DixieDestroyer
Hall of Famer
Here's Sherdog's latest MMA rankings. Note White fighters are atop four of the weight class (six if you count half White Machida & Penn).
Heavyweight
1. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1, 1 NC)
It was already known that Emelianenko's next bout would come against unbeaten heavyweight Brett Rogers. However, the man who has ruled the heavyweight division for six years and counting will get an even richer opportunity, as the bout will serve as the main event of Strikeforce's first network television card, airing live on CBS on Nov. 7.
2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)
Following victories over Randy Couture and Frank Mir, many want to see how Lesnar would deal with a fighter who can match his mammoth size. They will now get their wish, as Lesnar's next title defense will come at UFC 106 in November, when he takes on fellow hulking heavyweight Shane Carwin.
3. Josh Barnett (24-5)
Barnett had the chance to vie for the sport's heavyweight mantle in his slated Aug. 1 bout with Emelianenko. Instead, another positive steroid test for Barnett destroyed the matchup, put the final nail in the coffin of Affliction's promotional wing and marred the former UFC champion's career.
4. Frank Mir (12-4)
Most of the attention Mir has received lately has stemmed from talks of a super fight with middleweight ace Anderson Silva. However, the real next fight for Mir will come at UFC 107 in December, when he takes on French hitter Cheick Kongo.
5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1, 1 NC)
Through his first three outings in the UFC, Nogueira looked like a shell of the fighter who became one of MMA's greatest over the course of this decade. Nearly 25 pounds lighter, the 33-year-old Nogueira was in vintage form at UFC 102, however. He took an exciting unanimous verdict over Randy Couture, thrust himself back in the UFC title mix and put himself in a much better place in the minds of fans and critics.
6. Brett Rogers (10-0)
Rogers finally has a date for the biggest bout of his career. "The Grim"Â will vie for MMA's heavyweight mantle on Nov. 7 when he takes on Fedor Emelianenko. Better still, he will do so on network television on CBS.
7. Andrei Arlovski (15-7)
He knocked off the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson in the recent past, but those accomplishments now seem like distant memories for Arlovski. "The Pitbull"Â has been brutally smashed in his last two outings against Emelianenko and Rogers, and conversation now centers on the fragile chin that has betrayed him again.
8. Junior dos Santos (9-1)
In the most significant fight of his young career, dos Santos seized the moment and dominated longtime heavyweight star Mirko "Cro Cop"Â Filipovic for 12 minutes, eventually forcing the Croatian to quit after a brutal right uppercut struck his left eye. The win will move "Cigano"Â along considerably in the increasingly competitive UFC heavyweight division.
9. Randy Couture (16-10)
Coming off his game decision loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in August, Couture signed a six-fight deal that will allow "The Natural"Â to end his career in the Octagon. The first fight on that deal will come Nov. 14, when he moves back to the 205-pound division to meet Brandon Vera in the UFC 105 headliner in Manchester, England.
10. Shane Carwin (11-0)
Originally expected to meet fellow undefeated prospect Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 in October, Carwin was part of Zuffa reshuffling its heavyweight deck. Now the potent-punching Colorado native will take on Brock Lesnar for the UFC heavyweight crown at UFC 106 in November.
Other contenders: Aleksander Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell, Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum.
Light Heavyweight
1. Lyoto Machida (15-0)
Fresh off his May 23 blowout of Rashad Evans, it appeared as though Machida would soon have to start preparing for a challenge from former light heavyweight ruler Quinton "Rampage"Â Jackson. However, with Jackson opting for a second coaching stint on "The Ultimate Fighter,"Â Machida's first title defense will come Oct. 24 against Mauricio "Shogun"Â Rua at UFC 104.
2. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
It's official. Despite "The Ultimate Fighter 10"Â getting off on a record-setting foot ratings-wise, the climax of the season will be delayed. Jackson's slated December bout with Rashad Evans will be postponed due to "Rampage"Â portraying the role of B.A. Baracus in the forthcoming "The A-Team"Â movie.
3. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)
While Evans will get plenty of face time throughout the 10th season of "The Ultimate Fighter,"Â the former UFC light heavyweight champion has been left in the lurch, as fellow coach Quinton "Rampage"Â Jackson's Hollywood ambitions have left him without an opponent in December.
4. Mauricio Rua (18-3)
Fortune has smiled upon Rua. After UFC 98, it looked as if "Shogun"Â was a fight or more away from challenging for the UFC title. Now, however, the consensus 2005 "Fighter of the Year"Â will have a chance to regain light heavyweight supremacy against divisional champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 104 in October.
5. Forrest Griffin (16-6)
Not long ago, Griffin was UFC light heavyweight champion and had picked up pound-for-pound quality wins over Mauricio "Shogun"Â Rua and Quinton "Rampage"Â Jackson. However, after his destruction at the hands of middleweight king Anderson Silva at UFC 101, those wins seem like a distant memory for the original "Ultimate Fighter."Â
6. Thiago Silva (14-1)
Coming off of a complete blowout defeat to current divisional king Lyoto Machida in January, Silva rebounded about as well as any fighter could hope to at UFC 102. It took him just 95 seconds to find his left hook counter and pound out Keith Jardine for the most impressive win of his career.
7. Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1)
Though he was scheduled to meet Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou on Oct. 6 in the semi-finals of Dream's farcical Super Hulk tournament, an alleged shoulder injury in training forced him to withdraw. However, he is now expected to defend his newly won Strikeforce light heavyweight title on Nov. 7 live on CBS.
8. Luis Arthur Cane (10-1)
Cane has emerged as one of the best young fighters in a division filled with great young talent. However, to move into title contention at 205 pounds, he will need to spoil the UFC debut of fellow Brazilian Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.
9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)
The other Nogueira twin will make his promotional debut at UFC 106 on Nov. 21, and it will not be easy. Nogueira's welcome to the UFC will come courtesy of his Brazilian countryman, Luis Arthur Cane.
10. Rich Franklin (25-5)
On the cusp of light heavyweight contendership, Franklin was victimized by a first-round knockout courtesy of Vitor Belfort in the UFC 103 headliner. Though Belfort will now move to 185 pounds to campaign, the loss leaves Franklin without a clear direction in the UFC's 205-pound division.
Other contenders: Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell, Vladimir Matyushenko, Wanderlei Silva, Renato Sobral
Middleweight
1. Anderson Silva (25-4)
With Dan Henderson's brutal knockout of Michael Bisping and Nate Marquardt's quick smashing of Demian Maia, Silva now has two former victims primed for rematches. Even if Marquardt and Henderson are not next for "The Spider,"Â there remains the option of another alluring super fight at light heavyweight.
2. Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)
On the back of his scintillating knockout of Demian Maia, Marquardt became the popular choice for many fans and pundits alike to challenge Anderson Silva in a rematch for his middleweight crown. Now, it appears the fight Zuffa brass prefers for Marquardt is a de facto title eliminator against Dan Henderson later this year, provided Henderson inks a new deal with the company.
3. Yushin Okami (23-4)
Inopportune injuries have slowed Okami's bid to earn a rematch with middleweight king Anderson Silva. A healthy Okami will have the chance to solidify himself as a top contender on Oct. 24 when he takes on Chael Sonnen at UFC 104 in Los Angeles.
4. Dan Henderson (25-7)
Henderson was adamant that he deserved another shot at Anderson Silva, who handed him his last loss in March 2008. However, it appears Henderson's position has softened enough that both he and Zuffa expect the former Pride champion to sign a new UFC contract soon that would see him take on fellow top contender Nate Marquardt. The winner would get his chance to rematch Silva.
5. Demian Maia (11-1)
In a fight that could have earned him a crack at middleweight overlord Anderson Silva, Maia found out what competition is like at the top of the 185-pound division. Nate Marquardt blew him away with a single right hand in just 21 seconds at UFC 102.
6. Jorge Santiago (21-7)
Arguably the cruelest victim of Affliction's demise, Santiago finally may have himself a fight. After watching his slated August opponent, Vitor Belfort, main event a UFC, the Sengoku middleweight champion is expected to return to action at Sengoku's Nov. 7 show.
7. Vitor Belfort (19-8)
Though it was fairly anti-climactic, Belfort earned arguably the biggest win of his career in his UFC return on Sept. 19, punching out Rich Franklin in the first round of their 195-pound catchweight bout. With Belfort's UFC future coming at 185 pounds, he has already become the favorite of UFC President Dana White to challenge Anderson Silva for the middleweight crown.
8. Robbie Lawler (16-5, 1 NC)
Lawler appeared to be in control on the feet in his June 6 bout with Jake Shields. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was tapping out to a Shields guillotine choke, leaving his next move in Strikeforce's middleweight division uncertain.
9. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)
After grinding out a nice win over former International Fight League middleweight champion Dan Miller in May, Sonnen's climb up the 185-pound ladder will only get more difficult. The Team Quest product will take on Yushin Okami at UFC 104 on Oct. 24.
10. Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1, 2 NC)
It was not his best performance, but Akiyama gritted through a split decision verdict over a game Alan Belcher at UFC 100 in July and has thrown himself into the UFC's deepening middleweight mix.
Other contenders: Michael Bisping, Patrick Cote, Paulo Filho, Dan Miller, Kazuo Misaki.
Welterweight
1. Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
Another title defense, another elite contender, another dominant victory for St. Pierre. GSP's lopsided decision over an elite challenger in Thiago Alves at UFC 100 showed why he remains one of the sport's pound-for-pound kings and caused many fans and pundits to begin demanding a move to middleweight.
2. Jon Fitch (19-3, 1 NC)
Fitch earned himself a hard-fought and well-deserved unanimous verdict over Paulo Thiago in July. Next on tap for the American Kickboxing Academy product will be former middleweight King of Pancrase Ricardo Almeida in the Brazilian's welterweight debut at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.
3. Thiago Alves (16-6)
Coming off a unanimous decision loss in his July UFC title bid against Georges St. Pierre, Alves' return to the cage in December will not be a "gimme,"Â as he will meet once-beaten fellow Brazilian Paulo Thiago at UFC 107.
4. Jake Shields (23-4-1)
As expected, Shields will return to the middleweight division for Strikeforce's Nov. 7 card on CBS, where he will take on Jason "Mayhem"Â Miller. As an extra perk for the former EliteXC champion, the bout will be for the promotion's middleweight crown, recently vacated by Cung Le.
5. Josh Koscheck (13-4)
In his first appearance in the cage since his upset loss to Paulo Thiago in February, Koscheck -- who also rebounded from a broken toe that sidelined him in May -- needed less than a round to punch out sturdy veteran Frank Trigg. The win put Koscheck back in the welterweight title picture in the UFC.
6. Paulo Thiago (11-1)
Thiago is certainly getting no favors from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. After meeting Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch in his first two UFC bouts, the Brazilian Military Police member will take on another elite 170-pounder at UFC 107 in December, when he meets fellow Brazilian Thiago Alves.
7. Mike Swick (14-2)
A concussion took Swick out of a proposed Sept. 19 bout with Martin Kampmann that would have given him the chance to fight Georges St. Pierre in the near future. However, the welterweight title picture is now foggier than before, with Kampmann getting blitzed in the first round by replacement Paul Daley.
8. Paul Daley (22-8-2)
Daley came to the UFC with a reputation as one of Britain's best talents and one of the welterweight division's most dangerous strikers. Even so, he was an underdog to divisional standout Martin Kampmann. However, Daley needed fewer than three minutes to blow away Kampmann at UFC 103 and signal his arrival in the UFC's 170-pound division.
9. Martin Kampmann (15-3)
UFC 103 was supposed to feature Kampmann meeting Mike Swick with the next crack at Georges St. Pierre on the line. After Swick pulled out due to injury, Kampmann was a considerable favorite to debuting British banger Paul Daley, who responded by demolishing the Dane in the first round.
10. Carlos Condit (23-5)
Many hardcore fans felt Condit would find himself in rough waters in his Sept. 16 bout with the relatively unknown Jake Ellenberger, but few could have imagined the extent. Condit had to overcome an onslaught from Ellenberger in the opening stanza in order to take a split decision win by the skin of his teeth.
Other contenders: Marcus Davis, Dan Hardy, Jay Hieron, Dan Hornbuckle, Matt Hughes.
Lightweight
1. B.J. Penn (14-5-1)
Penn is slated to make the next defense of his UFC lightweight crown Dec. 12 at UFC 107 in Memphis, Tenn., where he will take on another solid contender in Diego Sanchez, who is unbeaten as a lightweight. That will make for two title defenses in just four months for "The Prodigy,"Â who has been known more than anything for his preoccupations outside the lightweight division.
2. Shinya Aoki (21-4, 1 NC)
Aoki drew criticism for pot-shotting his way to a unanimous decision win over Vitor "Shaolin"Â Ribeiro on July 20. However, the win set up a high-stakes rubber match for the rubbery grappler, as he is slated to meet Joachim Hansen for the Dream lightweight title on Oct. 6.
3. Eddie Alvarez (18-2)
Alvarez ended the Cinderella run of likely "Submission of the Year"Â winner Toby Imada on June 19, as he choked him out in the second round. A rumored bout against Gesias "JZ"Â Cavalcante did not come to fruition, but Bellator's lightweight champion will have the luxury of courting high-quality opponents from both Bellator and Dream in the near future.
4. Kenny Florian (11-4)
Coming off of his August loss in his title bid against B.J. Penn, Florian did not have to wait long to find another opponent. The fighter-turned-analyst will take on divisional motor fighter Clay Guida at UFC 107 on Dec. 12.
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (24-5-2)
It's far from the most challenging opposition he has ever faced, but Kawajiri will return to the ring for tune-up action at Dream 11 on Oct. 6, when he will meet Guam's Melchor Manibusan.
6. Gray Maynard (8-0, 1 NC)
In his Sept. 16 win over Roger Huerta, Maynard showed both the evolution of his striking skills and the increasing potency of his top game. Furthermore, the well-appointed decision win has seemingly put him on the doorstep of a UFC lightweight title shot.
7. Frankie Edgar (10-1)
In order to continue ascending in the UFC lightweight division, Edgar will need to dispatch one of his New Jersey brethren when he takes on fellow northeasterner Kurt Pellegrino at "The Ultimate Fighter 10"Â Live Finale on Dec. 5.
8. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)
With a deflating loss to Frankie Edgar in May, Sherk was set to face Gleison Tibau, another lightweight in a must-win scenario, at UFC 104 on Oct. 24. However, a shoulder injury in training has taken Sherk out of the bout, and Josh Neer will fill his place.
9. Mizuto Hirota (12-3-1)
In their Aug. 2 encounter, Hirota withstood Satoru Kitaoka's early submission storm and wore down the Sengoku champion. He then smashed Kitaoka with a barrage of knees in the fourth round to claim Sengoku's lightweight crown.
10. Satoru Kitaoka (25-9-9)
In the first defense of his Sengoku lightweight title, Kitaoka was outlasted by the hard-hitting Mizuto Hirota, who battered him with knees and took his title in the fourth round. The defeat was Kitaoka's first as a lightweight.
Other contenders: Gesias Cavalcante, Tyson Griffin, Gilbert Melendez, Eiji Mitsuoka, Diego Sanchez.
Featherweight
1. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
It was no secret that Brown's featherweight mantle would be at stake against hot-shot Brazilian prospect Jose Aldo; the question was simply when. Now we know: WEC 44 on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.
2. Urijah Faber (22-3)
Faber failed to recover the World Extreme Cagefighting title and featherweight mantle in his June 7 rematch with Mike Thomas Brown. However, Faber fought gamely for the better part of 25 minutes with a broken hand and proved he still ranks among the featherweight elite.
3. Wagnney Fabiano (12-1)
The former International Fight League featherweight champion was scheduled for duty on Sept. 2 against Erik Koch. However, the postponement of WEC 43 means Fabiano will have to wait until Oct. 10 to step back into the cage.
4. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
The finale of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix on Aug. 2 did not exactly go according to plan for Hioki. After dominating Masanori Kanehara in the semi-finals, Hioki was forced to watch the man he defeated go on to become champion while he sat on the sidelines with a concussion.
5. Leonard Garcia (13-4)
His split decision win over Jameel Massouh in August was hardly enthusing, and a better performance will be hard to come by, as Garcia's next outing will see him take on Manny Gamburyan at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
6. Jose Aldo (15-1)
Aldo was already official as Mike Thomas Brown's next challenger for the WEC title. Now, a date has been set for the biggest fight of the 23-year-old Brazilian's career. He will tangle with Brown at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
7. Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
In a battle of past and present, the current Shooto 143-pound world champion will take on former titleholder Alexandre Franca "Pequeno"Â Nogueira -- who reigned for seven years (1999-2006) -- at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on Oct. 20.
8. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
Though he will have to wait six weeks longer than expected, Assuncao will still get his moment to shine on Oct. 10, when he takes on exciting Georges St. Pierre training partner Yves Jabouin at WEC 43 in San Antonio.
9. Masanori Kanehara (14-6-5)
It was highly improbable, but despite dropping a decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix semi-finals on Aug. 2, Kanehara became Sengoku's first featherweight champion. After Hioki was forced out of the final due to a concussion, Kanehara stepped back in and took a well-earned decision win over Michihiro Omigawa.
10. Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)
Fernandes was baptized by fire early in his MMA career, with two of his first three bouts coming against Urijah Faber and Norifumi Yamamoto. In the Dream featherweight grand prix semi-finals, the roles will be reversed, as Fernandes will take on fast-rising upstart Joe Warren, who knocked off the aforementioned Yamamoto in just his second professional MMA bout.
Other contenders: Yuji Hoshino, Michihiro Omigawa, Takafumi Otsuka, Marlon Sandro, Joe Soto.
Bantamweight
1. Brian Bowles (8-0)
Going into his WEC bantamweight title bout with Miguel Torres, Bowles was thought to be a game challenger but not a major-league threat. In the cage, Bowles was far more than that, as he smashed Torres in the first round to snatch the 135-pound mantle.
2. Miguel Torres (37-2)
Torres was heralded as one of the sport's pound-for-pound stalwarts and the man to put the 135-pound division on the map. In his fourth defense of the WEC bantamweight title, he was flattened in the first round by impressive upstart Brian Bowles, who handed Torres his first loss in 18 fights.
3. Masakatsu Ueda (10-0-2)
He had to overcome both rope grabbing and eye gouging, but Ueda kept his unbeaten record and Shooto world title on July 19 by taking a well-appointed unanimous verdict over tough Brazilian youngster Eduardo Dantas.
4. Takeya Mizugaki (12-3-2)
Coming off of his wildly entertaining 25-minute brawl with Miguel Torres in April, Mizugaki was done no favors in his second bout in the promotion, as he faced off with veteran Jeff Curran on Aug. 9. However, the Cage Force bantamweight champion survived a last-minute submission scare from Curran to take a hard-fought split decision win.
5. Dominick Cruz (14-1)
A healthy underdog heading into his Aug. 9 bout with Urijah Faber understudy Joseph Benavidez, Cruz was one step ahead throughout the entire bout, deftly outworking Benavidez on the feet and the floor en route to a unanimous decision win. He now figures to be the first title contender for newly minted champion Brian Bowles.
6. Joseph Benavidez (10-1)
Though he came into the bout as a considerable favorite to challenge for the WEC bantamweight title, Benavidez's undefeated record came to an end at WEC 42. He was outworked in all facets of the game by the much longer and rangier Dominick Cruz.
7. Akitoshi Tamura (14-7-2)
With a successful bantamweight debut over Manny Tapia in April, Tamura was keen to move his divisional record to 2-0 against Damacio Page at WEC 43 on Sept. 2. With the event's postponement, he will square off with the Greg Jackson charge on Oct. 10.
8. Manny Tapia (10-2-1)
Having lost two in a row, a win becomes imperative for Tapia when he takes on tough midwesterner Eddie Wineland. However, "The Mangler"Â will have to wait until Oct. 10 for the bout after WEC 43 was moved to San Antonio.
9. Damacio Page (11-4)
Page was set to square off with Akitoshi Tamura on Sept. 2 in Youngtown, Ohio. With the postponement of the show, the hard-hitting Greg Jackson disciple will now face the former Shooto world champion on Oct. 10 in San Antonio.
10. Rani Yahya (15-4)
Against John Hosman on Aug. 9, Yahya added another first-round submission to his resume. Three straight first-round tapouts have put the grappling all-star back into contention for another crack at the WEC bantamweight crown.
Other contenders: Antonio Banuelos, Mike Easton, Marcos Galvao, Scott Jorgensen, Eddie Wineland.
Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
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Jussier "Formiga" da Silva.
Flyweight
1. Jussier da Silva (3-0)
The little-known little man out of Natal, Brazil, made a big impression in his biggest fight to date, as he took a well-appointed unanimous decision over Shooto world champion Shinichi "BJ"Â Kojima on July 19. The logical step would be for the International Shooto Commission to sanction a rematch with Kojima's title on the line for later this year.
2. Shinichi Kojima (10-4-5)
The Shooto world champion continued his career-long streak of inconsistency, dropping a unanimous verdict to Brazilian Jussier da Silva in a non-title bout on July 19. Whether or not Kojima will get a do-over with a title on the line remains to be seen.
3. Yuki Shojo (9-5-2)
In his first bout since falling to Shooto world champion Shinichi "BJ"Â Kojima in March, Shojo took a competitive, albeit pedestrian, majority decision over former bantamweight Junya Kudo and kept pace in Shooto's active 123-pound class.
4. Yasuhiro Urush*tani (16-4-6)
Though he deserved the victory the first time they fought in May 2008, justice prevailed in Urush*tani's Sept. 22 rematch with Ryuichi Miki, as he slickly boxed his way to a unanimous decision verdict over the former Shooto rookie champion.
5. Ryuichi Miki (9-3-3)
The rematch between Miki and Yasuhiro Urush*tani was largely a replay of the first bout, but this time Miki's aggression did not sway the judges, and he lost a unanimous decision. The loss was Miki's first since March 2006.
6. Rambaa Somdet (6-2)
As expected, Somdet will take part in a bout to crown the first ever Shooto 115-pound world champion on Nov. 23. He will take on surging strawweight Noboru "Shinpei"Â Tahara, whom he previously defeated in September 2008.
7. Masaaki Sugawara (9-3-1)
Sugawara earned a first-round stoppage over Yasuhiro Akagi on July 19. He returned just over two months later on Sept. 20 and took a well-deserved split decision over Hiroyuki Tanaka to keep moving up the ladder in Shooto's 123-pound class.
8. Mitsuhisa Sunabe (10-5-3)
Sunabe captured the first flyweight King of Pancrase championship by crushing Takuya Eizumi in June. Now, the Okinawa native will make his first defense against unbeaten Isao Hirose on Oct. 25.
9. Alexis Vila (5-0)
The hottest prospect in the flyweight division, the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling will see his first action since February when he takes on Cody Bell on Sept. 26.
10. Jesse Taitano (6-5-2)
One of Guam's finest talents, Taitano was a favorite heading into his 119-pound catchweight bout with strawweight Noboru "Shinpei"Â Tahara on Aug. 9. However, the much-improved Tahara took the final two rounds and a unanimous verdict over "The Spiderman."Â
Other contenders: John Dodson, Isao Hirose, Junji Ikoma, Pat Runez, Sam Thao.
***Reference articleEdited by: DixieDestroyer
Heavyweight
1. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1, 1 NC)
It was already known that Emelianenko's next bout would come against unbeaten heavyweight Brett Rogers. However, the man who has ruled the heavyweight division for six years and counting will get an even richer opportunity, as the bout will serve as the main event of Strikeforce's first network television card, airing live on CBS on Nov. 7.
2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)
Following victories over Randy Couture and Frank Mir, many want to see how Lesnar would deal with a fighter who can match his mammoth size. They will now get their wish, as Lesnar's next title defense will come at UFC 106 in November, when he takes on fellow hulking heavyweight Shane Carwin.
3. Josh Barnett (24-5)
Barnett had the chance to vie for the sport's heavyweight mantle in his slated Aug. 1 bout with Emelianenko. Instead, another positive steroid test for Barnett destroyed the matchup, put the final nail in the coffin of Affliction's promotional wing and marred the former UFC champion's career.
4. Frank Mir (12-4)
Most of the attention Mir has received lately has stemmed from talks of a super fight with middleweight ace Anderson Silva. However, the real next fight for Mir will come at UFC 107 in December, when he takes on French hitter Cheick Kongo.
5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1, 1 NC)
Through his first three outings in the UFC, Nogueira looked like a shell of the fighter who became one of MMA's greatest over the course of this decade. Nearly 25 pounds lighter, the 33-year-old Nogueira was in vintage form at UFC 102, however. He took an exciting unanimous verdict over Randy Couture, thrust himself back in the UFC title mix and put himself in a much better place in the minds of fans and critics.
6. Brett Rogers (10-0)
Rogers finally has a date for the biggest bout of his career. "The Grim"Â will vie for MMA's heavyweight mantle on Nov. 7 when he takes on Fedor Emelianenko. Better still, he will do so on network television on CBS.
7. Andrei Arlovski (15-7)
He knocked off the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson in the recent past, but those accomplishments now seem like distant memories for Arlovski. "The Pitbull"Â has been brutally smashed in his last two outings against Emelianenko and Rogers, and conversation now centers on the fragile chin that has betrayed him again.
8. Junior dos Santos (9-1)
In the most significant fight of his young career, dos Santos seized the moment and dominated longtime heavyweight star Mirko "Cro Cop"Â Filipovic for 12 minutes, eventually forcing the Croatian to quit after a brutal right uppercut struck his left eye. The win will move "Cigano"Â along considerably in the increasingly competitive UFC heavyweight division.
9. Randy Couture (16-10)
Coming off his game decision loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in August, Couture signed a six-fight deal that will allow "The Natural"Â to end his career in the Octagon. The first fight on that deal will come Nov. 14, when he moves back to the 205-pound division to meet Brandon Vera in the UFC 105 headliner in Manchester, England.
10. Shane Carwin (11-0)
Originally expected to meet fellow undefeated prospect Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 in October, Carwin was part of Zuffa reshuffling its heavyweight deck. Now the potent-punching Colorado native will take on Brock Lesnar for the UFC heavyweight crown at UFC 106 in November.
Other contenders: Aleksander Emelianenko, Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell, Cain Velasquez, Fabricio Werdum.
Light Heavyweight
1. Lyoto Machida (15-0)
Fresh off his May 23 blowout of Rashad Evans, it appeared as though Machida would soon have to start preparing for a challenge from former light heavyweight ruler Quinton "Rampage"Â Jackson. However, with Jackson opting for a second coaching stint on "The Ultimate Fighter,"Â Machida's first title defense will come Oct. 24 against Mauricio "Shogun"Â Rua at UFC 104.
2. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
It's official. Despite "The Ultimate Fighter 10"Â getting off on a record-setting foot ratings-wise, the climax of the season will be delayed. Jackson's slated December bout with Rashad Evans will be postponed due to "Rampage"Â portraying the role of B.A. Baracus in the forthcoming "The A-Team"Â movie.
3. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)
While Evans will get plenty of face time throughout the 10th season of "The Ultimate Fighter,"Â the former UFC light heavyweight champion has been left in the lurch, as fellow coach Quinton "Rampage"Â Jackson's Hollywood ambitions have left him without an opponent in December.
4. Mauricio Rua (18-3)
Fortune has smiled upon Rua. After UFC 98, it looked as if "Shogun"Â was a fight or more away from challenging for the UFC title. Now, however, the consensus 2005 "Fighter of the Year"Â will have a chance to regain light heavyweight supremacy against divisional champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 104 in October.
5. Forrest Griffin (16-6)
Not long ago, Griffin was UFC light heavyweight champion and had picked up pound-for-pound quality wins over Mauricio "Shogun"Â Rua and Quinton "Rampage"Â Jackson. However, after his destruction at the hands of middleweight king Anderson Silva at UFC 101, those wins seem like a distant memory for the original "Ultimate Fighter."Â
6. Thiago Silva (14-1)
Coming off of a complete blowout defeat to current divisional king Lyoto Machida in January, Silva rebounded about as well as any fighter could hope to at UFC 102. It took him just 95 seconds to find his left hook counter and pound out Keith Jardine for the most impressive win of his career.
7. Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1)
Though he was scheduled to meet Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou on Oct. 6 in the semi-finals of Dream's farcical Super Hulk tournament, an alleged shoulder injury in training forced him to withdraw. However, he is now expected to defend his newly won Strikeforce light heavyweight title on Nov. 7 live on CBS.
8. Luis Arthur Cane (10-1)
Cane has emerged as one of the best young fighters in a division filled with great young talent. However, to move into title contention at 205 pounds, he will need to spoil the UFC debut of fellow Brazilian Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.
9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)
The other Nogueira twin will make his promotional debut at UFC 106 on Nov. 21, and it will not be easy. Nogueira's welcome to the UFC will come courtesy of his Brazilian countryman, Luis Arthur Cane.
10. Rich Franklin (25-5)
On the cusp of light heavyweight contendership, Franklin was victimized by a first-round knockout courtesy of Vitor Belfort in the UFC 103 headliner. Though Belfort will now move to 185 pounds to campaign, the loss leaves Franklin without a clear direction in the UFC's 205-pound division.
Other contenders: Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell, Vladimir Matyushenko, Wanderlei Silva, Renato Sobral
Middleweight
1. Anderson Silva (25-4)
With Dan Henderson's brutal knockout of Michael Bisping and Nate Marquardt's quick smashing of Demian Maia, Silva now has two former victims primed for rematches. Even if Marquardt and Henderson are not next for "The Spider,"Â there remains the option of another alluring super fight at light heavyweight.
2. Nate Marquardt (29-8-2)
On the back of his scintillating knockout of Demian Maia, Marquardt became the popular choice for many fans and pundits alike to challenge Anderson Silva in a rematch for his middleweight crown. Now, it appears the fight Zuffa brass prefers for Marquardt is a de facto title eliminator against Dan Henderson later this year, provided Henderson inks a new deal with the company.
3. Yushin Okami (23-4)
Inopportune injuries have slowed Okami's bid to earn a rematch with middleweight king Anderson Silva. A healthy Okami will have the chance to solidify himself as a top contender on Oct. 24 when he takes on Chael Sonnen at UFC 104 in Los Angeles.
4. Dan Henderson (25-7)
Henderson was adamant that he deserved another shot at Anderson Silva, who handed him his last loss in March 2008. However, it appears Henderson's position has softened enough that both he and Zuffa expect the former Pride champion to sign a new UFC contract soon that would see him take on fellow top contender Nate Marquardt. The winner would get his chance to rematch Silva.
5. Demian Maia (11-1)
In a fight that could have earned him a crack at middleweight overlord Anderson Silva, Maia found out what competition is like at the top of the 185-pound division. Nate Marquardt blew him away with a single right hand in just 21 seconds at UFC 102.
6. Jorge Santiago (21-7)
Arguably the cruelest victim of Affliction's demise, Santiago finally may have himself a fight. After watching his slated August opponent, Vitor Belfort, main event a UFC, the Sengoku middleweight champion is expected to return to action at Sengoku's Nov. 7 show.
7. Vitor Belfort (19-8)
Though it was fairly anti-climactic, Belfort earned arguably the biggest win of his career in his UFC return on Sept. 19, punching out Rich Franklin in the first round of their 195-pound catchweight bout. With Belfort's UFC future coming at 185 pounds, he has already become the favorite of UFC President Dana White to challenge Anderson Silva for the middleweight crown.
8. Robbie Lawler (16-5, 1 NC)
Lawler appeared to be in control on the feet in his June 6 bout with Jake Shields. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was tapping out to a Shields guillotine choke, leaving his next move in Strikeforce's middleweight division uncertain.
9. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)
After grinding out a nice win over former International Fight League middleweight champion Dan Miller in May, Sonnen's climb up the 185-pound ladder will only get more difficult. The Team Quest product will take on Yushin Okami at UFC 104 on Oct. 24.
10. Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1, 2 NC)
It was not his best performance, but Akiyama gritted through a split decision verdict over a game Alan Belcher at UFC 100 in July and has thrown himself into the UFC's deepening middleweight mix.
Other contenders: Michael Bisping, Patrick Cote, Paulo Filho, Dan Miller, Kazuo Misaki.
Welterweight
1. Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
Another title defense, another elite contender, another dominant victory for St. Pierre. GSP's lopsided decision over an elite challenger in Thiago Alves at UFC 100 showed why he remains one of the sport's pound-for-pound kings and caused many fans and pundits to begin demanding a move to middleweight.
2. Jon Fitch (19-3, 1 NC)
Fitch earned himself a hard-fought and well-deserved unanimous verdict over Paulo Thiago in July. Next on tap for the American Kickboxing Academy product will be former middleweight King of Pancrase Ricardo Almeida in the Brazilian's welterweight debut at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.
3. Thiago Alves (16-6)
Coming off a unanimous decision loss in his July UFC title bid against Georges St. Pierre, Alves' return to the cage in December will not be a "gimme,"Â as he will meet once-beaten fellow Brazilian Paulo Thiago at UFC 107.
4. Jake Shields (23-4-1)
As expected, Shields will return to the middleweight division for Strikeforce's Nov. 7 card on CBS, where he will take on Jason "Mayhem"Â Miller. As an extra perk for the former EliteXC champion, the bout will be for the promotion's middleweight crown, recently vacated by Cung Le.
5. Josh Koscheck (13-4)
In his first appearance in the cage since his upset loss to Paulo Thiago in February, Koscheck -- who also rebounded from a broken toe that sidelined him in May -- needed less than a round to punch out sturdy veteran Frank Trigg. The win put Koscheck back in the welterweight title picture in the UFC.
6. Paulo Thiago (11-1)
Thiago is certainly getting no favors from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. After meeting Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch in his first two UFC bouts, the Brazilian Military Police member will take on another elite 170-pounder at UFC 107 in December, when he meets fellow Brazilian Thiago Alves.
7. Mike Swick (14-2)
A concussion took Swick out of a proposed Sept. 19 bout with Martin Kampmann that would have given him the chance to fight Georges St. Pierre in the near future. However, the welterweight title picture is now foggier than before, with Kampmann getting blitzed in the first round by replacement Paul Daley.
8. Paul Daley (22-8-2)
Daley came to the UFC with a reputation as one of Britain's best talents and one of the welterweight division's most dangerous strikers. Even so, he was an underdog to divisional standout Martin Kampmann. However, Daley needed fewer than three minutes to blow away Kampmann at UFC 103 and signal his arrival in the UFC's 170-pound division.
9. Martin Kampmann (15-3)
UFC 103 was supposed to feature Kampmann meeting Mike Swick with the next crack at Georges St. Pierre on the line. After Swick pulled out due to injury, Kampmann was a considerable favorite to debuting British banger Paul Daley, who responded by demolishing the Dane in the first round.
10. Carlos Condit (23-5)
Many hardcore fans felt Condit would find himself in rough waters in his Sept. 16 bout with the relatively unknown Jake Ellenberger, but few could have imagined the extent. Condit had to overcome an onslaught from Ellenberger in the opening stanza in order to take a split decision win by the skin of his teeth.
Other contenders: Marcus Davis, Dan Hardy, Jay Hieron, Dan Hornbuckle, Matt Hughes.
Lightweight
1. B.J. Penn (14-5-1)
Penn is slated to make the next defense of his UFC lightweight crown Dec. 12 at UFC 107 in Memphis, Tenn., where he will take on another solid contender in Diego Sanchez, who is unbeaten as a lightweight. That will make for two title defenses in just four months for "The Prodigy,"Â who has been known more than anything for his preoccupations outside the lightweight division.
2. Shinya Aoki (21-4, 1 NC)
Aoki drew criticism for pot-shotting his way to a unanimous decision win over Vitor "Shaolin"Â Ribeiro on July 20. However, the win set up a high-stakes rubber match for the rubbery grappler, as he is slated to meet Joachim Hansen for the Dream lightweight title on Oct. 6.
3. Eddie Alvarez (18-2)
Alvarez ended the Cinderella run of likely "Submission of the Year"Â winner Toby Imada on June 19, as he choked him out in the second round. A rumored bout against Gesias "JZ"Â Cavalcante did not come to fruition, but Bellator's lightweight champion will have the luxury of courting high-quality opponents from both Bellator and Dream in the near future.
4. Kenny Florian (11-4)
Coming off of his August loss in his title bid against B.J. Penn, Florian did not have to wait long to find another opponent. The fighter-turned-analyst will take on divisional motor fighter Clay Guida at UFC 107 on Dec. 12.
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (24-5-2)
It's far from the most challenging opposition he has ever faced, but Kawajiri will return to the ring for tune-up action at Dream 11 on Oct. 6, when he will meet Guam's Melchor Manibusan.
6. Gray Maynard (8-0, 1 NC)
In his Sept. 16 win over Roger Huerta, Maynard showed both the evolution of his striking skills and the increasing potency of his top game. Furthermore, the well-appointed decision win has seemingly put him on the doorstep of a UFC lightweight title shot.
7. Frankie Edgar (10-1)
In order to continue ascending in the UFC lightweight division, Edgar will need to dispatch one of his New Jersey brethren when he takes on fellow northeasterner Kurt Pellegrino at "The Ultimate Fighter 10"Â Live Finale on Dec. 5.
8. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)
With a deflating loss to Frankie Edgar in May, Sherk was set to face Gleison Tibau, another lightweight in a must-win scenario, at UFC 104 on Oct. 24. However, a shoulder injury in training has taken Sherk out of the bout, and Josh Neer will fill his place.
9. Mizuto Hirota (12-3-1)
In their Aug. 2 encounter, Hirota withstood Satoru Kitaoka's early submission storm and wore down the Sengoku champion. He then smashed Kitaoka with a barrage of knees in the fourth round to claim Sengoku's lightweight crown.
10. Satoru Kitaoka (25-9-9)
In the first defense of his Sengoku lightweight title, Kitaoka was outlasted by the hard-hitting Mizuto Hirota, who battered him with knees and took his title in the fourth round. The defeat was Kitaoka's first as a lightweight.
Other contenders: Gesias Cavalcante, Tyson Griffin, Gilbert Melendez, Eiji Mitsuoka, Diego Sanchez.
Featherweight
1. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
It was no secret that Brown's featherweight mantle would be at stake against hot-shot Brazilian prospect Jose Aldo; the question was simply when. Now we know: WEC 44 on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.
2. Urijah Faber (22-3)
Faber failed to recover the World Extreme Cagefighting title and featherweight mantle in his June 7 rematch with Mike Thomas Brown. However, Faber fought gamely for the better part of 25 minutes with a broken hand and proved he still ranks among the featherweight elite.
3. Wagnney Fabiano (12-1)
The former International Fight League featherweight champion was scheduled for duty on Sept. 2 against Erik Koch. However, the postponement of WEC 43 means Fabiano will have to wait until Oct. 10 to step back into the cage.
4. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
The finale of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix on Aug. 2 did not exactly go according to plan for Hioki. After dominating Masanori Kanehara in the semi-finals, Hioki was forced to watch the man he defeated go on to become champion while he sat on the sidelines with a concussion.
5. Leonard Garcia (13-4)
His split decision win over Jameel Massouh in August was hardly enthusing, and a better performance will be hard to come by, as Garcia's next outing will see him take on Manny Gamburyan at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
6. Jose Aldo (15-1)
Aldo was already official as Mike Thomas Brown's next challenger for the WEC title. Now, a date has been set for the biggest fight of the 23-year-old Brazilian's career. He will tangle with Brown at WEC 44 on Nov. 18.
7. Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
In a battle of past and present, the current Shooto 143-pound world champion will take on former titleholder Alexandre Franca "Pequeno"Â Nogueira -- who reigned for seven years (1999-2006) -- at Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on Oct. 20.
8. Raphael Assuncao (13-1)
Though he will have to wait six weeks longer than expected, Assuncao will still get his moment to shine on Oct. 10, when he takes on exciting Georges St. Pierre training partner Yves Jabouin at WEC 43 in San Antonio.
9. Masanori Kanehara (14-6-5)
It was highly improbable, but despite dropping a decision loss to Hatsu Hioki in the Sengoku featherweight grand prix semi-finals on Aug. 2, Kanehara became Sengoku's first featherweight champion. After Hioki was forced out of the final due to a concussion, Kanehara stepped back in and took a well-earned decision win over Michihiro Omigawa.
10. Bibiano Fernandes (5-2)
Fernandes was baptized by fire early in his MMA career, with two of his first three bouts coming against Urijah Faber and Norifumi Yamamoto. In the Dream featherweight grand prix semi-finals, the roles will be reversed, as Fernandes will take on fast-rising upstart Joe Warren, who knocked off the aforementioned Yamamoto in just his second professional MMA bout.
Other contenders: Yuji Hoshino, Michihiro Omigawa, Takafumi Otsuka, Marlon Sandro, Joe Soto.
Bantamweight
1. Brian Bowles (8-0)
Going into his WEC bantamweight title bout with Miguel Torres, Bowles was thought to be a game challenger but not a major-league threat. In the cage, Bowles was far more than that, as he smashed Torres in the first round to snatch the 135-pound mantle.
2. Miguel Torres (37-2)
Torres was heralded as one of the sport's pound-for-pound stalwarts and the man to put the 135-pound division on the map. In his fourth defense of the WEC bantamweight title, he was flattened in the first round by impressive upstart Brian Bowles, who handed Torres his first loss in 18 fights.
3. Masakatsu Ueda (10-0-2)
He had to overcome both rope grabbing and eye gouging, but Ueda kept his unbeaten record and Shooto world title on July 19 by taking a well-appointed unanimous verdict over tough Brazilian youngster Eduardo Dantas.
4. Takeya Mizugaki (12-3-2)
Coming off of his wildly entertaining 25-minute brawl with Miguel Torres in April, Mizugaki was done no favors in his second bout in the promotion, as he faced off with veteran Jeff Curran on Aug. 9. However, the Cage Force bantamweight champion survived a last-minute submission scare from Curran to take a hard-fought split decision win.
5. Dominick Cruz (14-1)
A healthy underdog heading into his Aug. 9 bout with Urijah Faber understudy Joseph Benavidez, Cruz was one step ahead throughout the entire bout, deftly outworking Benavidez on the feet and the floor en route to a unanimous decision win. He now figures to be the first title contender for newly minted champion Brian Bowles.
6. Joseph Benavidez (10-1)
Though he came into the bout as a considerable favorite to challenge for the WEC bantamweight title, Benavidez's undefeated record came to an end at WEC 42. He was outworked in all facets of the game by the much longer and rangier Dominick Cruz.
7. Akitoshi Tamura (14-7-2)
With a successful bantamweight debut over Manny Tapia in April, Tamura was keen to move his divisional record to 2-0 against Damacio Page at WEC 43 on Sept. 2. With the event's postponement, he will square off with the Greg Jackson charge on Oct. 10.
8. Manny Tapia (10-2-1)
Having lost two in a row, a win becomes imperative for Tapia when he takes on tough midwesterner Eddie Wineland. However, "The Mangler"Â will have to wait until Oct. 10 for the bout after WEC 43 was moved to San Antonio.
9. Damacio Page (11-4)
Page was set to square off with Akitoshi Tamura on Sept. 2 in Youngtown, Ohio. With the postponement of the show, the hard-hitting Greg Jackson disciple will now face the former Shooto world champion on Oct. 10 in San Antonio.
10. Rani Yahya (15-4)
Against John Hosman on Aug. 9, Yahya added another first-round submission to his resume. Three straight first-round tapouts have put the grappling all-star back into contention for another crack at the WEC bantamweight crown.
Other contenders: Antonio Banuelos, Mike Easton, Marcos Galvao, Scott Jorgensen, Eddie Wineland.
Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
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Daniel Herbertson/Sherdog.com
Jussier "Formiga" da Silva.
Flyweight
1. Jussier da Silva (3-0)
The little-known little man out of Natal, Brazil, made a big impression in his biggest fight to date, as he took a well-appointed unanimous decision over Shooto world champion Shinichi "BJ"Â Kojima on July 19. The logical step would be for the International Shooto Commission to sanction a rematch with Kojima's title on the line for later this year.
2. Shinichi Kojima (10-4-5)
The Shooto world champion continued his career-long streak of inconsistency, dropping a unanimous verdict to Brazilian Jussier da Silva in a non-title bout on July 19. Whether or not Kojima will get a do-over with a title on the line remains to be seen.
3. Yuki Shojo (9-5-2)
In his first bout since falling to Shooto world champion Shinichi "BJ"Â Kojima in March, Shojo took a competitive, albeit pedestrian, majority decision over former bantamweight Junya Kudo and kept pace in Shooto's active 123-pound class.
4. Yasuhiro Urush*tani (16-4-6)
Though he deserved the victory the first time they fought in May 2008, justice prevailed in Urush*tani's Sept. 22 rematch with Ryuichi Miki, as he slickly boxed his way to a unanimous decision verdict over the former Shooto rookie champion.
5. Ryuichi Miki (9-3-3)
The rematch between Miki and Yasuhiro Urush*tani was largely a replay of the first bout, but this time Miki's aggression did not sway the judges, and he lost a unanimous decision. The loss was Miki's first since March 2006.
6. Rambaa Somdet (6-2)
As expected, Somdet will take part in a bout to crown the first ever Shooto 115-pound world champion on Nov. 23. He will take on surging strawweight Noboru "Shinpei"Â Tahara, whom he previously defeated in September 2008.
7. Masaaki Sugawara (9-3-1)
Sugawara earned a first-round stoppage over Yasuhiro Akagi on July 19. He returned just over two months later on Sept. 20 and took a well-deserved split decision over Hiroyuki Tanaka to keep moving up the ladder in Shooto's 123-pound class.
8. Mitsuhisa Sunabe (10-5-3)
Sunabe captured the first flyweight King of Pancrase championship by crushing Takuya Eizumi in June. Now, the Okinawa native will make his first defense against unbeaten Isao Hirose on Oct. 25.
9. Alexis Vila (5-0)
The hottest prospect in the flyweight division, the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling will see his first action since February when he takes on Cody Bell on Sept. 26.
10. Jesse Taitano (6-5-2)
One of Guam's finest talents, Taitano was a favorite heading into his 119-pound catchweight bout with strawweight Noboru "Shinpei"Â Tahara on Aug. 9. However, the much-improved Tahara took the final two rounds and a unanimous verdict over "The Spiderman."Â
Other contenders: John Dodson, Isao Hirose, Junji Ikoma, Pat Runez, Sam Thao.
***Reference articleEdited by: DixieDestroyer