After Gegard Mousasi finished his first-round TKO performance against Vitor Belfort Saturday at UFC 204, he said he thinks he’s a Top 5 middleweight.
The rankings panelists agreed.
In this week’s release, Mousasi was voted up four spots to No. 5 in the middleweight division. He now sits behind the murderer’s row of Luke Rockhold (No. 1), Chris Weidman (No. 2), Jacare Souza (No. 3) and Yoel Romero (No. 4).
Those four beasts are about to take part in what UFC President Dana White calls a tournament-style pair of fights beginning at UFC 205 with Weidman vs. Romero, followed by Rockhold and Jacare in a five-round main event in Melbourne, Australia. The winners of those two fights will position themselves nicely for the next crack at champion Michael Bisping, but Mousasi feels he’s right in the mix.
“I think I have the best standup in the middleweight division,” Mousasi said. “Chris Weidman or Luke Rockhold are a great matchup for me. … I think I’m underrated my whole career. I’m from Holland, so maybe people don’t care. I like Michael Bisping but you guys know I can beat him. I would beat Michael Bisping and jab his face the whole night. Easy.”
The other big jump this week was made by light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa, who knocked out Ovince Saint Preux cold at UFC 204. Manuwa moved three spots to No. 5 in the division and dropped OSP down a spot to No. 6.
It’s been a tough run of late for Manuwa, who lost one-sided fights against Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson in two of his last four fights.
But Manuwa, who hails from London, England, feels he turned a corner against OSP and is planning on making his way to the top of the 205-pound division.
“I want a Top 5 opponent and we’re working our way toward the top,” Manuwa said. “We’re going onwards and upwards and whoever Joe Silva and Dana White says … – I’m ready.”
In other rankings’ movement, Mirsad Bectik jumped up two spots to No. 13 in the featherweight division following his first-round submission win against Russell Doane.
