The UFC Heavyweight division has been thinning out of late. Former champions of the division Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia are on their way out. Current Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture remains in a contract dispute.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir now sit atop the division. The two will be the coaches for TUF 8, culminating with a fight for the interim heavyweight championship sometime late in '08 or early '09. 

The field of fighters behind them varies greatly.  Many fighters can legitimately aspire to be the next to reach the top of the ladder. 

The list of most immediate potential title contenders include: Fabricio Werdum, Brandon Vera, Gabriel Gonzaga, Cheick Kongo, Mark Coleman, and the biggest and most inexperienced name in the division, Brock Lesnar.

Brock Lesnar attracts much dispute between fans and his fighting future. The 265-pound, former D-1 College Wrestling National Champion, is an athletic beast who seems to have all the potential in the world. His amazing headlining ability already set him to fight in a co-main event against former UFC Champion Frank Mir in his first fight in the UFC, and only his second fight overall.

Many people want to see him fight four or five more fights in the UFC against other top competitors before receiving a title shot. However, others see Lesnar as the man who renders any current champion as a man merely warming the throne for a new reign. They look for him to fight a couple more times and receive his title shot. 

Lesnar's next fight is currently scheduled for August 9th against fellow D-1 College Wrestling National Champion Mark Coleman—the man given credit for inventing ground-and-pound in MMA, and a UFC Hall of Famer.

However, Coleman is now over 40, and seems to be on his way out of the sport if he does not defeat Lesnar, who is expected to win. If he does win, there are many paths open for his UFC career moving forward.

But a worthy and competitive opponent would need to first be determined, a fighter with proper size and style... 

Cheick Kongo has been recognized as a rising star in the Heavyweight Division. A true physical specimen in his own rights, Kongo had won four of his five fights in the UFC before losing to Heath Herring at UFC 82 in March.

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