due attention as long as he keeps winning. Was an expected win over Cariaso enough to boost him in the pound-for-pound rankings?

With another UFC event in the books, here are the latest official UFC rankings via UFC.com, which are voted on by various members of the MMA media. 

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5 Rising UFC Fighters Who Need a Real Test in Their Next Fight

Made up of world-class prospects, standouts from The Ultimate Fighter, high-profile acquisitions and budding superstars, the UFC’s future stockpile of main eventers has arguably never looked more fruitful.
The promotion’s pay-per-view numbers may not b…

Made up of world-class prospects, standouts from The Ultimate Fighter, high-profile acquisitions and budding superstars, the UFC’s future stockpile of main eventers has arguably never looked more fruitful.

The promotion’s pay-per-view numbers may not be at an all-time high, but the talent pool is practically spilling over.

While the UFC has been ridiculed in the past for showcasing less-than-attractive bottom feeders to fill event voids, the organization’s relentless approach to promote fights of all shapes and sizes has helped weed out the exceptional.

These future contenders have looked dominant in form, tactically dismantling their respective division’s middle tier of competitors.

But like any process of evolution, it’s time these few men step out of the shadows and into the limelight.

Here are five rising fighters who need a real test in their next outing.

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UFC 178 Results: 3 Fights to Make for Takeya Mizugaki

Takeya Mizugaki finds himself in much the same place as Dustin Poirier right now. Both men are well inside the top 10, and both were simply outclassed by superior opposition at UFC 178.
With Dominick Cruz coming back from a lengthy layoff, many ex…

Takeya Mizugaki finds himself in much the same place as Dustin Poirier right now. Both men are well inside the top 10, and both were simply outclassed by superior opposition at UFC 178.

With Dominick Cruz coming back from a lengthy layoff, many expected Mizugaki to keep the fight relatively competitive. Unfortunately, Cruz didn’t fight like a man making his first competitive appearance in almost three years. He overwhelmed his Japanese foe and ended the fight in a hurry.

Where does Mizugaki go from here? Read on for some potential future opponents for the 30-year-old.

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UFC 178 Results: 3 Fights to Make for Dustin Poirier

It was a short night for Dustin Poirier at UFC 178. Even Conor McGregor probably expected the fight to go at least a couple more minutes.
Whether Poirier can still climb the ladder to the top of the division remains to be seen, but there’s no dou…

It was a short night for Dustin Poirier at UFC 178. Even Conor McGregor probably expected the fight to go at least a couple more minutes.

Whether Poirier can still climb the ladder to the top of the division remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt his stock has dropped after Saturday night. He may be forced to content himself with taking on the fringe of the featherweight division’s top 10 for the next couple of fights.

Read on for some potential future opponents for Poirier.

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