Lightweight Rankings

1. BJ Penn (14-5): This former UFC Welterweight Champion and current 3-time UFC Welterweight Champion has proven a lot on this sport. He is a very dangerous fighter: On the feet, he will beat you up with his excellent boxing, and if you take it to the ground he has world class Jiu-Jitsu. B.J. Penn is a very difficult fight for anyone and has physical and technical abilities that few other fighters’ posses.

2. Shinya Aoki (22-4): The DREAM Lightweight Champion. Arguably the best Lightweight grappler in the world. He is a master on the ground and unfortunately is the only aspect of the game that we have seen him excel so greatly. His ground game is so good that it is the only weapon he uses to dominate and finish his opponent. Since he has an excellent takedown, the odds are that at some point the fight will go to the ground.

3. Eddie Alvarez (18-2): Eddie is one of the most well rounded LW fighters out there. He is the current Bellator FC Champion and is a threat everywhere the fight goes. He has good submissions, good striking and excellent conditioning. His heart is one of his biggest weapons as he won’t give up no matter what happens.

4. Gray Maynard (8-0): Criticized for not finishing fights, Gray has shown amazing evolution and incredible perseverance in the Octagon. Gray has been working extensively on his stand up and focusing on that to try to finish fights, but his bread and butter is his wrestling and whenever he feels threatened he will use that weapon to dominate the fight. Gray is very close to receiving a title shot at the Lightweight Championship of the UFC as he is 6-0 in the UFC, which is a very impressive thing to do.

5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (25-5): Kawajiri is one of the toughest lightweights out there. His striking is excellent and his ground game is excellent as well. He is so effecting striking from top position on the ground that he got the nickname ‘Crusher’. Tatsuya just came off a dominant win against Melchor Manibusan a fighter not of his same caliber; however he has had an amazing run at the lightweight division and ranks amongst the best.

6. Kenny Florian (11-4): A very dangerous finisher, Kenny Florian has failed twice to capture the UFC Lightweight Championship. He now needs to reassess how he will come back to the top and get another opportunity again. Kenny is a very dangerous fighter with a strong grappling base and now improved Muay Thai skills. He is dangerous wherever the fight goes and shows patience and effectiveness when fighting.

7. Frankie Edgar (10-1): Frankie is one of the toughest fighters out there. Impressive wins over Sean Sherk, Hermes Franca, Spencer Fisher, Mark Boceck, Tyson Griffin and Jim Miller proves his legitimacy. He has second to none conditioning a strong pace and is a very well rounded fighter.

8. Josh Thomson (16-2): This ‘Punk’ is boasting a 8-fight winning streak including a victory over former top 10 Gilbert Melendez to steal the Strikeforce Lightweight title from him. Josh is a high caliber opponent that would go five full rounds with strong fast paced action. Very well rounded and good on the ground as well.

9. Mizuto Hirota (12-3): Mizuto has impressed everyone with two consecutive victories against two former top 10 opponents: Mitsuhiro Ishida and Satoru Kitaoka. Hirota is not a well known fighter in the MMA community but his skills are second to none. He is the current Sengoku Lightweight Champion.

10. Sean Sherk (33-4): When Sean made his UFC debut he was 17-0. Nothing in the world would make Sean believe that he was anything but unstoppable. The problem was that his debut was against a man named Matt Hughes. Now that he has forgotten about competing in the Welterweight division and established himself in the Lightweight class, this 155 pound monster has accomplished a lot, including the UFC LW belt. He has lost 2 of his last 3 fights but no one could question his determination and his spot as one of the best Lightweights of the World.

Welterweight Rankings

1. Georges St. Pierre (19-2): The people’s idol. Georges St. Pierre’s has acquired a legion of fans over the past few years and this has its reason. GSP is highly regarded as the best MMA-wrestler, having second to none conditioning, excellent athleticism and power and very advanced skills in the standup (Kyokushin Karate Black Belt) and in the ground (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt). This fighter is a must see for a casual fan as his performance seems so superior to the other contenders and he has fought nothing but top competition since he started his career.

2. Jon Fitch (19-3): Jon Fitch is one of the toughest and most durable fighters, is not a master of one particular discipline but excels at everything he does. He is also a very strong wrestler, very hard to submit and with excellent stand up, which makes him someone really hard to control or finish. Fitch has fought a lot of top contenders and is now on the road of reclaiming a second title shot. He appears to be under the radar amongst the casual fan as a simple, not well known fighter, despite his amazing record.

3.Jake Shields (23-4): Jake is a guy with endless potential, he is a wizard on the ground displaying excellent control and submissions. He is so good on the ground that one might think he is one dimensional, because he only takes the fight there. The truth is his ground is so much better than any opponent he faces, and the smart thing would be to take it there. Jake is well rounded, and it’s not afraid to step up the competition and fight at other weight classes, he has proven that he is a danger anywhere, beating current Top 10 Middleweight fighters Yushin Okami and Robbie Lawler.

4. Thiago Alves (16-6): Thiago Alves had a huge when he had his best year (2008) by Knocking out top 10 fighters Karo Parisyan and Matt Hughes and ridiculously dominating the top 10 fighter Josh Koscheck. This hype is real; Alves is a ferocious KO artist with excellent ground game and takedown defense. He is a sprawl and brawl fighter that has no fear and great determination. It will be interesting how he rebounds from his last loss against Georges St. Pierre.

5. Josh Koscheck (13-4): Josh Koscheck had the best credentials as a wrestler prior to transitioning to Mixed Martial Arts. He is a true competitor and wishes to fight as much as he can in short periods of time. He has had some tough losses but has been able to come back stronger.

6. Mike Swick (14-2): Originally a tough Middleweight, Mike had a lot of success going 5-0 in that division until he stepped against Yushin Okami. With the loss he felt the big discrepancy of strength and weight he had to sacrifice and decided to make a drop to the Welterweight division. He is now proven to be efficient, going 4-0 in the UFC’s WW division. Mike ‘Quick’ Swick is a well rounded fighter that focuses on striking to finish his opponents.

7. Matt Hughes (43-7): At this point Matt Hughes is considered the greatest Welterweight fighter of all time. The 9-time UFC Champion has had an amazing career and even though he is past his prime he is still a tough contender. Considered by many as a one-dimensional fighter, Matt Hughes has been able to use his grappling abilities to dominate his opponents. A very hardworking fighter with excellent condition who always comes ready to fight.

8. Paul Daley (22-8): The Cage Rage veteran Paul Daley has been a great addition as of late to the UFC. He had a very tough debut when he had to face top 10 Welterweight Martin Kampmann and he beat him decisively. Paul is a very dangerous striker, probably one of the best strikers in the welterweight division with awesome power. Some depict his ground game as his weakness but to take it there you have to deal with him on the feet first.

9. Carlos Condit (23-5): Carlos was enjoying an 8-fight win streak when he made his UFC debut and was defeated by Martin Kampmann. He won and defended the WEC Welterweight Championship and now that he is in the UFC he rebounded from his loss and put up an amazing performance in UFC Fight Night 19. He is a very fast paced fighter that will never step back or pause. He is extremely aggressive and sometimes it might produce risky positions for him, but he is able to manage because of his great technical ability.

10. Marius Zaromskis (12-3): No one had Marius as a favorite coming in the DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix. To go out there in July 2009 and knock out two opponents in just one round in the same day made it for Marius. He was always known as a very dangerous striker with tons of potential and now that he has high profile wins he gets a ticket into the Top 10 for the first time. There is still a lot left to see from Marius.

Middleweight Rankings

1. Anderson Silva (25-4): This fighter is one of a kind. Previously ranked #1 in the Welterweight division and now #1 in the Middleweight division, Anderson is probably the greatest Middleweight of all time. He broke the record of most consecutive UFC wins, boasting a 10-0 record in the UFC and defending his belt 5 times. He has a very “elegant” and precise striking that sets him apart from everyone else.

2. Nate Marquardt (29-8): 7-time King of Pancrase and UFC Middleweight contender Nate Marquardt is one of the toughest fighters in the division. Being considered as the next fighter to take a crack at Anderson Silva. Nate has been destroying his last opponents in brutal fashion with 3 dominant wins against Martin Kampmann, Wilson Gouveia and Demian Maia.

3. Dan Henderson (25-7): Coming of a highlight reel Knockout, Dan Henderson feels he has paid his tolls in the UFC and needs to revenge his loss Against Anderson Silva. Dan is a fighter that likes to challenge himself, constantly moving from Light Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions where he has been a top 10 fighter and a champion in both. The truth is a little uncertain for this PRIDE veteran as he is still a free agent.

4. Yushin Okami (23-4): Being 9-1 in his last 10 fights, Yushin is one of the most underrated and under looked fighters in MMA. Criticized for not finishing his fights, Yushin is probably one of the toughest tests in anyone’s career as he is a very strong wrestler with excellent skills wherever the fight goes.

5. Paulo Filho (18-1): Paulo has an amazing record and huge wins against Shoji, Kondo, Murilo Rua, Ryo Chonan, Kazuo Misaki, Joe Doerksen, Chael Sonnen and Melvin Manhoef. Despite having only one decision loss in his career, many discredit Paulo for his past accomplishments. Ranked as the #2 Middleweight for a long time Paulo is now back with 2 wins and a chance of reinvigorating himself. He hasn’t look good in his last fights, so there is some speculation as if he is the old Paulo Filho.

6. Jorge Santiago (21-7): After being cut from the UFC, Jorge Santiago has done wonders. He has been riding a 9-fight win streak capturing the Sengoku Championship. Jorge is a dangerous finisher only having one decision win out of his 21 victories.

7. Demian Maia (11-1): Demian is probably the best submission specialist in MMA. Demian is a very technical grappler that would submit you from any position. He has translated his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills to Mixed Martial Arts in a very efficient manner and he has shown that he is a dominant fighter as soon as the fight gets to the ground. Suffering a KO loss against Nate Marquardt he still needs to work on his standup.

8. Robbie Lawler (16-5): This Champion of the now defunct Elite XC organization has shown that he is an in your face brawler that would pose a threat for anyone. Coming from Miletich Fighting Systems, one of the best camps in MMA history, Lawler is an aggressive finisher with a lot of tough wins under his record.

9. Vitor Belfort (19-8): Vitor is one of the first figures of the sport. A very aggressive fighter that has spectacular striking and an underrated jiu-jitsu. He has had some downs in his career but now he is back with a good win streak and has been awarded the opportunity to fight for the belt against Anderson Silva

10. Chael Sonnen (23-10): A strong wrestler with an enormous amount of experience. He is a seasoned veteran that has made the UFC his house and will now face Yushin Okami in his run for a title shot.

Light Heavyweight Rankings

1. Lyoto Machida (15-0): Lyoto is the most technical striker in the Lightheavyweight division. He destroyed Rashad Evans in May 23^rd to capture the UFC Championship. Being 7-0 in the UFC, never losing a round and never being out struck in his whole career, Lyoto is for sure the #1 fighter in this division.

2. Quinton Jackson (30-7): One of the biggest superstars in the sport, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson is a very well rounded fighter. As of lately displaying more of his boxing skills rather than his wrestling, he has been able to recover from his loss against Forrest Griffin by defeating rival Wanderlei Silva and top contender Keith Jardine. He has now chosen to follow a career in acting and said he is done with fighting. Time will only tell.

3. Rashad Evans (13-1): Rashad came in very confident as the 13-0 undefeated UFC Champion to defend his belt against Lyoto Machida but he was disappointed. Nevertheless, Rashad has coupled some great victories in defeating Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell and is a very good wrestler that mixes it well with the stand up. 

4. Mauricio Rua (18-3): One of the most fun and exciting fighters to watch, everything he puts on is a good show. Not only a flashy and entertaining fighter but he always backs up his reputation: He has wins over Chuck Liddell, Alistair Overeem, Ricardo Arona, Quinton Jackson, Anotonio Rogeiro Nogueira and many other accomplishments such as the PRIDE Grand Prix. Championship.

5. Thiago Silva (14-1): Just as Rashad, Thiago crossed the cage with Machida with a 13-0 perfect record and suffered a beatdown. However, Thiago came back very strong with a dominant performance against top contender Keith Jardine. Thiago is a finisher, getting most of his wins by TKO, KO, but it’s his jiu-jitsu most of the times that helps him get the job done.

6. Forrest Griffin (16-6): Known as “The Original Ultimate Fighter”, Forrest has had two major setbacks in losing his UFC Belt to Rashad and getting humiliated in a one sided battle against Anderson Silva. Forrest is one of the most hardworking fighters and as he often says it’s his determination and condition that makes the difference in a fight.

7. Antonio Rogeiro Nogueira (17-3): Always overshadowed by the notorious fame of his twin brother, “Minotoro” is one tough contender. Riding on a 5-win streak he just got an invitation to join the UFC and will make his UFC debut against fellow Brazilian Luis Cane.

8. Luis Cane (10-1): Finishing 9 of his 10 fights, and his only loss coming from a Disqualification due to an illegal strike that he landed, Luis Cane is one of the up and coming fighters in the UFC Light Heavyweight division. Never been beaten in a fight and enjoying a 3 fight streak in the UFC, one or two high profile wins could very well grant him the opportunity to fight for the Championship.

9. Gegard Mousasi (26-2): Just turning 24 years old, the newly crowned Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion has made a good impression in his few bouts in that division. An amazing record and excellent set of skills will make an argument for a lot of people to rank Gegard higher, but he is still very new in this division and we need to see him fight more at this class. The sky is the limit for Gegard.

10. Anderson Silva (25-4): Anderson Silva’s success in the Welterweight and Middleweight division has carried over to the Light Heavyweight division as well. There is no doubt in mind that he could be a top contender in this weight class, another win in this category will put him in the title picture. A super match for the Light Heavyweight title has been discussed, but as long as his friend Machida is the belt holder he would not fight for the belt.

Heavyweight Rankings

1. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1): Unquestionably Fedor is the Current #1 Heavyweight. He hasn’t lost in his last 27 fights since 2001 and he’s fought back to back top contenders. His recent destructions of Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia cement his legacy as the best Heavyweight of all time. Fedor has a mystique that has everyone wondering how and who will be able to beat Fedor in a fight.

2. Josh Barnett (24-5): After his high profile run at the PRIDE Heavyweight division, Josh solidified a spot amongst the best as he rose with victories over Yoshida, Monson, Yvel and a KO revenge over Pedro Rizzo. Barnett has been target of a lot of controversy regarding his legitimacy in the sport after failing a drug test. As of today there’s not a clear path in his career, but he is a very tough force to be reckoned with.

3. Brock Lesnar (4-1): For such an inexperienced fighter, Brock has proven he is the real deal. Avenging his only loss against Former UFC Champion, Frank Mir, he managed to defend the UFC Belt for the first time. This 304-pounds juggernaut is still green in some aspects of the game, but his potential is limitless.

4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5): Recovering from a tough loss against Frank Mir, Nogueira gave one of his best fights in beating Randy Couture. Nogueira, an experienced MMA legend will now have a run for the UFC title and to recover his #1 rank that he lost a couple of years ago.

5. Frank Mir (12-4): Former UFC Champion Frank Mir was on a high roll following the biggest win of his career against Nogueira when he suffered a devastating domination from Lesnar. Still a top contender, Mir looks now to display his improved skills in the octagon.

6. Junior Dos Santos (9-1): After entering the octagon for the first time, Dos Santos has proven himself as a legit threat in this division. Improving his record to 3-0 in the UFC, “Cigano” has reached stardom after following two TKO victories over former Top 10 Fabricio Werdum and Mirko Filipovic.

7. Shane Carwin (11-0): Coming from the biggest win of his career against title contender Gabriel Gonzaga, Carwin has proven that he is the future of the Heavyweight division. 3-0 in the UFC, undefeated 11 fight win streak and all of his fights ending in the first round either by KO, TKO or Submission, there is no doubt in mind that Shane is a very, very dangerous fighter.

8. Brett Rogers (10-0): Couple of years ago Rogers would have no idea of what he was about to achieve in MMA. In rou

ghly 3 years he built a 10-0 record with all of his fights being stopped. He is also a dangerous gun yet still needs to show some of his other tools and how he manages in other areas other than the stand up fighting.

9. Randy Couture (16-10): Probably the most famous MMA fighter we have seen, Randy has accomplished all one could ask for in the sport. The 46 year old and 8-time UFC Heavyweight Champion has had some ups and down in his career and has dropped two consecutive fights against Brock Lesnar and Antonio Nogueira. His next fight will be in the Light Heavyweight Division where he already had success in.

10. Andrei Arlovski (15-7): One of the most well-rounded fighters in the game, this former UFC Champion fell down the

ladder recently with his first round KO loss against consensus #1 Fedor Emelianenko, followed by a first round KO loss against Brett Rogers. With an amazing amount of experience and skill, Andrei is now looking to recuperate from his losses.