The NAAFS has released its inaugural rankings for the 2012 amateur season, and many familiar names are part of the rankings.

Multiple defending champions have returned atop the rankings to begin the 2012 season, including heavyweight Jeff Hughes (10-2) and light heavyweight Tommy Deroia (7-0).

The fight card at “Fight Nite in the Flats 8″ was pivotal in deciding the inaugural rankings, as many fighters who won at the event are atop the rankings in their respective divisions, including Hughes, middleweight John Antanitis (7-3), welterweight Josh Krizan (5-1), and bantamweight Tyler Saltsman (8-4).

The NAAFS rankings determine the four semifinalists for the organization’s national amateur tournament, which will begin in October before the finals take place at “Night of Champions” in late November or early December.

The inaugural 2012 rankings:

Heavyweight (206 to 265 lbs):

1-Jeff Hughes 10-2 (Evolve MMA)
2-Jay Olson 5-1 (Evolve MMA)
3- Windom Craig 5-2 (Strong Style Fight Team)
4- James Rankin 4-3 (KomArts)
5- Adib Nour 2-0 (Dojo Fight Club)

Others Receiving Votes: Tim Miller

Light Heavyweight (186 to 205 lbs):

1-Tommy Deroia 7-0 (Evolve MMA)
2- Wayne Lanum 6-0 (Buckeye Academy)
3- Dan Stevenson 3-0 (Dojo Fight Club)
4- Tony Hodges 3-3 (Team Prototype)
5- Damian Reighard 1-0 (Instigator Fight Team)

Middleweight (171 to 185 lbs):

1- John Antanitis 7-3 (Penn Hill MMA)
2- Shane Holbert 6-1 (Independent)
3- Steve Burton 7-3 (Evolve MMA)
4- John Burbol 5-5 (Griffon Rawl)
5- JT Miller 2-0 (Strong Style Fight Team)

Others Receiving Votes: Chad Catri

Welterweight (156 to 170 lbs):

1- Josh Krizan 5-1 (Wrestling Factory Cleveland)
2- Josh Lasich 4-1 (Evolve MMA)
3- Emmanuel Kangah 3-1 (True Roots MMA)
4- Grant Hoppel 10-5 (Independent)
5- Dave Lastafka 6-1 (Vanyo Fight Team)

Others Receiving Votes: Jared Zarlingo, Niles Hootman

Lightweight (146 to 155 lbs):

1- Nick Browne 3-0 (Uniontown Fight Club)
2- Adam Bosley 5-2 (Uniontown Fight Club)
3- Fadi Shuman 2-0 (Mad Dog Fight Team)
4- Josh Kallai 3-2 (Evolve MMA)
5- Devonte Smith 2-1 (Brickhouse MMA)

Others Receiving Votes: Dave Graf

Featherweight (136 to 145 lbs):

1- Wes Hanson 7-0 (Hiles MMA)
2- Dominic Mazzotta 5-1 (Ed Vincent MMA/Cho’s Taekwondo/The Mat Factory)
3- Eric Gifford 4-1 (Brickhouse MMA)
4- Vince Bullard 3-1 (Evolve MMA)
5- Mike Velasquez 5-2 (USA Martial Arts)

Bantamweight (126 to 135 lbs):

1- Tyler Saltsman 8-4 (Team Titan)
2- Jerrell Hodge 4-1 (Brickhouse MMA)
3- Shane Valko 5-0 (The Mat Factory)
4- Cody Garbrandt 5-2 (Strong Style Fight Team)
5- Ryan Arce 4-1 (Evolve MMA)

Others Receiving Votes: Seth Shaffer

Female (pound for pound):

1- Allanna Jones 3-2 (American Muscle MMA)
2- Norma Rueda 4-0 (Cenrockda Siam Muay Thai Attack Force)
3- Sarah McLeod 5-5-1 (Mid-America Martial Arts)
4- Chandra Engel 8-7 (American Muscle MMA)
5- Ashley Rickard 4-2 (Sud’n Impact)

Others Receiving Votes: Rebecca Gruitza, Ashley Hawkins, Rachel Sazoff, Amber Ignotowski