Breaking down the welterweights and lightweights

The 411mania.com’s rankings for welterweights and lightweights are posted. As a 411mania columnist I get a vote on those rankings. For the most part, the top of my welterweight rankings matches up with my colleagues at 411mania, with two notable exceptions.

I inserted B.J. Penn as the No. 4 welterweight, despite the fact he’s the top contender in the UFC’s lightweight division and hasn’t fought at welterweight since his loss to Matt Hughes more than a year ago. I figure it’s similar to our putting Dan Henderson in the 2 spot at middleweight. Henderson has said he doesn’t want to move down to middleweight and hasn’t fought at that weight in more than a year.

I think Penn will win the title at lightweight and then move back into the welterweight picture. Those last two losses to Matt Hughes and Georges St.-Pierre have got to be gnawing at him.

The other place that I probably deviated from everyone else was by putting Marcus Davis in my 7 spot. Davis has reeled off 10 straight wins, including five in the UFC. His place on my list is based on his very impressive victory over Paul Taylor in UFC 75. I think he’s a guy that’s going to make a splash in this division over the next year.

My lightweight rankings are all over the board compared to the 411mania consensus. I’ve got Sean Sherk in the top spot and will keep him there until there’s a ruling on his steroid appeal.

I had Takanori Gomi at No. 2 and Penn at No. 3.

The 411mania crew’s top three was Gomi, Gilbert Melendez and Gesias “JZ” Calvancanti.

I think this is a case of both Sherk and Penn not having fought in awhile. Calvancanti is coming off his double win at the K-1 Hero’s tournament last month. That showing was enough to have him to No. 3 on the 411mania list from being unranked in the last poll.