The Top 10 MMA Heavyweights in the World

The world's heavyweight division is split mostly between the UFC and Affliction promotions. Both sides argue that their fighters are the best, but one thing we can all agree on is who the No. 1 fighter is. If you're thinking Fedor, so am I. He is clearly the best heavyweight in the world right now. It can be forever disputed on which heavyweight division is more stacked, but the fighters in the UFC know they will still have a job in a year or two (as long as they're not cut).

1. Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) current win streak: 26

“The Last Emperor” is destroying everyone who steps in front of him. He is ruling the heavyweight division and was the former Pride heavyweight champion, and is currently the WAMMA (Affliction) heavyweight champion. He holds wins over Renalto Sobral, Heath Herring, Matt Lindland, Mirko Filipovic, is 2-0-1 against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, is 2-0 against Mark Coleman, and has his most recent wins over Tim Silvia and Andre Arlovski. He is expected to defend his belt again under the Affliction banner against Josh Barnett. Fedor is not only the No. 1 heavyweight in the world, but also widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter as well.

2. Frank Mir (12-3) current win streak: 3

He is the current UFC interim heavyweight champion with his most recent wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. He held the heavyweight belt once before in the UFC with a win over Tim Silvia, but a motorcycle accident forced him to restart his career. Since he came back from a loss to Brandon Vera, he has won three straight and just coached TUF season 8. His next fight will be against Brock Lesnar for the chance of regaining the heavyweight title at UFC 98.

3. Brock Lesnar (3-1) current win streak: 2

He may only have four fights in MMA, but he most recently defeated Randy Couture to win the UFC heavyweight championship. He may be considered overrated and inexperienced, but he is an imposing force for anyone he fights. His next fight will be a rematch with Frank Mir, his only loss, at UFC 98.

4. Randy Couture (16-8) current loosing streak: 1

“The Natural” is a legend in the sport of MMA and is already in the UFC Hall of Fame. As a three-time light heavyweight champion and six-time heavyweight champion, he has secured his spot in MMA history. He recently lost his belt to Brock Lesnar, but he is still a top-five fighter. At age 45, some people believe he should retire, but he may have a few more fights still left in his decorated career. He has no upcoming fights and will be sidelined with an elbow injury for a while.

5. Andre Arlovski (15-6) current loosing streak: 1

With his recent loss to Fedor, “The Pit-bull” may have dropped down in the rankings. He is still one of the most dominating heavyweights in the world and is a former three-time UFC heavyweight champion. He held his own against Fedor until the flying knee attempt, and was on a five-fight win streak before the loss. I believe his next fight could be against Tim Silvia in their fourth rematch to even the score and secure his spot in the top five.

6. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (35-5-1) current loosing streak: 1

He was the first Pride heavyweight champion and held the UFC interim heavyweight belt with a win over Tim Silvia. He recently lost his last fight to Frank Mir at the conclusion of coaching season 8 of TUF. He has a decorated career and has fought almost all of the top heavyweights in the world. He may be getting older, but you can bet he still has a few more fights left in him.

7. Tim Silvia (14-5) current loosing streak: 2

This 6'8" giant and a former four-time UFC heavyweight champion (I don’t count the title defense where he tested positive for steroids) has fallen from the top five rankings with back to back losses to Nogueira and Fedor. He was and still has the potential to be a top fighter in the heavyweight division. He currently fights for Affliction and may be rematching Arlovski after a recent outburst of smack talk between the fighters.

8. Josh Barnett (24-5) current win streak: 5

“The Babyface Assassin” has put together an impressive career in the UFC (tested positive after he won the belt), Pride, and now Affliction. He has fought some of the biggest names in the heavyweight division, and with two wins in Affliction, he is next in line to fight Fedor for the title. His next fight, the biggest in his career, will give him the opportunity to beat the No. 1 heavyweight in the world.

9. Cheick Kongo (23-4-1) current win streak: 2

With his only losses in the UFC split decisions, this fighter has the potential to be one of the top heavyweights in the world. His biggest win was over Mirko Cro Cop and he has finished his last two opponents. I would like to see him rematch Heath Herring to erase that split decision or fight former No. 1 contender Gabriel Gonzaga. He is working his way up to a title shot and will need to continue finishing top opponents to climb the rankings.

10. This spot is hard to fill because there are a number of top fighters who could all sit in the ten spot:

Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3) current win streak: 2
He put his name on the map and earned a title shot against Randy when he KO’d Cro Cop with one of the best head kicks ever in the UFC. Unfortunately, he lost back to back fights to Randy and Fabricio Werdum. He has bounced back with two first-round victories and is poised to make his way back up the rankings.

Fabricio Werdum (11-4) current losing streak: 1
Recently cut from the UFC after his loss to Junior dos Santos, the experienced UFC and Pride fighter has wins over Gonzaga and Vera and dropped decisions to Arlovski and Nogueira. He is currently a free agent and has no scheduled fights, but has the skills to make a comeback and impose his presence on the world’s top heavyweights.

Mirko Filipovic (39-13-2) current win streak: 2-0-1
Once regarded as a top-five heavyweight in the world, Cro Cop was cut from the UFC after an unimpressive 1-2 record. He has fought the best fighters in Pride, and was a K-1 champion, but at age 34, many believe his career is done. He is one of the most deadly strikers and kick-boxers in the game, and with a few more wins, could find himself back in the top 10.

Heath Herring (28-14) current losing streak: 1
“The Texas Crazy Horse” has an uneven 2-3 record in the UFC, but has faced all the top heavyweights in the world between his careers in Pride and the UFC. He is an experienced fighter with the potential to upset top competition. He needs to get big wins to climb into the top ten and maybe even earn a rematch with Lesnar one day.

Alexsander Emelianenko (10-2) current win streak :4
Brother of Fedor, Alexsander has made a name for himself in Pride and his only losses come from Josh Barnett and Cro Cop. Currently a free agent, he would make a great asset to any promotion. He has separated himself from the heavyweight ranks but needs to fight and beat some top competition before he enters the top 10.