Updated Super Lightweight Rankings 8/1/2014

There is some shake up in the rankings this time around. Ross reclaims the number one spot he held a few years ago after his current three fight win streak that ended with him winning the Lion Fight Super Lightweight World Title. Former number one ranked Sean Kearney falls to number two and Matt Embree falls from two to three.

The super lightweight division in North America is stacked and any of these top five fighters can have an argument made for them that they deserve to be ranked higher. It will be interesting to see how the divisions sorts out in the next few months.
 

1. Kevin Ross (20-10) (@DaSoulAssassin)

Ross has been on a tear as of late. He has now rattled off three consecutive wins, including his latest dominant decision victory over Australia’s Michael “Tomahawk” Thompson which won him the Lion Fight Super Lightweight Championship. Ross also evened the score with Matt Embree by taking a split decision back in February, and in May scored a (T)KO over up and comer Chris Mauceri. With Ross now the Lion Fight champion there are a slew of possible match ups so it will be interesting to see who the promotion chooses for Ross to defend his title against first.

2. Sean Kearney (25-9)

After earning a huge win over Matt Embree in September of 2013 Kearney headed back to Thailand. He decided to jump back up to 147 pounds to take on Thai powerhouse Singmanee Kaewsamrit. Kearney has currently been out of action since the loss to Singmanee in December of 2013. Kearney will be competing on the Max Muay Thai event taking place on August 3^rd against Sanpetch Kiatpetchnoi in Thailand.

3. Matt Embree (25-6) (@Muay_Matics)

Embree has gone 1-2 in his last three bouts, although his two losses have been narrow and to the two men currently ranked above him. He dropped a split a split decision to Sean Kearney at PKP “World Stand Off 5” in September of 2013, then got back on the winning track in October of 2013 by winning a one sided decision against Zhang Haishun at Foshan Championships in China. Most recently he dropped a split decision to Kevin Ross at Lion Fight in February. He is currently set to fight Justin Greskiewicz in September at USKA Fight Night.

4. Gabriel Varga (10-2) 

Varga followed up a solid showing at the Glory 8 featherweight tournament (Super Lightweight) with a win over Jose Palacios at Glory 11 in Chicago and just recently won the Glory featherweight tournament at Glory 17 in Los Angeles. He defeated Yodkhunpon Sitmonchai and Shane Oblonsky by decision. Currently under contract to Glory it is unknown when Varga will compete again.

5. Hakeem Dawodu (7-0) 

Dawodu has run his pro record to 7-0 and most recently defeated Junpei Hiari by (T)KO and and Sam Samut by decision. Dawodu has started to dabble in MMA, hopefully for Muay Thai and Kickboxing fans this young talent does not fully transition to MMA because it he is definitely someone that could be sitting at the top of these rankings in years to come. His next Muay Thai bout is currently unkown. .

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and be active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.

Updated Light Heavyweight Rankings 4-13-2014

Simon Marcus continues to sit on top of the Light Heavyweight Rankings as he has for the past two years. Joe Schilling is no longer in the number two slot as he has been bumped up to the Cruiserweight Rankings after competing in Glory’s 187lb Middleweight division.  

Stephen Richards comes back into the rankings after a lengthy absence due to inactivity and replaces Schilling. Robert Thomas enters the rankings for the first time, and both Alex Berrios and Andrew Kapel move down one spot each due to their recent two fight skids.

1. Simon Marcus (39-0-1)
Simon Marcus has all but cemented himself into the number one slot for the 175lb rankings. The only mark on his record that is not a win is a controversial draw with Chidi Njokuani in September of 2013. In 2014 he is already 3-0 including a hard fought decision win over recent Glory signee Israel Adesanya and a knockout of Vehas TopKing. There are a slew of interesting fights for Marcus including a potential re-match with Artem Levin, but the bout that would get everyone excited would be the UK’s Steve Wakeling. If it will happen only time will tell, but right now Marcus sits perched on top of the Light Heavyweight Rankings and it doesn’t seem he will be coming down anytime soon. He is expected to compete for Glory in their upcoming Glory Middleweight Tournament and it will be interesting how losing some of his best weapons (clinch and elbows) and moving back up to 187lbs will affect Marcus.
 

2. Stephen Richards (8-2-1)
Stephen Richard has been one of North America’s best kept Muay Thai secrets for quite some time now. He is well rounded and full of grit, the problem is fight fans don’t get to see him fight very often. 2013 was his most active year in recent memory and he only had two fights that year. He defeated Alex Berrios and Glen Spencer, both by decision. If Richards can remain more active in 2014 and for the remainder of his career Muay Thai fans will definitely be well aware of who he is.

3. Robert Thomas (6-0)
Thomas has scored some big wins in the past few months. He bested Andrew Kapel by unanimous decision at Round Kick Rumble XXI. He most recently scored a (T)KO victory over Tarek Rached in New York at Friday Night Fights. The Mas Thai Boxing product is only 20 years old and like many of his Canadian counter parts that have climbed to the top of the North American scene it seems like the sky is the limit for him.
  

4. Alex Berrios (9-4)
Alex Berrios is known as one of North America’s best technicians. He has been in the ring with some of North America’s top fighters and has always shown to be a worthy opponent. In addition to his excellent technique, Berrios has shown he possesses fight ending power in his strikes which makes him that much more exciting to watch. Berrios has recently hit a two fight skid, the first time this has ever happened in his career. Both of his losses were by decision to solid opponents in Stephen Richards and Brett Hlavacek. Berrios doesn’t have a return date to the ring yet, but when he does there is no doubt that he will be ready to step in against whoever is placed in front of him. 

5. Andrew Kapel (10-5)
Kapel is another one of North America’s talents that would be more widely recognized if he was able to stay more active. The Minnesota based fighter has dropped his last two bouts. The first was in the semi-finals of the Road to Glory tournament last year in an extra round decision and most recently at Round Kick Rumble XXI where he lost a unanimous decision to Robert Thomas.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters that compete in two weight classes will be assigned a weight class that they compete in regularly or hold a major title in. Fighters that are born outside North America, become eligible once they have permanently resided in North America for two years and are actively fighting on the North American fight circuit.
 

*If you are currently ranked in a weight class and would like to switch weight classes please notify Rankings@MuayThaiAuthority.com. Switching weight classes does not guarantee you will be ranked in the new weight class.

Updated Super Lightweight Rankings 10/29/2013

Some shake up in the rankings since the last update. After putting together a 4-1 record in the last few months including a victory over Matt Embree, Sean Kearney jumps up to the number one spot. Matt Embree, Kevin Ross, and Gabriel Varga who were all ranked above Kearney all drop down one spot, while Hakeem Dawodu holds firm at number five.
 

1. Sean Kearney (25-8)

After some short notice fights at 147lbs it seems Sean Kearney returned to his preferred weight class at 140lbs. The lengthy Canadian scored the biggest win of his career when he took home a split decision over former number one ranked fighter Matt Embree at PKP “World Stand Off 5”. With the win and a 4-1 run in his last five fights, Kearney jumps to the top spot. There are several rumors floating around as to who Kearney might fight next but nothing is set yet. One fight that Kearney as his team have expressed interested in is a bout with Kevin Ross, but only time will tell who he will fight next.
 

2. Matt Embree (25-5)

 After scoring the biggest win of his career at Lion Fight 10 against Kevin Ross, Embree dropped a split decision to Sean Kearney at PKP “World Stand Off 5”. He jumped back on the winning track on October 25th by winning a one sided decision against Zhang Haishun at Foshan Championships. Embree’s next fight is not currently scheduled.

 

3. Kevin Ross (17-10) (@DaSoulAssassin)

After starting the year off 2-0, Ross has dropped his last two fights. Both of his losses came by decision, unanimous against Matt Embree and most recently a split decision against Tetsuya Yamato at Lion Fight 11. There are many interesting match ups for Ross, with one of the most interesting in the North American circuit being against Sean Kearney. Ross’s next fight date is unknown, but we should expect it to be against a quality opponent, a fight fans have been talking about for a while would be against Liam Harrison, but only time will tell if that will happen.
 

4. Gabriel Varga (8-2) 

Varga had a solid showing at the Glory 8 featherweight tournament winning his first bout against Abdellah Ezbiri by decision before dropping a decision to eventual tournament winner Yuta Kubo in the semi-finals. He most recently defeated Jose Palacios at Glory 11 in Chicago. He won a unanimous decision after three rounds.

 

5. Hakeem Dawodu (5-0) 

Dawodu turned pro earlier this year after a stellar amateur career. Dawodu has pushed his pro record to 5-0 after winning an 8-man one night tournament in Trinidad & Tobago. Unfortunately for Dawodu he has had a streak of bad luck that has forced his last four scheduled fights to be cancelled.

 

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and be active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.

Updated Super Middleweight Rankings 10/14/2013

Only one change since the last super middleweight rankings update. Previous number two ranked Joseph Valtellini jumps tot he number one spot after his huge win over Karim Ghajii at Glory 11. Valtellini has now won four consecutive fights, three of them under Glory. All three of his wins in Glory have come by (T)KO. 

Former number one Gregory Choplin drops to the number two spot in the rankings after going 1-1 in the last year.

1. Joseph Valtellini (10-1) (@BazookaJoeV)

Since suffering the first loss of his career over a year ago to Gregory Choplin, Valtellini has been on a tear. Now on a four fight win streak with his most recent victory being a very impressive stoppage of Karim Ghajji at Glory 11 it is safe to say that “Bazooka Joe” has arrived. While a re-match with Choplin would be nice it seems like Valtellini has his eyes set on currently Glory #1 Nieky Holzken. Rumors are that Valtellini will be participating in the Glory 4-man tournament in Japan at the end of the year, which could lead to the match up with Holzken.

2. Gregory Choplin (56-11)

Since the last update the Miami based Choplin has gone 1-1 with his loss coming at the hands of Yodsanklai Fairtex by (T)KO at Lion Fight 8. What is next for Choplin is currently unknown. Recently a scheduled bout in France against Duochonlek fell through for this past September.

3. Francois Ambang (9-3)

After winning the Road to Glory tournament Ambang was chopped down by Joseph Valtellini leg kicks in his official Glory debut. Despite the setback, Ambang is a dangerous fighter with KO power. His next fight is currently unknown, but it shouldn’t be long before we see this heavy hitter back in the ring.

4. Brett Hlavacek (7-1) (@BrettXThreat)

Hlavacek rebounded from his first career loss in the Road to Glory tournament with a unanimous decision win over Paul Marfort at Glory 9. Hlavacek is one of the east coast’s top up and coming fighters. It should be interesting to see who he fights next, the right fight could really put Hlavacek on the map for fans not familiar with the east coast striking scene.

5. Anthony Nieves (7-3)

Nieves has suffered back to back losses for the first time in his career. He lost a decision to Steve Hall at Bangkok Fight Night GP this past September and lost another decision to Marcus Fisher in the quarterfinals of the Road to Glory USA welterweight tournament this past March. Nieves was set to re-match Hall at Bangkok Fight Night: All Stars, but the event was cancelled. When he will step in the ring again is unknown.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and be active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.   

Updated North American P4P Rankings 7/5/2013

Some changes to the pound for pound rankings since the last update. Spots one though six go unchanged, Andrew Tate and Shane Campbell each move up one slot to take the seven and eight positions. Joseph Valtellini and Michael Mananquil re-enter the pound for pound rankings at nine and ten. After a three fight losing streak Romie Adanza slides off the rankings, and after a 1-3 stretch Joe Schilling falls off the rankings as well.

1. Simon Marcus (34-0) (@SimonMarcusNo1)
After jumping becoming the number one light heavyweight in the world Marcus has fought twice. He first defeated Dmitry Valent in China by decision and most recently Suriya Prasathinphimai by decision in Thailand. The “Bad Bwoy” is rumored to be fighting on the next Push Kick Promotions card in September, but no opponent has been named for him as of yet. The match up fans want to see is Simon Marcus vs. Steven Wakeling, but other interesting matches would be against Damian Bujan of Argentina, or L'houcine "Aussie" Ouzgni

2. Ky Hollenbeck (15-2-1)
Hollenbeck has clearly established himself as the top name from the United States. Most recently he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan in the Glory Final 8 when he suffered a knee injury in the second round. Aside from a knockdown in round one, Hollenbeck was going toe-to-toe with Petrosyan. His unique style has served him well in his career, earning (T)KO victories over Michael Corley and Cyrus Washington earlier in the year. When he will be back in action is unknown yet as he had to undergo surgery to repair his ACL, but you can be certain that Hollenbeck will only be involved in big fights.

3. Gregory Choplin (55-10)
Now based out of Miami, Choplin was riding a nice four fight win streak before being knocked out by Yodsanklai at Lion Fight 8 this past January. Since then Choplin got back on the winning track with a decision victory over Gil Silva. Choplin is expected to fight Thai fighter Duochonlek at WBC World Muay Thai Millennium Championship this upcoming September in France. 

4. Matt Embree (23-4) (@MT_Matics)
Embree saw his first action of 2013 at Push Kick Promotions “World Stand Off” where he defeated Ben Yelle by unanimous decision. Known for his technical style, “Matics” has expressed interest in fighting only the best. Embree will battle Kevin Ross at Lion Fight 10 to end the debate of who the best 140lb fighter is in North America. The fight will be televised on AXS TV.

5. Kevin Ross (19-8) (@DaSoulAssassin)
Ross returned from ACL surgery in January to take home a unanimous decision over Chris Kwiatkowski at Lion Fight 8. In his most recent at Lion Fight 9 he went the distance against Bernie Mendieta and pulled out a razor thin split decision. With two fights under his belt now Ross will take on Matt Embree in a fight that fans have been asking for. The winner will undoubtedly be considered the best 140lb fighter in North America.

6. Chike Lindsay (19-4)
Lindsay is currently riding a five fight win streak which includes wins over Muay Thai legend Somluck Kamsing and Christophe Pruvost. Lindsay scored a (T)KO over James Martinez at Bangkok Fight Night “Shockwave” in his most recent win. Lindsay is one of America’s best talents and will be put to the test when he faces Yodsanklai Fairtex at Lion Fight 10 on July 26^th. If Lindsay can pull out a victory over a legend like Yodsanklai his stock would rise tremendously.

7. Andrew Tate (17-3-1) (@CobraTate)
American Andrew Tate has been based out of England for quite some time now and has made his name fighting internationally. After losing in the finals of the Enfusion tournament this past December, Tate has now won back to back fights. His most recent win coming
 at the Enfusion London event in which he defeated Marlon Hunt in a decisive unanimous decision. His next fight is currently not known, but should continue to be a main stay for Enfusion.

8. Shane Campbell (49-10) (@ShaolinStyleMMA)
Shane Campbell has gone 5-0 since returning to Muay Thai after a three year hiatus. In January he defeated Remy Bonnel by unanimous decision at Lion Fight 9, he then defeated Sean McKinnon by unanimous decision to win the Journey Fight Series 160lb tournament in March. His most recent win came over Justin Greskiewicz at the K-1 qualifiers in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He stopped Greskiewicz with knees in the first round. Campbell’s next bout is currently unknown.

9. Joseph Valtellini (9-1) (@BazookaJoeV)
Valtellini is currently on a three fight win streak and is 2-0 since joining the Glory ranks. After earning an impressive stoppage of veteran Murat Direkci at Glory 6 in Istanbul, Valtellini scored a stoppage over Francois Ambang due to leg kicks at Glory 9 in New York. One of the sports brightest young talents, Valtellini is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with and a fan favorite. His next bout is currently unknown but is expected to be for Glory.

10. Michael Mananquil (19-4)
Michael Mananquil is now 5-0 since moving to the 154lb division. He most recently won the Road to Glory USA 154lb tournament. Despite being known as a technical fighter, Mananquil has shown that he is not afraid to let the leather fly and get involved in an all out war. One of the most intriguing fights at 154 would be against Chike Lindsay. Currently Mananquil’s next fight is unknown but will take most likely take place for Glory when he makes is official debut for them.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and are active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.

Updated North American Super Welterweight Rankings 5/23/2013

Since the last update three fighters were in action. Michael Mananquil won the 154lb Road to Glory USA tournament, Bryce Krause defeated Douglas Edwards at M-One "Reborn", and Cyrus Washington lost in the opening round of the 154lb Road to Glory USA tournament. The only move in the rankings is Bryce Krause moving up to number four after his win, while Cyrus Washington drops to number five after his loss.

1. Chike Lindsay (18-4)
Lindsay is currently on a five fight win streak that includes victories over the likes of Somluck Kamsing, Malaipet Sasiprapa, and Cyrus Washington. The Atlanta based fighter has clearly established himself as one of the top North American fighters in the last year. His next fight will easily be the toughest test of his career as he is slated to fight Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai Fairtex at Lion Fight 10 on July 26th. A win by Lindsay against Yodsanklai would be huge not only for his career for the sport in North America.

2. Michael Mananquil (19-4)
Michael Mananquil is now 5-0 since jumping up to 154lbs. He most recently won the Road to Glory USA 154lb tournament. Despite being known as a technical fighter, Mananquil has shown that he is not afraid to let the leather fly and get involved in an all out war. One of the most intriguing fights at 154 would be against Chike Lindsay.

3. Luis Bio (11-4) (@LuisBio1)
Bio last won at WCK Muay Thai’s  “Matter of Pride” event this past November where he won a unanimous decision over Zhipeng Zhou. Bio has easily established himself as the best fighter out Mexico in the last few years. In his most recent bout he dropped a decision to Zhipeng Zhou in the Wu Lin Feng 154lb 8-man tournament in China this past December. His next fight is currently unknown 

4. Bryce Krause (10-4-1)
Krause returned to action for the first time since September of 2012 and bounced back with a decision win over Douglas Edwards. Krause showed a technical counter game to score points. What was most impressing was his accuracy, he was on point with this striking and being known for his heavy hands this just adds another dangerous aspect to his game. 

 5. Cyrus Washington (51-22-1) (@BlackDynamiteMT) 

After winning back to back fights Washington was eliminated in the opening round of the Road to Glory 154lb tournament by Troy Sheridan. Washington's next bout is currently unknown but earlier this year Take-On Productions announced they had inked Washington to a deal so his return could be for them.

  

^{Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and are active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.}    

Updated North American P4P Rankings 3/25/2013

There has been some shake up in our P4P rankings since the last update in November. Michael Mananquil, Eddie Walker, and Jesse Miles have all fallen off the rankings, while Andrew Tate, Chike Lindsay, and Kevin Ross all enter the rankings. Tate and Lindsay enter the rankings for the first time although both have been established top level competitors for quite some time. Ross makes his return to the rankings after previously having fallen off due to inactivity. Still holding the number one spot is Simon Marcus. After his most recent victory over Artem Levin, Marcus has silenced any doubters.
 

1. Simon Marcus (32-0) (@SimonMarcusNo1)
Marcus laid claim to not only being the number one North American fighter, but the best light heavyweight in the world with his recent win over Artem Levin at Lion Fight 9. He has proven that his game in the clinch is nearly unstoppable, and right now it seems his next challenge lies in the UK’s Steve Wakeling. No word on when the “Bad Bwoy” will fight next or against whom, but if it isn’t against Steve Wakeling other interesting matches would be against Damian Bujan of Argentina, or L'houcine "Aussie" Ouzgni. .
 

2. Ky Hollenbeck (15-2-1)
Hollenbeck has clearly established himself as the top name from the United States. Most recently he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan in the Glory Final 8 when he suffered a knee injury in the second round. Aside from a knockdown in round one, Hollenbeck was going toe-to-toe with Petrosyan. His unique style has served him well in his career, earning (T)KO victories over Michael Corley and Cyrus Washington earlier in the year. When he will be back in action is unknown yet as he had to undergo surgery to repair his ACL, but you can be certain that Hollenbeck will only be involved in big fights.
 

3. Gregory Choplin (55-10)
Now based out of Miami, Choplin was riding a nice four fight win streak before being knocked out by Yodsanklai at Lion Fight 8 this past January. Since then Choplin got back on the winning track with a decision victory over Gil Silva. There is no word when Choplin’s next bout will take place, but with his fight anyone personality don’t be surprised to see continuously see Choplin in the ring with big names.
 

4. Matt Embree (23-4)
Embree saw his first action of 2013 at Push Kick Promotions “World Stand Off” where he defeated Ben Yelle by unanimous decision. Known for his technical style, “Matics” has expressed interest in fighting only the best. Right now the bout everyone seems to be talking about is Embree vs. Kevin Ross and it seems that it could happen sooner than later, although his next bout is not confirmed just yet.
 

5. Kevin Ross (19-8) (@DaSoulAssassin)
Ross returned from ACL surgery in January to take home a unanimous decision over Chris Kwiatkowski at Lion Fight 8. In his most recent at Lion Fight 9 he went the distance against Bernie Mendieta and pulled out a razor thin split decision. With two fights under his belt now a fight against Matt Embree seems to be what many fans are asking for now. Although the next fight for Ross is not set yet, he is expected to be back in action under the Lion Fight banner come May.
 

6. Chike Lindsay (19-4)
Lindsay is currently riding a four fight win streak which includes wins over Muay Thai legend Somluck Kamsing and Christophe Pruvost. Lindsay out pointed Somluck in his most recent victory to take home the decision and is now scheduled to fight James Martinez at Bangkok Fight Night “Shockwave”. Lindsay is one of America’s best talents and is also expected to be in action in Thailand later this year.
 

7. Romie Adanza (13-4)
The exciting Adanza has been in a rough patch as of late, after losses in Muay Thai and K-1. A controversial decision loss in his rematch with Thanit Whattanaya was the first, while a second in K-1, originally set to face Andy Howson for a rematch; Adanza's opponent was changed to a re-match with Shuichi Wentz when Howson was forced to withdraw due to injury. Wentz ended Adanza’s night 23 seconds into the fight when he connected with a perfectly time head kick. Adanza will look to right the ship when he steps into the erring against Jomhod Sigami at M-One “Reborn” this upcoming May 16th.
 

8. Andrew Tate (16-3-1) (@CobraTate)
American Andrew Tate has been based out of England for quite some time now and has made his name fighting internationally. In December he came up short in the finals for the Enfusion tournament. He most recently defeated Vincent Petitjean in France and is currently scheduled to fight Marino Schouten on the upcoming Enfusion fight card in England on March 30th.

9. Shane Campbell (48-10) (@ShaolinStyleMMA)
Shane Campbell has gone 4-0 since returning to Muay Thai after a three year hiatus. In January he defeated Remy Bonnel by unanimous decision at Lion Fight 9, and most recently he defeated Sean McKinnon by unanimous decision to win the Journey Fight Series 160lb tournament. What is currently next for Campbell is unknown, but a fight against top opposition should be expected.

10. Joe Schilling (13-5)
2012 was a rough year in the ring for Schilling. After his dominating win over Kaoklai to end 2011, Schilling went 1-3. Two of those losses were to Simon Marcus back to back. He then defeated Karapet Karapetchyan by decision at Battle of the Belts in Thailand, while most recently taking a KO loss to Eddie Walker at Lion Fight 8. Schilling was set to fight Edwin Aguilar at Lion Fight 9 but was not licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He now expected to return to action at Lion Fight’s May show against Edwin Aguilar.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighters must be born in North America or permanently reside in North America and are active in the North American fight circuit are eligible for the rankings.

Updated North America P4P Rankings 11/20/2012

Since our last update in March to the P4P rankings, there has been a lot of shake up. Simon Marcus takes the number 1 spot, while new entrants Eddie Walker, Shane Campbell and Gregory Choplin join the ranks. Michael Mananquil returns to the list after a successful comeback following a year long layoff. Falling out of the rankings is Joseph Valtellini following a loss to Choplin, Chaz Mulkey after going 1-2 in his last three, Josh Palmer after three consecutive losses, and Kevin Ross after being inactive for one year (Ross will become eligible for the rankings again following his next fight).
 

1. Simon Marcus (28-0)
It has been a huge year for Marcus as he has established his dominating presence in the North American Muay Thai scene. Marcus has not competed since his second victory over Joe Schilling at Lion Fight Muay Thai VI. In the re-match, the “Bad Bwoy” hit the canvas in the first round but rallied back to win a majority decision. A bout with Artem Levin in June was scrapped, but now is scheduled to take place December 21st in Russia after the previously announced November date was postponed. Before Marcus can focus on Levin he will have to get past Sadibou Sy at MTIA: In Honor of the King on December 1st in Los Angeles. It should prove to be a good test for Marcus after several months off.
 

2. Ky Hollenbeck (15-2-1)
Hollenbeck has clearly established himself as the top name from the United States. Most recently he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan in the Glory Final 8 when he suffered a knee injury in the second round. Aside form a knockdown in round one, Hollenbeck was going toe-to-toe with Petrosyan. His unique style has served him well in his career, earning (T)KO victories over Michael Corley and Cyrus Washington earlier in the year. When he will be back in action is unknown yet, but expect nothing but big fights for Hollenbeck from now on.

3. Gregory Choplin (54-9)
With Choplin permanently residing in the U.S. now, he becomes eligible for the rankings. Choplin is currently riding a four-fight winning streak with his latest win coming via decision over Joseph Valtellini at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7. Choplin is a serious threat to anyone in the 160-165lb weight range. His next fight is currently unknown.

 

 

 

4. Matt Embree (22-4)
Embree has had a solid 2012 campaign, establishing himself as one of the best in his weight class in North America. The Siam no. 1 fighter has gone 3-1 in 2012 with his only loss coming by decision to Lerdsila Chumpairtour. He most recently defeated Nate Smandych by unanimous decision at Journey Fight Series VIII. He is expected to face Greg Wooton at MTIA: In Honor of the King on December 1st in Los Angeles.

 

5. Romie Adanza (13-4)
The exciting Adanza has been in a rough patch as of late, after losses in Muay Thai and K-1. A controversial decision loss in his rematch with Thanit Whattanaya was the first, while a second in K-1, originally set to face Andy Howson for a rematch, Adanza's opponent was changed to a re-match with Shuichi Wentz when Howson was forced to withdraw due to injury. Wentz ended Adanza’s night 23 seconds into the fight when he connected with a perfectly time head kick. Adanza’s next bout is currently unknown, but a re-match with Andy Howson is something fans have been looking forward to.

6. Eddie Walker (9-1-1) (@EddieShowtime)
Walker punched his way into the rankings with a short right hand. Despite having been knocked down twice and being clearly behind on the score cards, he was able to rally and knock out Joe Schilling at Lion Fight Muay Thai 7. Knocking out one of the top names in America now opens up some possibilities for the fighter out of Georgia. Whether a re-match with Schilling or a crack at someone like Simon Marcus, fans are curious to see if Walker can power his way to the top. Was it a lucky punch as his detractors seem to think or does he really have dynamite in those fists as his supporters are stating? Regardless of what happens next, all eyes are going to be on Eddie Walker. 

7. Joe Schilling (13-4)
It has been a rough year in the ring for Schilling. After his dominating win over Kaoklai to end 2011, Schilling has gone 1-3, with two losses to Simon Marcus. He then defeated Karapet Karapetchyan by decision at Battle of the Belts in Thailand, while most recently taking a KO loss to Eddie Walker. What’s next for Schilling is not known, but a potential re-match with Walker in the future is something that might be a possibility.

 

8. Jesse Miles (14-3)
Miles hasn’t competed since exciting knockout victory over Wattana Sit Jor at the Jawbreaker 3 event in Canada. The win followed his run on the TV reality show :"The Challenger Muaythai." Currently Miles next fight is still to be determined, although in the last year he has taken some high profile fights and fans shouldn’t be surprised if that happens once again.

 

 

9. Shane Campbell (46-10) (@ShaolinStyleMMA)
Campbell returned to Muay Thai after nearly a three year hiatus to focus on MMA. He was a last minute replacement for the Journey Fight Series 160lb tournament. In the opening round he scored a knockout of Nate Chambers, then defeated Troy Sheridan in the tournament semi-finals by decision to advance to the finale against Sean McKinnon in 2013. Campbell’s aggressive style and powerful punching is something his opponents need to take note of. Currently there is no word if he will take a Muay Thai or Kickboxing bout before he meets McKinnon in March.

10. Michael Mananquil (22-4)
Mananquil returned to action in 2012 after a year-long layoff. His first fight back was against arguably the best fighter from Mexico, Luis Bio. Despite moving up to 154lbs, Mananquil was able to score a (T)KO in the third round via a cut. He then faced Scotty Leffler at the K-1: Los Angeles event where he won a decision over Leffler in a very exciting fight. Mananquil showed he can fight a technical fight or let the leather sling, if needed. With Mananquil seeming like he might be permanently making the move from 147lbs to 154lbs. A re-match with Shane Campbell might be an interesting possibility. Campbell handed Mananquil the first loss of his career. His next fight is yet unknown but there are many possibilities for him.

Rankings qualification - Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts are all taken into consideration for the rankings. These rankings are not only based on Muay Thai Fights as many fighters compete in both full rules Muay Thai and Kickboxing bouts. Fighters are not to be inactive for any period longer than 12 months or they will be dropped from the rankings unless a fight is schedule within a month from the date they become ineligible. Fighter's that compete in two weight classes will be assigned a weight class that they compete in regularly or hold a major title in. Fighters that permanently reside in North America are eligible for the rankings.

*If you are currently ranked in a weight class and would like to switch weight classes please notify Rankings@MuayThaiAuthority.com. Switching weight classes does not guarantee you will be ranked in the new weight class.