UFC on Fuel TV 2 Aftermath: Pound-for-Pound Rankings Following UFC on Fuel 2

With UFC on Fuel 2 in the books, let's take the time to look at the current pound-for-pound rankings in MMA. While none of the fights had a huge impact on the rankings, they did affect the landscape in every division. 

This weekend Jon Jones and Rashad Evans square off in the main event of UFC 145. The fight will not only decide the champion of the light heavyweight division, but it will also have an enormous impact on both of their legacies. 

10. Rashad Evans

Rashad Evans' placement on a pound-for-pound list may be difficult for some to accept. After all, what's a TUF winner doing on a list filled with champions, right? Wrong. Rashad Evans is one of the most successful fighters in the history of the light heavyweight division, and since making his UFC debut in 2005, he's become one of the most well-rounded fighters in the promotion.

Evans faces Jon Jones this Saturday in Atlanta. It's a fight a year in the making and one that will decide Rashad's legacy. He's said a lot in the press about how he knows how to beat Jon Jones, and now he has to back it up. 

If he walks away with the LHW belt there should be no doubt that Rashad is the greatest light heavyweight of all time. His list of victims reads like a who's who of the division, and adding Jones' scalp will make it complete. 

9. Carlos Condit

Carlos Condit had to enter the UFC with fans saying that the WEC fighters didn't belong and couldn't compete. It seems like Condit never got that memo. After losing a hard-fought decision to Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut, Condit has been on an absolute tear through the welterweight division. 

Along the way, Condit has picked up some key wins over some top competition and was awarded a shot at the interim welterweight belt against Nick Diaz, with champion Georges St-Pierre sidelined with a knee injury. For five rounds Condit fought an intelligent fight and kept Diaz confused with an elusive game plan. 

He's sitting on the sidelines while GSP heals up and should be fighting the champ sometime in the fall. A win will solidify Condit's place in pound-for-pound discussions. 

8. Dan Henderson

There is no other fighter in MMA who has had success in so many different weight classes. As the former PRIDE middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Dan Henderson has dominated every weight class he's competed in. 

He scored perhaps the biggest win of his career when he became the first and only man to knock out Fedor Emelianenko. That win earned him another shot at the UFC and Henderson took full advantage, beating Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in what is considered one of the best fights of all time. 

Henderson doesn't have any opponents lined up right now. Instead, he's waiting for the winner of Rashad Evans-Jon Jones. 

7. Dominick Cruz

As with Georges St-Pierre, Cruz' inability to finish opponents has hurt his standing in pound-for-pound discussions. There's no question that he's an incredibly dominant champ, as he has an incredibly elusive style that consistently leaves bewildered opponents grasping or striking at air.

Over his UFC career, he's avoided over 75 percent of all strikes and has stuffed over 80 percent of all takedown attempts. 

Cruz has also all but cleared out the bantamweight division. A rematch with Urijah Faber this summer will complete the trilogy between the two fighters. If Cruz can get by Faber, the only interesting fights left for him in the bantamweight division are against Renan Barao and Miguel Torres. 

The fight with Urijah Faber takes place over the 4th of July weekend in Las Vegas at UFC 148. 

6. Benson Henderson

Benson Henderson is a beast. After dropping the WEC lightweight championship to Anthony Pettis, many wondered how Benson would do in the UFC. He answered that question by running over every opponent Joe Silva has lined up in front of him. 

He captured the lightweight belt with a fantastic performance against Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan. Henderson has some of the most violent ground-and-pound in the entire sport and his ability to scramble is second to none.

He's expected to rematch Frankie Edgar sometime this summer. If he can once again defeat Edgar, there really aren't many fighters in the division that I can see as a challenge for Henderson. Expect Henderson to reign for years to come. 

Can I get an amen?

5. Junior Dos Santos

Based on the literal meaning of "pound-for-pound" Junior Dos Santos should not be ranked in the top five. However, his skills and wins speak for themselves. Possessing perhaps the most devastating hands in MMA, the UFC heavyweight champ is a wrecking machine.

There isn't an aspect of MMA that he doesn't excel at, as the devastating strike has also demonstrated both offensive and defensive wrestling. The only skill UFC fans haven't seen is how he works off his back, but that's obviously because no opponent has successfully put him in that position.

His matchup with Alistair Overeem is up in the air right now as Overeem failed a surprise drug test. There is no word on who would be the replacement if Overeem cannot get licensed for the fight. 

4. Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre is an example of how winning fights isn't enough to keep the top spot in pound-for-pound discussions. His winning streak speaks for itself as he holds wins over the best the welterweight division has to offer.

The French-Canadian's biggest fault is that he's fighting not to lose and hasn't stopped an opponent since 2009 when BJ Penn's corner called off the fight between Rounds 4 and 5. In a sport where fans need a reason to continue supporting a fighter, GSP's lack of finishes will soon affect his ability to draw. 

He's scheduled to make his return some time this fall against Carlos Condit. The interim champ's fighting style should force St-Pierre to fight instead of cruise to a decision. 

3. Jon Jones

The youngest fighter on the list, and the youngest champion in the UFC, Jon Jones has made quite the name for himself in a short period. Originally brought in as an opponent for Andre Gusmao, Jones is now unanimously considered the top fighter at light heavyweight. 

In his time as champion, he has faced a murderers' row of competition which includes Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson and Lyoto Machida. He's finished every single one of those fighters in highlight-reel fashion.

He will be fighting his former teammate and friend Rashad Evans this weekend in Atlanta. If he can defeat Evans, there is no doubt that Jones will go down in history as the best light heavyweight of all time. 

2. Jose Aldo

I know, I know. Jose Aldo ranked over both GSP and Jon Jones? Yes. He is ranked over the welterweight and light heavyweight champions. It's pretty simple really. Since starting his career under the Zuffa umbrella, Aldo has absolutely smashed everyone placed in front of him.

He's one of the top young fighters in MMA, and at this point he's made featherweight seem like an extremely thin division. Between his muay Thai and submission game, he's dangerous wherever the fight takes place and has finished opponents in highlight-reel fashion. 

He's supposed to defend his belt this summer in Calgary. There's no opponent as of yet, but expect it to be the winner of Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung. 

1. Anderson Silva

The king of kings, Anderson Silva has cemented his place as the best fighter ever in MMA. He's the longest reigning champion in UFC history and thus far in his UFC career, has only been tested once.

The skills he displays makes him the most complete fighter in the promotion, and every time he fights, fans know they will see something special.

He and Chael Sonnen will be fighting again this summer in Rio. The UFC plans to break their all time attendance record with the fight scheduled to take place in a soccer stadium.

If Silva wins, he'll have completely cleaned out the middleweight division. It would also make him an even bigger celebrity in Brazil. I, for one, cannot wait.