In the fast-paced world of mixed martial arts, rankings are everything. Fighters strive to climb the ladder and prove themselves as the best in their weight class. One weight class that has seen a lot of movement in recent years is the Lightweight division, and in New England, the rankings have just been updated for the Spring 2023 season.
The lightweight division is one of the most exciting and competitive weight classes in all of MMA. Fighters in this division scale out at 155 poundd and they are known for their speed, agility, and technical skills. With so many talented fighters in this weight class, the rankings can change quickly, and the latest update is no exception.
At the top of the rankings is Joe “Skeletor” Giannetti , a veteran fighter with an impressive record of 14 wins and only 4 losses. Giannetti has been a dominant force in the Lightweight Division for years, and shows no signs of slowing down. Riding an impressive 5 fight win streak and even moving up a weight class to become champ-champ at Cage Titans, Giannetti is more than up for any challenge.
Coming in 2nd is “Slippery Pete” Peter Barrett. On a 4 fight win streak and coming off a top contender for Fight of the Year at Cage Titans, Barrett showed he is at the top of the Lightweight scene here in New England. Barrett continues to prove it is always must see action when he steps into the cage, finishing his last 4 fights before the final bell.
Ali Zebian drops a few spots after a hard fight and loss to number 7 Jacob Bohn. Zebian was riding a 5 fight win streak before the loss with wins over Peter Barrett and Dylan Salvador. As well as wins in big spots for promotions like Bellator and PFL Challenger Series. That win streak was halted by Jacob “Jaguar” Bohn as Bohn sucessfully followed up another a big win over Jay Bakanowski. Bohn brought the heat in th highly anticipated match up with Zebian and was able to sink in a Guillotine Choke to finish the fight. Bohn returns to action May 27th against Zach DiSabatino.
Speaking of DiSabatino, He will have all the momentum behind him, as he on a 6 fight win streak. Only needing 24 seconds to win his last outing, DiSabatino has been on a tear since his last loss. With the title picture changing constantly, the winner of this next matchup with Bohn could bear title implications.
Some new names on the list are Ross Dannar, Gerry Meuse, and Brendon Marotte.
Newly ranked at number 8 Dannar trains at Nostos MMA and has had 2 tough fights for his entry into the pro level. Able to be successful at both and put on amazing fights has made Dannar a local rising star. Dannar seems to love round 3 as both of his KO/TKO’s come in third since making the pro leap.
Rounding out the list at number 10, Gerry Meuse has definitely entered the scene in a big way! Since these rankings were released Meuse recorded his second career victory via Twister Submission, which is hands down one of the hardest to lock in. For comparison, there have only ever been 2 total Twister submissions in the UFC in the last 30 years. Meuse did it in 5 months. A showman inside and out of the cage he is known for his amazing walkouts featuring his infamous Captain America shield, choreographed dancing and more. Keep an eye on Meuse as he continues to accend the rankings.
Brendon Marrotte busted back onto the scene for the first time since January 2020 with a massive win over Dion Rubio. Marrotte comes in 5th here amongst Lightweights but will likely return to Featherweight before we see him ranked again.
Lastly, a name to always keep an eye on is Mohammad Al Kinani comes in at number 9 on the list. This man, the other half of the “Fight of the Year” Contender with Peter Barrett where he proved he can be in there with the best of them and deserves a spot in this top 10 list. Al Kinani's next fight is for NEF on July 8th In Portland Maine against Jesse Erickson as he looks to begin his climb back to the top of this list.
