Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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While a heavyweight old lion stole headlines over the weekend, one of the 155-pound division’s rising stars continued to make his name outside of the Octagon.

Bellator MMA lightweight champion Will Brooks successfully defended his belt for the first time at Bellator 136 on April 10, weathering a hot start from challenger Dave Jansen to win rounds two through five and claim a unanimous decision. The appearance was Brooks’ first since a breakout 2014 which saw the American Top Team fighter notch an impressive pair of title-fight victories over Michael Chandler. Having won seven straight bouts since July 2013, “Ill Will” climbs to No. 7 in the lightweight top 10, moving ahead of relatively inactive former Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez.

Meanwhile, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic made his return to the UFC a memorable one, exacting revenge on Gabriel Gonzaga for the highlight-reel knockout the Brazilian served up in their 2007 meeting. The 40-year-old Croatian striker blasted Gonzaga with elbows and punches to force a third-round stoppage in the main event of April 11’s UFC Fight Night in Krakow, Poland. The win is enough to earn Filipovic a spot on an exceedingly thin list of heavyweight contenders; he replaces Alexander Volkov, who was ground by Tony Johnson out in a grueling three-rounder at Bellator 136.

Previously unranked Maryna Moroz vaults into the women’s strawweight top 10 after upsetting Scottish striker Joanne Calderwood with a first-round armbar in Krakow. The Ukranian submission specialist enters in the No. 7 spot, while Calderwood drops two places to No. 8. Moroz’s entrance knocks Mizuki Inoue to the list of contenders, eliminating Rose Namajunas.

English “Poster Boy” Jimi Manuwa kept his spot on the list of 205-pound contenders by returning from a year-long absence to claim a workmanlike unanimous decision over Jan Blachowicz.

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