Did Shinya Aoki Become the #1 Ranked Lightweight this Weekend?

by Zak Woods on Apr 12, 2010 10:00 AM EDT in Analysis

The glasses say "Buddy Holly" but the jiu-jitsu says "suffocation"

If MMA were the BCS (thank god it's not) then in all likelihood Shinya Aoki --currently ranked #2 in in SBN/USA Today's Rankings-- would take over as the #1 ranked lightweight in Mixed Martial Arts. Aoki would mark the second #1 ranked fighters, Fedor being the other, outside of the UFC. That hasn't happened since, well, the days of PRIDE.

Fortunately for MMA it's not the BCS. While arguments could be made for Aoki (ranked #2), Penn (ranked #1) and Edgar (ranked #7) to claim the top spot; yet WKR isn't too concerned. Why? Because Shinya is fighting this weekend on CBS against Gilbert Melendez in an extremely meaningful lightweight bout. Thus, any discussion about Shinya's potential status as #1 is premature and fans should be patient and wait until after Saturday before they render a decision on who deserves to be considered #1.

Ah, what the hell. This is the internet and no one wants to wait!

Voice your opinion now!

SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Nashville on CBS

Poll

Whose your #1 lightweight?

B.J. Penn

167 votes

Shinya Aoki

84 votes

Frankie Edgar

52 votes

Gilbert Melendez

10 votes

313 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Around SB Nation

Brock Lesnar, Georges St. Pierre Top List of UFC Top Pay Per View Draws Since 2008

Sep 2010 from Bloody Elbow - 219 comments

BJ Penn Targets November Return

Sep 2010 from Bloody Elbow - 70 comments

Shinya Aoki Loathes American Wrestlers Too

Sep 2010 from Bloody Elbow - 262 comments

Are Dan Hardy, Shinya Aoki and Paul Daley Right? Is There "Too Much Wrestling in the UFC" and a Case for Changing the Scoring of MMA Bouts?

Sep 2010 from Bloody Elbow - 527 comments

Ring Psychology Exclusive: UFC Star Jim Miller on Jiu Jitsu, a Fight That Made Him Shake in His Shoes, and the Enormous Gleison Tibau

Sep 2010 from Bloody Elbow - 7 comments

Comments

Displayed skills and adaptability

That’s what I base my vague mental rankings/fawning on. In which case I see BJ violating Aoki with strikes standing or grounded.

I personally don’t think he’ll get past Melendez. He’s a spectacular submission fighter, but that’s it.

by asa on Apr 12, 2010 3:12 PM EDT reply actions

Agreed, I think any decent wrestler with takedown and submission defense would school Aoki. Melendez will handle him pretty easily and Edgar would straight-up smash him. Let’s not forget what happened not too long ago when he fought an well past his prime former top LW and WW contender.

by Steve W on Apr 12, 2010 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

i can see aoki or melendez being # 1 if they win in a dominating performance.

I get my ass kicked for money, all you gotta do is talk motherfucker.... Rampage Pride GP03

by DrewMoney$$$ on Apr 12, 2010 7:10 PM EDT reply actions

Dude, this is the age of the interwebs, and you expect us to wait a WEEK before declaring a new #1 lightweight? Whatever, grampa.

by agentsmith on Apr 13, 2010 9:17 AM EDT reply actions

I’ve yet to see the bj vs edgar fight, so I’ll hold judgment. However, since it wasn’t a dominant performance like he whooped bjs ass or finished or submitted him, I’ll have to say that bj’s still number 1, although, if you beat the champ. you become #1. If werdum beats fedor, he’ll become #1. Not saying its good, but that how it works on the rankings.

I will say that bj may have taken him a lil to lightly as with all the talk about bj moving up to WW. Almost every week there was something about him moving up, although he may have stated he wasn’t taking hm lightly. I beleive he probably did.

by Lil Pinga on Apr 13, 2010 11:30 AM EDT reply actions