(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
With the upcoming declaration of No. 50 in the UFC 100, we officially reach the midway point of the list. What have you thought so far?
Fifty fighters of differing popularity, success, pedigree and abilities remain after the midway point and the debates are only going to get better.
Now, we're getting into that territory where your favorite fighter's name might appear, and it might be too low for your liking.
In fact, I hope it is... seriously, I love debates.
50. Mark Kerr
UFC Record: 4-0
Victories Over: Guys You Don't Know
Kerr is one of the fighters I found hardest to rank in this list. On one hand, he went undefeated in the UFC, earning the Heavyweight Tournament title at both UFC 14 and UFC 15.
On the other hand, if I told you the guys he beat (Moti Horenstein, Dan Bobish, Greg Stott, and Dwayne Cason) you would look at me like I'm talking Klingon, and with good reason. The result: Fighter No. 50.
49. Josh Koscheck
UFC Record: 10-4
Victories Over: Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Chris Lytle, Diego Sanchez
If he's not there already, Koscheck has a long career ahead of him as the UFC Welterweight division's gatekeeper, and his track record proves it.
Outside of the win over Diego Sanchez, the TUF One alum comes up short against the upper tier (GSP, Thiago Alves) but is more than a handful for anyone else.
Great wrestling and a love affair with his striking make him a perfect candidate for the job Matt Hughes so desperately doesn't want.
48. Thiago Alves
UFC Record: 9-2
Victories Over: Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan
Georges St-Pierre's toughest competition to date has been steamrolling people for the last three years, last taking a loss in June 2006 to Jon Fitch.
The American Top Team member has had a couple of run-ins with weight issues, but on the whole, Alves has proven time and again that he is a handful inside the cage.
47. Mike Swick
UFC Record: 9-1
Victories Over: Marcus Davis, Joe Riggs, Ben Saunders
This is what happens when you change weight classes mid-stream; you have to go back down the ladder and fight your way up, so while your record is impeccable, the level of competition isn't the same as some fighters have faced.
Get Win No. 10 over Martin Kampmann in September and we'll talk.
46. Nate Marquardt
UFC Record: 7-2
Victories Over: Wilson Gouveia, Martin Kampmann, Jeremy Horn
One loss came to a guy who literally beats everyone (Anderson Silva) and the other came through point deductions helping the other guy (Thales Leites).
Other than that, Marquardt has made quick work of some very talented opponents and has a chance to put an end to Demian Maia's winning streak inside the Octagon at UFC 102 in August.
45. Yushin Okami
UFC Record: 7-1
Victories Over: Dean Lister, Evan Tanner, Mike Swick
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