Power Ranking the Depth of the UFC's Weight Divisions

The UFC is better than ever.

From Johny Hendricks to Cain Velasquez, each weight class possesses its own melting pot of title contenders.

Even more so, the depth at which each division functions is more vast than ever.

By employing this, the UFC has been able to maintain a successful, yet creative, system of formatting relevant main cards.

Based on the numerous championship traffic jams that currently make up each division, here's how each weight class power-ranks against the others.

8. Flyweight

Top Five Fighters: Joseph Benavidez; Demetrious Johnson; Ian McCall; Yasuhiro Urushitani; John Dodson

Worthy Depth: Louis Gaudinot; Darren Uyenoyama

This was a no-brainer.

The newly installed flyweight division is exactly that: new.

As fresh as possible, the UFC's smallest weight class only employs a handful of fighters.

While that is destined to change over the next few years, for now, the quickest fighters around will have to wait in line.

7. Featherweight

Top Five Fighters: Jose Aldo (c); Chan Sung Jung; Dustin Poirier; Eric Koch; Chad Mendes

Worthy Depth: Hatsu Hioki; Mark Hominick; Diego Nunes; Cub Swanson; Jimy Hettes

While Jose Aldo is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, the rest of the featherweight division lacks in initial depth.

But with young talents like Chan Sung Jung, Dustin Poirier, Eric Koch and Jimy Hettes climbing the divisional ranks, it's only a matter of time before Aldo will have his hands full.

If it wasn't for the evident fall off of Mark Hominick and Cub Swanson, I probably would have given this class more recognition.

6. Bantamweight

Top Five Fighters: Dominick Cruz (c); Urijah Faber; Renan Barao; Michael McDonald; Ivan Menjivar

Worthy Depth: Scott Jorgensen; Brian Bowles; Damacio Page; Miguel Angel Torres; Brad Pickett; Mike Easton

Come UFC 148, the bantamweight division will be the second UFC weight class to crown an interim champion.

The injury to Dominick Cruz surely clears a path for Renan Barao and his inevitable stardom.

And with Urijah Faber itching for another title run, as well as the young KO sensation in Michael McDonald, the bantamweight division is looking more stacked than ever.

It's no longer a two-man race.

5. Middleweight

Top Five Fighters: Anderson Silva (c); Chael Sonnen; Vitor Belfort; Mark Munoz; Yushin Okami

Worthy Depth: Hector Lombard; Jake Shields; Michael Bisping; Brian Stann; Wanderlei Silva; Rich Franklin; Cung Le; Chris Leben; Chris Weidman

There may not be another weight class that possesses a clear-cut No. 1 contender such as Chael Sonnen, but that doesn't mean the middleweight division lacks in overall depth.

The fact of the matter is that, besides Sonnen's rematch with Anderson Silva at UFC 148, there are a handful of fighters who could headline a PPV.

From Vitor Belfort to Mark Munoz, newcomer Hector Lombard to Brian Stann, the middleweight division may be the best pound-for-pound KO power group in the UFC today

4. Heavyweight

Top Five Fighters: Junior dos Santos (c); Cain Velasquez; Alistair Overeem; Frank Mir; Fabricio Werdum

Worthy Depth: Antonio Silva; Shane Carwin; Roy Nelson; Minotauro Nogueira; Mark Hunt; Ben Rothwell; Stefan Struve; Stipe Miocic; Mike Russow; Travis Browne; Cheick Kongo

It's interesting to sit here and put the heavyweight division in the top four because not too long ago the UFC's largest weight class failed in comparison to most others.

But after signing international superstar Alistair Overeem, Strikeforce contenders Fabricio Werdum and Antonio Silva, the UFC has reversed its fortune.

The division may be lacking the almighty Brock Lesnar, but with current win streaks by Stefan Struve, Stipe Miocic and Travis Browne filling the airwaves, depth is no longer an issue.

Not to mention Cain Velasquez's dominant performance over Silva this past weekend.

3. Welterweight

Top Five Fighters: Georges St-Pierre (c); Carlos Condit (ic); Nick Diaz; Jake Ellenberger; Martin Kampmann

Worthy Depth: Johny Hendricks; Josh Koscheck; Rory MacDonald; Jon Fitch; Dong Hyun Kim; Thiago Alves; Diego Sanchez; Mike Pierce; Demian Maia; Mike Swick; Dan Hardy

Whether or not Georges St-Pierre ever regains his elusive championship ways, the welterweight division can stay afloat as a top-three weight class for the foreseeable future.

With the emergence of Carlos Condit as one of the best fighters in the division, alongside the arrival of Johny Hendricks' powerful left hand, St-Pierre finally has company at the top.

Throw in electric title contenders like Nick Diaz, Jake Ellenberger, Martin Kampmann and Josh Kosheck, and you arguably have the deepest division in the UFC.

Not to mention possessing the most heralded prospect in the sport today, Rory MacDonald.

2. Light Heavyweight

Top Five Fighters: Jon Jones (c); Dan Henderson; Rashad Evans; Mauricio Shogun Rua; Lyoto Machida

Worthy Depth: Rampage Jackson; Alexander Gustafsson; Ryan Bader; Phil Davis; Tito Ortiz; Antonio Rogerio Nogueira; Forrest Griffin; Thiago Silva; Glover Teixeira; Vladimir Matyushenko

Despite literally running through nearly every relevant fighter in his weight class, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has a lot to fear within the UFC's second deepest division.

Hall of Fame names like Dan Henderson, Mauricio Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson spill down the ranks, as perennial title contenders such as Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida jostle for position.

However, despite the upper echelon of names I've just rattled off, the biggest light heavyweight threat heading into 2013 may in fact be Alexander Gustafsson. 

"The Mauler" is setting himself up for something great, albeit eventually having to face the greatest fighter in the world.

1. Lightweight

Top Five Fighters: Benson Henderson (c); Frankie Edgar; Nate Diaz; Anthony Pettis; Gray Maynard

Worthy Depth: Jim Miller; Clay Guida; Joe Lauzon; Melvin Guillard; Donald Cerrone; Sean Sherk; Edson Barboza; Jamie Varner; Paul Sass; Takanori Gomi; Jeremy Stephens; Tony Ferguson

The light heavyweight and lightweight divisions are borderline interchangeable at this point, but the shear depth of talent at 155 lbs. seems too good to be true.

I mean, look at the names above.  Donald Cerrone and Jamie Varner are hanging on to top-10 spots by a thread.

But the biggest reason why the lightweight division surpasses all other weight classes is because literally any top-five fighter in the division can win the title within the next year.

Dana White and Joe Silva surely make it difficult on themselves by compacting so many great fighters into one division. There just isn't enough match-making to go around.

Because while Frankie Edgar is set to revenge his title loss to Benson Henderson, Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis, Gray Maynard, Jim Miller and Clay Guida all possess the resumes to partake in a title bout as well.

It simply comes down to who's hotter and pulls off more impressive victories. 

Because at the end of the day, every top fighter in this division has what it takes to be champ.

For more UFC news and coverage, Follow @DHiergesell