Welcome to our first ever Houston Area MMA fighter rankings. We are very proud to be able to bring you, the fans and fighter of Houston, these rankings. We sincerely hope that they will not only serve as a good and credible reference for you, but also provide some good talking points as well. We have done our best to create a system that provides the most objective rankings possible. If you’d like to read more about how we compute our rankings, click here for details.
TheCageDoor.net
Houston Area MMA Fighter Rankings
Q1 2010
Pro Fighters
| Pound for Pound Top 10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Chad Robichaux | 8-0-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 1.75 |
| 2 | Sam Hoger | 8-4-0 | Hoger MMA | 4.5 |
| 3 | Rey Trujillo | 6-0-0 | Metro Fight Club | 4.5 |
| 4 | Levi Forrest | 6-0-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 4.75 |
| 5 | Jesus Rivera | 4-1-0 | 4 oz Fight Club | 6 |
| 6 | Mike Bronzoulis | 8-1-1 | Metro Fight Club | 6.5 |
| 7 | Chris Spicer | 4-3-0 | Death Row MMA | 7.75 |
| 8 | Daniel Pineda | 9-9-0 | 4 oz Fight Club | 8.5 |
| 9 | Jace Pitre | 1-1-0 | Team Tooke | 9 |
| 10 | Humberto Deleon | 4-1-0 | Bushi Ban | 9.25 |
| Featherweight/Bantamweight/Flyweight (145lbs and below) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Chad Robichaux | 8-0-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 1 |
| 2 | Humberto Deleon | 4-1-0 | Bushi Ban | 2.5 |
| 3 | Daniel Pineda | 9-9-0 | 4 oz Fight Club | 3.5 |
| 4 | Lewis Mckenzie | 8-3-0 | 4.25 | |
| 5 | Rocky Long | 19-24-0 | Rocky Long MMA | 5 |
| Lightweight (155lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Rey Trujillo | 6-0-0 | Metro Fight Club | 1.25 |
| 2 | Jesus Rivera | 4-1-0 | 4 oz Fight Club | 1.75 |
| 3 | Brian Melancon | 3-0-0 | Metro Fight Club | 4.25 |
| 4 | Ray Blodgett | 3-0-0 | Elite MMA-Houston | 5 |
| 5 | Jace Pitre | 1-1-0 | Team Tooke | 5.5 |
| Welterweight (170lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Levi Forrest | 6-0-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 1.25 |
| 2 | Mike Bronzoulis | 8-1-1 | Metro Fight Club | 2.75 |
| 3 | Ricardo Talavera | 2-0-0 | Elite MMA-Houston | 3.5 |
| 4 | Jonathan Harris | 2-0-0 | Metro Fight Club | 3.5 |
| 5 | Jason Wright | 4-3-0 | 4.75 | |
| Middle Weight (185lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Chris Spicer | 4-3-0 | Death Row MMA | 2 |
| 2 | Patrick Hutton | 2-0-0 | Rising Sun Karate | 2 |
| 3 | Demond Landry | 1-1-0 | 4 | |
| 4 | Danny Taylor | 1-2-0 | Bushi Ban | 4.25 |
| 5 | RJ Knepp | 1-1-0 | 646 MMA | 4.25 |
| Light Heavy Weight (205lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Ike Villanueva | 3-2-0 | Rocky Long MMA | 1.25 |
| 2 | Chris Reed | 4-1-0 | Gracie Barra Texas | 1.75 |
| 3 | Chad Cook | 8-8-0 | Gracie Barra Texas | 3 |
| Heavyweights (206lbs+) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Sam Hoger | 8-4-0 | Hoger MMA | 1 |
| 2 | Miguel Guerra | 0-1-0 | Independence MMA | 2.25 |
| 3 | Johnathen Ivey | 29-42-0 | Scientific Street Fighting (TN) | 2.75 |
Amateur Fighters
| Pound for Pound Top 10 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Andrew Craig | 4-0-0 | Team Tooke | 1.5 |
| 2 | Patrick Bierschwhale | 4-0-0 | West Side MMA | 3.5 |
| 3 | Jordan Rivas | 3-0-0 | Elite MMA-Houston | 4.5 |
| 4 | Craig Gardener | 4-0-1 | West Side MMA | 4.75 |
| 5 | Artenas Young | 4-3-0 | Hoger MMA | 5.75 |
| 6 | Bobby Powers | 2-1-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 5.75 |
| 7 | Raymond Bell | 3-0-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 6.75 |
| 8 | Joe Cruz | 4-1-0 | Texas Powerhouse MMA | 7.5 |
| 9 | Greg Bellomy | 3-0-0 | Gracie Barra Texas | 9.25 |
| 10 | Terrance Ferguson | 4-3-0 | West Side MMA | 10 |
| Flyweight (125lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Joe Cruz | 4-1-0 | Texas Powerhouse MMA | 1.5 |
| 2 | Bobby Powers | 2-1-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 1.5 |
| 3 | Alan Chavarria | Hoger MMA | 2.5 | |
| 4 | Matt Thompson | 1-3-0 | Brazos Valley MMA | 4 |
| 5 | Martin Garcia | 0-1-0 | Gracie Barra Texas | 4.25 |
| Bantamweight (135lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Gerzan Chow | 2-0-0 | Bushi Ban | 1 |
| 2 | Bobby Bradshaw | 2-1-0 | 646 MMA | 2.25 |
| 3 | Carlos Jimenez | 0-1-0 | Silverback Mixed Martial Arts | 3.75 |
| 4 | Scott Buzzaird | 0-1-0 | The Hive | 4.25 |
| 5 | ||||
| Featherweight(145lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Alex Black | 2-1-0 | Bushi Ban | 1.25 |
| 2 | Layton Mitchell | 1-0-0 | Rocky Long MMA | 2.5 |
| 3 | Jeremy Hontz | 3-3-0 | Twin Wolves | 4.25 |
| 4 | Manuel Lozoya | 1-0-0 | Submission Boxing Academy | 4.25 |
| 5 | Bryan Broussard | 1-2-0 | 5.75 | |
| Lightweight (155lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Raymond Bell | 3-0-0 | Gracie Barra – The Woodlands | 1 |
| 2 | Greg Bellomy | 3-0-0 | Gracie Barra Texas | 2.25 |
| 3 | Nick Felder | 4-2-0 | Gracie Barra Texas | 3.75 |
| 4 | Cody Philips | 2-0-0 | Bam Bam Martial Arts | 5.75 |
| 5 | Frank Solinas | 1-1-0 | Submission Boxing Academy | 6 |
| Welterweight (170lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Craig Gardener | 4-0-1 | West Side MMA | 1.5 |
| 2 | Jordan Rivas | 3-0-0 | Elite MMA-Houston | 1.5 |
| 3 | Mike Castillo | 2-1-0 | McCall Martial Arts | 4.5 |
| 4 | Corey Allmand | 1-0-0 | Hoger MMA | 4.75 |
| 5 | Jeremy Morris | 2-0-0 | 646 MMA | 5.25 |
| Middle Weight (185lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Andrew Craig | 4-0-0 | Team Tooke | 1 |
| 2 | Patrick Bierschwhale | 4-0-0 | West Side MMA | 2 |
| 3 | Terrance Ferguson | 4-3-0 | West Side MMA | 3.25 |
| 4 | Robert Yamashita | 1-0-0 | Elite MMA-Baytown | 4 |
| 5 | John Malbrough | 2-2-0 | Kingwood MMA | 5 |
| Light Heavy Weight (205lbs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Artenas Young | 4-3-0 | Hoger MMA | 1.5 |
| 2 | Steve Hess | 3-0-0 | Team Wombat Combat | 1.75 |
| 3 | Jermaine Anugwom | 3-1-0 | Windy Sports & Fitness | 3.75 |
| 4 | Jason Sullivan | 2-3-0 | American Combative Systems | 4 |
| 5 | Raul Jimenez | 1-1-0 | Team Gacho | 4.24 |
| Heavyweights (206lbs+) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | Record | Gym | Avg Rank |
| 1 | Jason Frank | 2-0-0 | Rising Sun Karate | 1.75 |
| 2 | Drew Ratichek | 2-0-0 | American Combative Systems | 3.5 |
| 3 | Nik Mitchell | 2-2-0 | Rocky Long MMA | 3.5 |
| 4 | Derick Lewis | 1-0-0 | Silverback Mixed Martial Arts | 3.75 |
| 5 | Tim Buchanan | 1-5-0 | Hoger MMA | 4.75 |
Great list. I think that for the next rankings, they will be adjusted somewhat since there should be a couple of very big fights involving just about everyone on the list. I think you guys did a great job on this first list…hats off to all of yall.
Enjoy the list, who da panel? Hopefully we can get some match ups based on these rankings
And I should win the welterweight tie cuz I gots 2 belts and more wins
@Craig – We’ll let the panel members speak up if they so choose.
And yes, you are correct, based on the tie breaker rules, you have more wins so you should be ranked 1st. I have updated them.
Sorry about that, it was late when I put these up.
I have also corrected the flyweight rankings due to the tie break rules.
Thanks, my ego couldn’t take it. This is a quarterly thing? This is a great idea.
I think Craig’s original ranking included the stache, so personally I think he should be docked a point because he removed that glorious thing.
I think the list is missing quite a few… what ever happened to the fighter database
So this is based on only fighters that have actually FOUGHT in Houston in the past 2 years, right? I think that the rankings will become more and more accurate as more fights happen in the Houston area. With several scheduled in the next several months, the rankings will have more fighters on the list facing each other as well as others that aren’t on the list. This “panel” of people making up the rankings should have more to choose from then hopefully…
I’m sure local fans have been waiting for this type of deal for quite some time so kudos to Cage Door for making this happen! Not only will it cause a lot of healthy debate (these types of things always do, lol) but it will bring the local MMA scene in Houston just that much closer together. I can’t wait to a lot of these guys fight each other and climb their way up the charts!
It truly is great that we finally have a tangible resource to keep track of all the great fighters this great city has to offer! Well done guys.
@Markle
Who do you think is missing?
Regarding the database. I’m hoping to have it online before the end of the month. Trust me, it’s not as easy as you might think to put something like that together, and we want to do it right. The hard part is finding ACCURATE and complete information. But then, that’s why such a database is needed in the first place.
I would say, look for the database BEFORE April 1.
Its hard to gather info and just putting it down when theres no comprehensive location to gather it from. what was needed out of the first round was a starting point. now it can be refined and updated and in a couple more sessions itll be pretty good idea of where people stand who have fought in houston.
Aaron B, Elliot Turner, Eric Elliott, off the top of my head
@Markle – Thanks for the open dialogue, we very much appreciate it!
Keep in mind we are only doing top 5. Below should answer a your questions.
Aaron B – Barringer is ranked 6th in his weight class, and missed being in 5th by .25 points. Since we only do top 5, he was not included.
Elliot Turner – He was also ranked 6th in his weight class, finishing with 6 points (and tied with Hossan Walker)
Eric Elliot – I am not sure why he is not ranked, but I also know that he is not listed in our database. Speaking of that…
About a month ago, we put a call to action, asking for local fighters to send us their info so that they could be included in our database (and considered for our rankings). If you (or he) would use the form we posted a month or so back we’ll get him added. You can find the form here:
http://www.thecagedoor.net/fight-scene/fighters/we-need-your-help-building-houstons-mma-fighter-database
I’d like to add, that there are many fighters who are ranked in the top 10 of their weight class that did not get mentioned. Guys like Hossan Walker, Mike “The Truth” Jackson, Lane Yarbrough, Ken Battle, John Kirk…I could go on and on.
The reason we didn’t do top ten is because not all weight classes have enough fighters to do so…yet. A prime example of that is the need for us to combine the pro 125/135/145 classes. As the scene grows, so will the rankings (and the database).
We will get better as the information gets more accurate. We will need (and are looking forward to having) the help of EVERYONE in the scene to help us with that.
Again, visit this page:
http://www.thecagedoor.net/fight-scene/fighters/we-need-your-help-building-houstons-mma-fighter-database
…and if you are not listed and havent done so already, please send us your information!
Great starting point now the list will build. Who will stay and who will Fall off by the end of 2010? This just made the Houston MMA game more exciting. The question to ask now is are you ranked onthe cage door?
Sam Hoger
Hoger MMA
James the last fight for Eric Elliot in Houston was the Young Gunz fight in 09. The fighters you mentioned all have a common bond. They have all at one point trained with Sam Hoger and yourself. I am happy to see you are supporting your teammates and I encourage you to have them fill out the database information. The Houston scene has grown tremendously in the months since the site was created and I am excited to see what the rest of 2010 has in store for all of us. Sam thank you for the support and I hope more fighters ask where they are ranked on thecagedoor.net !
yeah eric beat me up at young guns. dude is a badass and 3-0 as far as i know. defiantly deserves that 3rd spot.
I want to say thank you for including me in the Top Pound for Pound fighters, as well as making the top 5 in flyweight. I think this is an awesome start at local rankiongs in the Houston, Texas area. Great Job Cagedoor, much respect for your hard work.
Thanks for the update Rich and Barry! It will be interesting to see how these names rise and fall over the upcoming few months with all the fights scheduled.
Just learned that Eric Elliot won a welterweight title fight last night in New Orleans. Congrats. Hopefully fighters will start letting us know when they have title fights so we can report on them.
Hey guys, just as a teaser, I’ve put a sample of what we are going to be doing with the database on this page. Click on Andrew Craig/s name and it will give you an idea.
Taylor Hebert was left off the heavyweights.
Foster Voelker should be in that featherweight ammy list. 3-1 with all 1st round stoppages and his loss by decision in the GFA6 title fight
Congrats to all the fighters listed and those who aren’t there yet. I’m really proud to see mma grow in the Houston area and words can’t say how honored I am to have been listed as #1 p4p. Thanks for all the support from Texas competitors and fans, and to my team members at Gracie Barra.
Great Job Guy’s!!!!!! LOVE IT………….
edgar verdin was not on the 205 and i think he should be in
thanks alot TCD for recognizing me. and thanks for putting a target on my back haha
There is a thread in the forums for anyone who wants to talk about the rankings. Tell us who is missing and why.
http://www.thecagedoor.net/forum/index.php?topic=145.0
i don’t wanna go to the forum i wanna tell you here. Just like a capatilist to redirect you. lol
pretty shitty lists but just my opinion. you guys are capable of much better.
Love the site, any type of exposure for this sport is positive so keep up the good work whoever started this site, the bigger the sport gets the more money ill be makin so i support thecagedoor 100 percent, and shout out to them boys out that team hoger we holdin it down baby!!! and thanks to sam for blessin me with these cold ass hands lol
Okay guys i submitted my info for the database. thank you so much to everybody looking out for me.
Very Nice on the Fighter Profile
@Chuck – Thanks. I’m really happy with the way the database is coming along. It should be a great resource for the scene.
I SHOULD B RANKED ON THE 125LBS LIST I BEAT THE GUY RANKED AT NUMBER 5. GOOGLE ME ALEX MARTINEZ CAGEFIGHTER. BETTER YET COME CHECK OUT TEXAS RAGE IN THE CAGE 7 WEN I FIGHT MAY 8TH
Hey Alex, Thanks for stopping in. As I stated above in my previous comments, please fill out the fighter information form so you can be listed in our database and considered for the rankings.
Thanks and best of luck in May.
guys i’m a 135lb fighter..not 145..would really appreciate it if this error is corrected… much love n respect to this site n every cage fighter.
This is freaking awesome!
I have filled out the fighter database, if i could get a e-mail when the list is updated that would be cool. thanks berry. u should watch my fight u might like it
where is casey hobson???
@Danny – He didn’t meet the criteria, found here:
http://www.thecagedoor.net/rankingsdetails.html
ahh thanx sounds like we need to get him to fight in his hometown then
SAM HOGER AND XTREME MMA IN TEXAS ARE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEW FIGHTERS FOR TEXAS. CHECK OUT OUR UPDATE SOON.
list needs a update!!
@shawn – We update our rankings once per quarter. The next update is scheduled to be released at the beginning of June. STAY TUNED!
I think daniel pineda is 10-6 not no 9-9 …………..
Ok cagedoor enough is enough, Derrick Lewis is not getting the respect he has earned. With only one month and two weeks of training he gets his first fight. We loose against a good fighter Jay Rock out off Urban Jungle badass camp, who has been training for a couple years. Then a few months later we fight Tim Buchanan out of Team Hooger, great camp BADASS. At that time y’all had Tim ranked top five, okay we win hard fight second rd TKO. Then we fight Nick Mitchell, who was ranked #1. Derrick wins TKO second round, then my other fighter Larry Crowe who has been train for only three or four month. Fights Miguel Guerra, badass fighter has lots of experience who y’all also have ranked top five Larry wins TKO first rd. My fighters have fought top fighters with lots of experience, and Derrick isn’t ranked #1 and Larry Crowe is not even ranked. What do my fighters have to do now for respect, and y’all had them loosening all the time. Put my guys experience and put the other guys experience landslide we loose. And we can’t get no respect from y’all, or an interview. God Bless from the Coach Tony SILVERBACK Orozco. All we what is RESPECT guys, my fighters have earned it with pride and hard training
Quite simply at the Dungals Coach I gave you my card again and asked you to contact me before your guys fights to set up an interview. My phone has still not rang. Derrick is ranked # 4 in our Ammy Hwy’s…We do these every quarter. Now that he is a pro he will be ranked in the pro side. These were there pro debut’s…This is a quarterly ranking I am sure you can see why they were not ranked on the pro side yet. Coach I have given my number to you repeatedly . I would hope that from now on you will contact us when your guys fight and wait for the rankings come out before makings assumptions of disrespect. We only want to be a positive force in the Houston area but we need help from coaches and fighters…
lol
Silverback, you want Derrick Lewis to be ranked#1 , after making his debut? So you are telling all of us he should be ahead of Sam Hoger who has faught 3 UFC world champions, and was only seconds away from beating one (Reshad Evans 2nd round , had a deep armbar in as time ran out). You get no respect cause it seams to me like you go around pissing everyone off that wants to cover your guys!