(Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images).
No. 1 Lyoto Machida
The top pound-for-pound spot is always a hotly contested debate. A concise, fair argument could be made for several world class fighters. Yet, I have Machida atop the standings as of right now.
After seven fights in the UFC, the elusive and enigmatic fighter has yet to lose a round. At no point has he been truly threatened and he has dispatched top notch competition with relative ease.
The karate-based fighter continues to improve with each fight, and has yet to meet an opponent that has forced him into a battle. If this sort of dominance continues, Machida may find himself entrenched as one of the best fighters of all time.
No. 2 Georges St. Pierre
GSP is without question the most complete fighter the sport has ever seen. He seamlessly fuses boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and many other disciplines and is considered the prototype athlete for the new breed of MMA fighters.
Currently on a five-fight win streak, GSP has thoroughly dominated some of the top-ten welterweights in the world. In what was billed as one of the biggest fights in MMA history, GSP dismantled B.J. Penn through four rounds before the fight was stopped.
If he performs as admirably against the always-dangerous Thiago Alves, then a proposed superfight with Anderson Silva may become a reality and give him the opportunity to elevate his reputation to legendary status.
No. 3 Fedor Emelianenko
"The Last Emperor" is the most revered fighter in the sport and arguably the greatest of all-time. With a nearly unblemished record and scores of victories over heavyweight elites, there is no denying his skills.
While many pundits have anointed Emelianenko MMA’s kingpin, I have relegated him to third. Talent-wise, he may still be the best fighter in the world. However, with his string of lackluster opponents, infrequent fights and his unsteady performance against Andrei Arlovski, his star power has been slightly diminished.
Still, an impressive victory over Josh Barnett at Affliction "Trilogy" would once again solidify his place as the top dog among his peers.
No. 4 Anderson Silva
Another fighter who deserves first-place consideration, Silva has taken the UFC by storm. Having reeled off nine straight victories inside the octagon, Silva has brutalized established stars in vicious fashion.
But his last three opponents have been undeserving, and frankly unspectacular. Against Patrick Cote and Thales Leites, Silva underachieved and was content coasting to victory. Despite utilizing an efficient strategy, he looked lackadaisical and disinterested in his previous two bouts.
If he wants to reclaim some of his past allure and instill the same kind of fear as years past, he needs to make a statement against Forrest Griffin in his next fight.
No. 5 B.J. Penn
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