MMA World Rankings (Updated 8-21-2010)

HeavyWeight (Over 205 Pounds)


1) Brock Lesnar - Lesnar survived a first round scare at UFC 116 in his bout against Shane Carwin. Carwin blasted Lesnar with unanswered punch after unanswered punch. In the second round, Lesnar rallied and showed the heart of a champion as he secured a takedown and transitioned to an arm triangle finish. With Fedor dropping, Lesnar is officially the number one Heavyweight in the world. The celebration won’t last long. Lesnar has a date at UFC 121 with undefeated wreaking machine, Cain Velasquez.


2) Cain Velasquez - The only thing scarier about this guy’s fighting skills is his work ethic. Many of Velasquez’s training partners have claimed he “outworks Lightweights in the gym”. There is a myriad of hype surrounding Velasquez. Some say he’s the future UFC Heavyweight Champion. Some even go as far as saying he’s the next pound for pound king. After watching him destroy Minotauro Nogueira, it would be tough to argue his potential.


3) Shane Carwin - After earning a 10-8 round, Carwin had no gas left in the tank to continue his pressure on Brock Lesnar at UFC 116. Despite the loss, it was a courageous effort. Carwin should look to rebound soon. Roy Nelson should make for a great comeback opponent.


4) Fabricio Werdum - On June 26, 2010, Fabricio Werdum made history when he became the first man to defeat one of the greatest Mixed Martial Artists of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. If that wasn’t shocking enough, Werdum asked for a rematch immediately following the bout. It’s unknown whether Strikeforce will go through with the Werdum/Fedor rematch or the originally scheduled Werdum/Overeem Heavyweight title fight.


5) Fedor Emelianenko - “The Last Emperor” has finally fallen. At Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum, Emelianenko suffered his first loss in 10 years to BJJ ace, Fabricio Werdum. After the fight, Fedor left us with an inspiring and memorable quote…“The one who doesn’t fall never stands up. I’m just a human being. If it’s God’s will next fight, I’ll win.”…


6) Frank Mir - After Frank Mir destroyed Cheick Kongo, Many thought he was on his way to a third meeting with arch nemesis, Brock Lesnar. Shane Carwin’s fists had other plans. It was a tough loss for a resurging Frank Mir. At UFC 119, Mir was originally scheduled to fight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a rematch of their UFC 92 bout. A knee injury forced Nogueira to bow out of the fight. Mir will now face Mirko Cro Cop in the headliner at UFC 119.


7) Junior Dos Santos - The future is becoming the present, and prospects are becoming contenders. Along with Cain Velasquez, JDS has been called the future of the UFC Heavyweight division. He has manhandled the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Mirko Cro Cop, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Gilbert Yvel. At UFC 117, he battered a tough Roy Nelson around for three grueling rounds. The victory earned him a title shot against the winner of Lesnar/Velasquez. As arguably the best striker at Heavyweight, fans are surely enamored by the prospective violence that is to come courtesy of “Cigano”.


8) Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Before UFC 92, Nogueira had never been finished in his illustrious career. KO losses to Mir at 92 and Velasquez at 110 has changed fan perception of Nogueira’s chin. Despite only being 34 years of age, Nogueira has seen plenty of wars. His body is starting to show tremendous wear and tear. Many wonder how much longer he can hold up in a division full of oversized beasts. A rematch with Frank Mir was set for UFC 119, but Nogueira was forced to withdraw because of knee issues. The knee will require surgery and likely keep him sidelined for the rest of the year.


9) Alistair Overeem - “The Demolition Man” is dead. “Ubereem” has been born. Alistair Overeem has been on a path of destruction. Despite his recent success, many doubted him at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery against Brett Rogers. The critics were silenced as they watched Overeem toss Rogers around like a toddler being bullied on an elementary school playground. With Werdum seeking a Fedor rematch, the future remains unclear for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion.


10) Antonio Silva - Sporting a chin larger than Jay Leno’s, it’s hard to see anyone knocking “Bigfoot” out. Eric Pele did it in 2006, but Silva has become a much more dangerous fighter. At Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery, Silva tamed the “Pitbull” in Andrei Arlovski by out-pointing him en route to a unanimous decision victory. A showdown with Brett Rogers seems to make the most sense.

Light Heavyweight (205 -pound limit)


1) Mauricio “Shogun” Rua - After major knee surgery, Shogun came back to the octagon and racked up wins over Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell. Those victories earned him a title shot against the enigmatic, Lyoto Machida. Lyoto took the victory in one of the most controversial UFC decisions ever. At UFC 113, Shogun was awarded an immediate rematch. The judges could have stayed at home. Shogun KO’d Machida in the first round to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. A showdown with Rashad Evans is next for Shogun; however, another knee injury and surgery will likely keep Shogun sidelined until March 2011.


2) Lyoto Machida - At UFC 113, The elusive reign of Lyoto Machida came to a violent end courtesy of a Shogun overhand right. Only a fool would write Machida off as a Light Heavyweight contender. Regardless of the controversy, he did beat Shogun in the first fight. Other than Shogun, Machida still remains a strong favorite against any fighter in the Light Heavyweight division. A bout with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is set for UFC 123 in November.


3) Rashad Evans - It was an uneventful victory, but Rashad Evans got the job done. After defeating Quinton Jackson, Evans was classy in victory and gave his opponent well-deserved respect. A shot to reclaim his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship came with the victory. Unfortunately, Shogun needs surgery to repair another knee injury. The championship bout will likely be postponed until March-May 2011.


4) Quinton “Rampage” Jackson - A tough loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 114 has caused Rampage to rethink his career choices. Obviously gassed, Rampage had no answer for Rashad’s clinch game. He will have to make a decision. Does he want to be an actor? Or…Does he want to be a fighter? It’s incredibly hard to do both when competing at a world class level. Whatever the case, he had better decide soon. At UFC 123, Rampage will have to deal with a stylistic nightmare in Lyoto Machida.


5) Forrest Griffin - One of the most beloved fighters in MMA, Forrest Griffin, saw his rocky year come to an end with a big victory over Tito Ortiz at UFC 106. Griffin’s presence was guaranteed to bolster the UFC 114 card. Set to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Griffin was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a shoulder injury. He is rumored to make his return at UFC 123 against top Light Heavyweight prospect, Jon “Bones” Jones.


6) Antonio Rogerio Nogueira - At UFC 114, Nogueira survived a potential catastrophic upset courtesy of Jason Brilz. Brilz took the fight on 4 weeks notice. Many saw this fight as somewhat of a tune-up for Nogueira. Brilz didn’t get that memo. He hung tough with one of the best Light Heavyweights in the world. In the end, Nogueira took the split decision. Despite the victory, the fight was a setback for Nogueira’s championship aspirations. What’s next for Lil Nog? A bout with Ryan Bader is locked for UFC 119.


7) Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante - After a big upset, Feijao now finds himself at the top of the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight division. His victory over King Mo is sure to garner a lot of talk and premature hype. There is no doubt that Feijao is an explosive Light Heavyweight. He earned this spot on the rankings by defeating the previously ranked number seven, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal. It’ll be interesting to see if he can maintain his spot.


8) Jon Jones - Jon Jones is shining like Leroy Green from “The Last Dragon”. There is a lot of hype around his potential to do great things in the sport. After his dismantling of Vladimir Matyushenko, fans are clamoring for Jones to fight a top five opponent. Could a fight between Jones and Forrest Griffin be on the horizon? If not, Thiago Silva and Rich Franklin would be the only suitable opponents left to choose from.


9) Muhammed Lawal “King Mo” - The king went from riches to rags in a hurry. In his first title defense, Muhammed Lawal was defeated at Strikeforce “Houston” by Rafael Cavalcante. The manner in which he was defeated will make this loss a tough pill to swallow for King Mo. His overzealousness in the clinch led to him getting caught by a huge knee that would setup the TKO finish.


10) Gegard Mousasi - It didn’t take Mousasi long to finish Jake O’Brien at Dream 15 in the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi-Final. The bout marked Mousasi’s return since losing the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title to “King Mo” Lawal. The Dream Grand Prix Final will take place on September 25. Mousasi will face Tatsuya Mizuno in a bout that will crown the first ever Dream Light Heavyweight Champion.

MiddleWeight (185 -pound limit)


1) Anderson Silva - Anderson Silva and fans alike are letting out sighs of relief after the cataclysmic beating that took place at UFC 117. For four rounds, Silva was repeatedly taken down and pounded on by number one contender, Chael Sonnen. A fifth round mistake by Sonnen allowed Silva to lock in the triangle that would keep his pound for pound throne intact for at least a little longer. There was talk of Silva suffering from a preexisting rib injury coming into the bout. If serious, the injury could keep Silva out of action until Spring 2011.


2) Chael Sonnen - The term heartache can’t even begin to describe the emotions Chael Sonnen felt after his UFC 117 loss to Anderson Silva. Despite coming up short, Sonnen gained a mountain of notoriety. Many fans are already clamoring for Silva/Sonnen II. With Silva possibly on the shelf, it doesn’t look like the rematch will be happening anytime soon. A bout with Vitor Belfort would be a great way to bypass time and determine who gets the next crack at Silva.


3) Jake Shields - Finally, Jake Shields has found a home in the UFC. His arrival makes for some intriguing matchups. Hardcore fans are already salivating at the possibility of a Shields/GSP fight. At UFC 121, Shields drops back down to Welterweight to take on top ten contender, Martin Kampmann.


4) Nate Marquardt - Nate Marquardt suffered a major setback with his loss to Chael Sonnen. Despite being credited as the superior grappler, Marquardt had no answers for Sonnen’s takedowns and top control. He will have a chance to get back to his winning ways at UFC Fight Night (September 15) when he takes on BJJ expert, Rousimar Palhares.


5) Dan Henderson - For the first time in his career, Dan Henderson looked old in his fight against Jake Shields at Strikeforce: Nashville. He was gassed and taken down repeatedly. It was a heartbreaking performance. Dan Henderson, a former Olympic wrestler, was completely dominated in the wrestling department. There is talk of a Strikeforce Middleweight tournament to determine a new title contender. Henderson is likely to participate.


6) Demian Maia - The only thing uglier than Maia’s smashed up dome at UFC 112 was Anderson Silva’s antics…so some say. Maia was outclassed in the bout that highlighted his one-dimensional grappling style. Despite being one of the best BJJ practitioners in MMA, Demian Maia’s wrestling is really lacking. Imagine Maia’s BJJ skills coupled with a fantastic wrestler…Scary. Originally slated to face Alan Belcher, Maia will now fight Mario Miranda at UFC 118.


7) Vitor Belfort - Vitor Belfort made a huge statement with his first round KO victory over former UFC Middleweight Champion, Rich Franklin (UFC 103). With Anderson Silva terrorizing the division, many hoped for a solid striker to emerge and go toe to toe with him. The Belfort/Silva bout seemed like a superfight to many MMA fans. The bout was scheduled and cancelled 3 times due to injuries on both sides. With Silva likely out, Belfort is possibly looking at a bout against the man who nearly dethroned Silva, Chael Sonnen.


8) Chris Leben - Who ever thought we’d see Chris Leben climbing the UFC ranks again? In two weeks time, Leben defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama and Aaron Simpson. After the Akiyama fight, Leben asked for a fight against Wanderlei Silva. With Silva undergoing surgery, the timetable for his return is quite a ways off. It’s unsure whether Leben will wait or continue fighting. If he chooses to fight, A bout with Alan Belcher or a rematch with Patrick Cote makes the most sense.


9) Yoshihiro Akiyama - Coming off a loss to Chris Leben, Akiyama has no one to blame but himself. Something has to be done about his cardio issues. He has to be prepared to go the distance. His cardio is sure to be tested in his next outing when he takes on TUF Season 3 winner, Michael Bisping.


10) Yushin Okami - Yushin Okami has come a long way from his decision loss to Chael Sonnen. Since the loss, he has shown vast improvements in his standup and wrestling. At UFC on Versus 2, Okami defeated Mark Munoz by split decision. It was a great victory for Okami that should bring him one step closer to title contention.

WelterWeight (170 -pound limit)


1) Georges St. Pierre - As GSP continues to terrorize the UFC Welterweight division, he cements a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. We last saw him outclass Dan Hardy by implementing a technical top game and securing a unanimous decision victory. Despite criticism, GSP looked otherworldly in comparison to Hardy. A coaching position on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter and a showdown with Josh Koscheck looks to lie on the horizon for the Canadian phenom.


2) Jon Fitch - After dispatching of Thiago Alves, Jon Fitch remains firmly entrenched at number two in the Welterweight hierarchy. It was a dominant victory that showcased Fitch’s improved timing and head movement. With the victory, he has earned the right to challenge the winner of GSP/Koscheck for the Welterweight title. Things could get interesting if Koscheck wins. Fitch and Kos are good friends and training partners at American Kickboxing Academy. Both fighters have been vocal about their unwillingness to fight one another. Could a title fight change their minds?


3) Thiago Alves - After failing to make weight, Thiago Alves was completely dominated by Jon Fitch. The weight cut obviously played a role in the loss as Alves seemed sluggish throughout most of the bout. At age 26, a move to Middleweight may be inevitable. If Alves wishes to remain a Welterweight contender, he has to make weight. Weight limits are set for a reason. If he‘s struggling to make weight, he needs to make a permanent move to Middleweight. It‘s decision time Thiago!


4) Josh Koscheck - MMA’s favorite blonde villain was at it again after his dominate victory over Paul Daley at UFC 113. He mocked the Canadian crowd and took a shot at the hometown hero, Georges St. Pierre. With his win over Daley, Josh Koscheck earned a coaching spot opposite of St. Pierre on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. The two will do battle later this year.


5) Paul Daley - Life after the UFC continues for Paul Daley. At Impact FC 2, he defeated Daniel Acacio by submission due to strikes. His MMA pilgrimage continues in the budding Shark Fights Promotion. With Keith Jardine and Trevor Prangley headlining, Daley will face Jorge Masvidal.


6) Martin Kampmann - At UFC 115, Martin Kampmann took the biggest victory in his MMA career over a top five Welterweight in Paulo Thiago. Kampmann showed technical boxing skills and an improved ground game. With Jake Shields recently signing, Kampmann has been chosen to roll out the welcome wagon at UFC 121. The winner should position themselves behind Jon Fitch as a title contender.


7) Paulo Thiago - Thiago’s bad defensive style finally caught up with him at UFC 115. He was outclassed by Martin Kampmann all three rounds for a lopsided unanimous decision loss. Despite the loss, Thiago remains a serious threat to any Welterweight out there. He has to get back to the gym and work on his fundamentals (wrestling, boxing, and striking defense). A dangerous bout against Diego Sanchez awaits at UFC 121.


8) Matt Hughes - A country boy really can survive! After the embarrassing display of striking at UFC 112, Matt Hughes returned in a big way at UFC 117. He dropped Ricardo Almeida with a left hook and finished with a front headlock submission. The victory proved that Hughes can still hang with some of the tougher guys in the division. With that said, don‘t expect the UFC to feed Hughes to the upper echelon gorillas yet. A third bout with Dennis Hallman will most likely await his winter return.


9) Dan Hardy - It is back to reality for Dan Hardy now that his short time of fame is up. He needs to prove that he’s a serious contender before getting another crack at the UFC Welterweight title. A fight against the loser of Alves/Fitch would be perfect for Hardy, but the UFC seems to have other plans. A date with Carlos Condit has been set for UFC 120.


10) Nick Diaz - The search for competition continues for the Cesar Gracie student. At Dream 14, Nick Diaz made quick work of Japanese MMA legend, Hayato Sakurai. With Jake Shields out of the picture, Diaz could opt to jump to Middleweight; however, a rematch with K.J. Noons would be more than enough to keep him at Welter.

LightWeight (155-pound limit)


1) Frankie Edgar - At UFC 112, Frankie Edgar pulled off a huge upset over former Lightweight champion, B.J. Penn. An aggressive Edgar pushed the pace all 5 rounds to gain the unanimous decision. The win didn’t come without controversy. Many people scored the bout for B.J. Penn. It was controversial enough that Dana White gave the go ahead for an immediate rematch. Good luck Frankie….


2) B.J. Penn - Before UFC 112, people were talking about B.J. moving up to WW to challenge the likes of Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, and GSP. “The Prodigy” met a huge road block in Frankie Edgar. B.J. looks to rebound as he has been granted an immediate rematch against Edgar for the UFC Lightweight title. The fight is rumored to take place at UFC 118 (August 28) in Boston.


3) Kenny Florian - Twice Kenny Florian has challenged for the UFC Lightweight Championship, and twice Kenny Florian has failed. Despite tough losses, Florian remains one of the best Lightweights in the world. He just hasn’t quite figured out that championship fighting formula. Gray Maynard is next on Florian’s “to-do” list at UFC 118.

4) Gilbert Melendez - “El Nino” brought the thunder in his Strikeforce: Nashville bout with Shinya Aoki. He retained his Strikeforce Lightweight title and escaped with all his limbs intact. Melendez showed good boxing and poise when trapped in one of the most dangerous guards in MMA. Many would love to see Melendez fight in the UFC. It doesn’t look to be happening anytime soon. As for his next opponent, Melendez has recently expressed interest in fighting Bellator Lightweight Champion, Eddie Alvarez.


5) Shinya Aoki - Shinya Aoki’s bout with Tatsuya Kawajiri was long-awaited for Japanese fans. The feeling didn’t seem mutual. Aoki submitted Kawajiri at 1:53 in the first round. After the victory, Aoki said that a rematch with Gilbert Melendez was in the works. The remarks from Aoki could prove premature. Melendez is expecting a daughter this year. He could be on the shelf for the rest of 2010.


6) Eddie Alvarez - As the Bellator Lightweight Champion, casual fans don’t know much about Eddie Alvarez. It points to either the infancy of the sport or the UFC’s dominance as to how world class fighters like Alvarez go unnoticed. At Bellator 17, Alvarez defeated a UFC vet in Josh “The Dentist” Neer. His first title defense will be against Bellator Season 2 Lightweight winner, Pat Curran.


7) Tatsuya Kawajiri - The loss to Aoki has to leave a bitter taste in Kawajiri’s mouth. The significance of the bout exceeded the Lightweight title. An opponent for Kawajiri should be announced soon. I’m sure he wants to rebound quickly after a loss like that.


8) Gray Maynard - It’s hard not to feel sorry for Gray Maynard. The guy is undefeated in his MMA career. He has won 7 straight in the UFC. One of those victories was a unanimous decision over current UFC Lightweight Champion, Frankie Edgar. With B.J. getting an immediate rematch, it looks like Maynard has been skipped over again. A victory over Kenny Florian at UFC 118 should guarantee him the ever elusive shot at UFC gold.


9) Sean Sherk - Sean Sherk has indeed fallen on tough times as of late. After losing the Lightweight title to B.J. Penn, he was picked apart by Frankie Edgar. The Edgar fight was over a year ago. Sherk has since pulled out of 3 fights due to injury. With all of the pullouts and steroid accusations, one has to question Sherk’s future in the UFC. A tough bout at UFC 119 with Evan Dunham could be the most important in Sherk’s career.


10) Ben Henderson - Ben Henderson has got to be one of the world’s most underappreciated Lightweights. For the record, he’s been in my top 10 since securing WEC gold. Henderson is a slick grappler with decent hands to follow. At WEC 48, the world saw his true potential realized. Henderson submitted Donald Cerrone in the first round via guillotine choke. With the UFC mulling over a Lightweight merger, the future is a bit unclear for Henderson. One thing is for sure. “Smooth” is moving on to bigger and better things.

FeatherWeight (145 -pound limit)

1) Jose Aldo - The meteoric rise of this MMA wrecking ball has taken the fight world by storm. Aldo is making world class Featherweights look like amateur sparring partners at a local dojo. If you don’t believe me, just ask Urijah Faber. He’s probably still limping from his April 24th bout with Aldo.


2) Manny Gamburyan - Manny Gamburyan is a force at his natural weight. Despite coming in a huge underdog, Gamburyan completely torched Mike Brown at WEC 48. It was the 2nd KO loss of Brown’s career. Gamburyan has put himself in position to challenge for the WEC Featherweight Championship. Bring on Jose Aldo!!! Yeah, like that’s ever a good thing.


3) Mike Thomas Brown - The KO loss to Manny Gamburyan was a pretty steep setback for Mike Brown. He is forced to go back to the drawing board and correct his errors. A couple of victories over quality opponents should put him back in the title hunt. We’ll see how he rebounds when he takes on Cole Province at WEC 51.


4) Urijah Faber - Urijah Faber has a star status like no other in the WEC. Despite being 2-3 in his last 5 bouts, Faber remains a tremendous draw. He is still a world class fighter who puts on great performances. At WEC 50, Faber was scheduled to make his Bantamweight debut against Takeya Mizugaki, but an injury forced him off the card. The bout has been rescheduled for WEC 52.


5) Bibiano Fernandez - Fernandez successfully defended his Dream Featherweight Championship at Dream13 against Joachim Hansen. It was the most notable victory of his career. It won’t be long before the masses are crying out for his WEC acquisition.


6) Michihiro Omigawa - At Dream 15, Omigawa continued his winning ways with a first round submission victory over Young Sam Jung. It was a step in the right direction for Omigawa in securing a shot against Dream Featherweight Champion, Bibiano Fernandez. Hatsu Hioki and Marlon Sandro probably think different.


7) Hatsu Hioki - At Sengoku 14, Hatsu Hioki expelled more energy in his ring entrance than he did in his actual fight. His opponent, Jeff Lawson, seemed lost throughout as he was immediately taken down and submitted in the very first round. Now that dessert is over, I’d say Hioki is ready for a grown man meal.


8) Diego Nunes - After suffering a disappointing loss to LC Davis, Diego Nunes returned in a big way at WEC 44. He took a split decision over Raphael Assuncao. The victory marked the biggest victory in Nunes’s MMA career. It also secured his top ten debut.


9) Raphael Assuncao - Two consecutive losses has Assuncao desperately holding on to top ten hopes and quite possibly his WEC career. The motto is usually “three strikes and you’re out”. If this is the case, Assuncao better come out swinging in his next fight…not literally.


10) Marlon Sandro - Marlon Sandro could be the most devastating striker in the Featherweight division. At Sengoku 13, he challenged for the Featherweight title and sent Masanori Kanehara out on a stretcher. The only loss looming over his career is the controversial one to Michihiro Omigawa at Sengoku 9. Hmmm...I wonder what fight fans want to see next?

BantamWeight (135 -pound limit)


1) Dominick Cruz - Dominick Cruz solidified himself as the top Bantamweight in the world at WEC 50. Against Joseph Benavidez, he demonstrated a great judge of distance, good head movement, and superior wrestling. Cruz could be the remedy this chaotic division needs. He’ll have plenty of time to prove it. This division is full of wolves hungry for a shot at WEC gold. Scott Jorgensen looks to be next in line.


2) Brian Bowles - Brian Bowles’s reign as champion seemed like a weekend vacation. After stopping the “then” seemingly unstoppable Miguel Torres, He went on to get outclassed by Dominick Cruz in his first title defense. Bowles apparently broke his hand early in the fight. He couldn’t continue, and the bout was stopped in the 2nd round. Bowles will have to prove that he’s more than just another flash in the pan. He could be out awhile with the hand injury.


3) Joseph Benavidez - Benavidez came in empty handed and left the same way at WEC 50. He was bested by Dominick Cruz in a five round war for the Bantamweight title. It was a huge setback for Benavidez’s championship hopes. He’s lost to Cruz two times now. To make things worse, his teammate and friend, Urijah Faber, has dropped down to join the Bantamweight mix.


4) Miguel Torres - The past few months have been very disappointing for Miguel Torres. Before losing back to back bouts, he was considered one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. It goes to show how fast a fighter’s stock can change in this sport. Despite dropping consecutive losses, Miguel Torres remains one of the fiercest Bantamweights in the world. At WEC 51, he will face Charlie Valencia.


5) Scott Jorgensen - At WEC 50, Scott Jorgensen survived early trouble to come back and take a unanimous decision victory over Brad Pickett. The win marked Jorgensen’s fifth straight in the WEC. It also sealed his date with the number one Bantamweight and world champion, Dominick Cruz.


6) Damacio Page - The injury plagued Damacio Page has been forced to withdraw from consecutive scheduled bouts. As the Bantamweight division heats up, Page’s career hangs in limbo. If medically cleared, a rematch with Scott Jorgensen seems like a tough but necessary return bout.


7) Takeya Mizugaki - Mizugaki’s path in the WEC has been a tedious one. Currently 2-2 (WEC), all of his WEC bouts have ended in decision. At WEC 48, Mizugaki defeated fellow top ten Bantamweight, Rani Yahya. The toughest test of Mizugaki’s career will come through Urijah Faber at WEC 52.


8) Rani Yahya - After losing a unanimous decision to Takeya Mizugaki, Rani Yahya finds himself at the bottom of the top WEC Bantamweight herd scraping for relevancy. With the other 7 moving onto bigger and better things, Yahya finds himself in a rebuilding phase. He desperately needs a win or two before he even thinks about climbing the Bantamweight hierarchy again.


9) Shuichiro Katsumura - Katsumura will be fighting off the critics when he defends his Shooto Featherweight (132 lbs in Japan) title for the first time. It was quite a shocker when he defeated Masakatsu Ueda for the coveted championship. Has Katsumura found his stride, or did lightning strike at “The Way of Shooto 2”?


10) Masakatsu Ueda - After losing the Shooto Featherweight Championship, Ueda rebounded at “The Way of Shooto 3” by taking a unanimous decision over Akitoshi Tamura. Ueda reigned as a champion for nearly 2 years in the Shooto Featherweight division. One solid victory may have been enough to get him back into title contention.