MMA World Rankings (Updated 10-5-2010)

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 - Following his UFC 116 submission loss to Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin has been under fire as of late regarding a nationwide conspiracy dealing with the illegal distribution of anabolic steroids. Carwin was identified along with 21 other professional athletes to have received the steroids from Applied Pharmacy Services. It isn’t known whether or not he actually took the drugs. He hasn’t tested positive for any banned substances. Fans are still waiting for Carwin to release a statement on the allegations.

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. Werdum is coming off elbow surgery and looking at a late February or early March return.

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 - As a punishment for kids being bad in school, they should be forced to watch Frank Mir vs. Mirko Cro Cop in the main event of UFC 119. The highlight-worthy KO Mir pulled off in the third round still wasn’t enough to erase the atrocity that proceeded. With Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira recovering from knee surgery, Mir may choose to wait for his 2011 return. If not, a bout with Roy Nelson would more than suffice.

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 required surgery and will 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 MMA future remains unclear for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion. Staying active won’t be a problem as he’ll be busy with the K-1 World Grand Prix 2010.

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. At Strikeforce: St. Louis, he takes on Valentijn Overeem, brother of Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem.

Light Heavyweight (205 -pound limit)

1) Mauricio "Shogun" Rua - After a 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’ve stayed 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 could 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 underwent surgery to repair another knee injury. The championship bout will likely be postponed until February-March 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.

6) Ryan Bader - The force was strong with "Darth" Bader at UFC 119. He bullied Antonio Rogerio Nogueira with superior power and wrestling en route to a lopsided (at least in the eyes of the judges) unanimous decision. The time for desserts and bad style match-ups have ended. At UFC 127, Bader will be force-fed a grown man meal in Jon "Bones" Jones.

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. He may not be top five, but Jones will definitely face a top ten opponent in Ryan Bader.

9) Antonio Rogerio Nogueira - The woes of bad takedown defense continued to plague Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his loss to Ryan Bader at UFC 119. He put forth a much better effort than he did in his bout with Jason Brilz, but he still showed significant struggles in his ability to deal with strong wrestlers. In a world where takedowns count for so much, Nogueira has to find a way to improve and make the necessary adjustments.

10) 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. After the bout, Lawal underwent knee surgery and is expected to be out of action until mid 2011.

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. Silva apparently suffered a preexisting rib injury coming into the bout. The injury will keep him sidelined for the rest of 2010. He is aiming at a February return against Vitor Belfort.

2) Chael Sonnen - Chael Sonnen’s fall from grace took the MMA universe by surprise after testing positive for anabolic steroids. It’s been a monumental year for the Oregon native. After defeating Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami, Sonnen was quickly becoming a household name as he was all over media outlets selling his UFC 117 bout with Anderson Silva. Despite losing, his star status was furthered by the five round beating he gave Silva in his effort. These accusations will unfortunately mar Sonnen’s UFC accomplishments. He plans to appeal the California State Athletic Commission’s ruling of a one year suspension on December 2.

3) Jake Shields - Finally, Jake Shields has found a home in the UFC. His arrival makes for some intriguing match-ups. 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 - In one of the more awkward bouts of the year, Nate Marquardt rebounded from his UFC 109 loss to Chael Sonnen with a first round TKO stoppage over Rousimar Palhares at UFC Fight Night 22. After failing on a leg lock, Palhares turned away from the fight to complain to the ref about Marquardt’s leg being slippery. Marquardt took advantage of the distraction and put Palhares away with a barrage of punches. Referees and judges confirmed that Marquardt was not greasing. At UFC 122, he’ll take on Yushin Okami in a bout that will crown the next contender for the Middleweight Title.

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. We’ll see if he bounces back in his bout with Renato "Babalu" Sobral at Strikeforce: St Louis.

6) Demian Maia - Demian Maia found himself in a tougher than expected scrap against a relatively unknown fighter in Mario Miranda at UFC 118. It was Maia’s first bout back after getting Chris Brown’d on by Anderson Silva back in April. A bout with Kendall Grove awaits at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale.

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. It looks like fans will finally get the showdown they’ve been waiting for. Belfort will challenge Silva for the UFC Middleweight Title at UFC 127.

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. Brian Stann will be more than enough to keep Leben occupied at UFC 125.

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 netted him a number one contender’s bout with Nate Marquardt at UFC 122.

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 showdown with Josh Koscheck after this season of The Ultimate Fighter lies 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. We’ll see how he fares in his next outing against explosive striker John "Doomsday" Howard at UFC 124.

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 this season on The Ultimate Fighter. The two will do battle later this year.

5) Paul Daley - After coming in overweight, Paul Daley picked up his second win in a row at Shark Fights 13 over Jorge Masvidal. It’s been an uneasy year for "Semtex" after getting banished from the UFC for his post-fight swing at Josh Koscheck. Things are finally starting to look up. He recently signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce. At Strikeforce: St. Louis, he’ll get the opportunity to redeem himself when he returns to the spotlight to take on Scott Smith.

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. It doesn’t get any tougher than his scheduled rubber match at UFC 123 with B.J. Penn. Is Hughes still on an elite level? We’re about to find out.

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 Thiago Alves would’ve been 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. His upcoming Strikeforce Welterweight Championship bout with K.J. Noons on October 9 has plenty of intrigue as it’s being listed as the grudge match for the ages. Noons was the last man to defeat Diaz.

Lightweight (155-pound limit)

1) Frankie Edgar - For all the questions surrounding the legitimacy of his Lightweight reign, Frankie Edgar presented a plethora of answers at UFC 118. In another five round bout, Edgar defeated former champion B.J. Penn for the second consecutive time to retain his Lightweight title. It was a dominant performance that solidified Edgar’s status amongst the MMA elite. He’ll now move on to UFC 125 to face the only man ever to defeat him, Gray Maynard.

2) Gray Maynard - "Good things come to those who wait". This old saying speaks wonders to Gray Maynard’s prolonged journey to the top. He has defeated Frankie Edgar, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, and Roger Huerta. There was a significant split in opinion when the UFC decided to leap frog Maynard and give Edgar a title shot against B.J. Penn at UFC 112. Some have delegated the reasoning to Maynard’s lacking personality and not finishing fights. It can be tough to finish when you’re competing against the best guys in the world. At UFC 118, Maynard secured a Lightweight title shot after defeating top ranked contender, Kenny Florian.

3) B.J. Penn - UFC 118 had an eerie feeling surrounding it. It felt like a changing of the guard or an end of an era. After dominating the Lightweight division for so long, B.J. Penn has finally run into a roadblock in Frankie Edgar. The back to back losses to Edgar proved once again that nobody is invincible. If you fight long enough, someone will eventually come along and beat you. Despite losing his strap, Penn is still in the equation when it comes to blockbuster scraps. At UFC 123, he’ll finally face longtime nemesis Matt Hughes in the trilogy of their ancient feud.

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 - Since losing to Gilbert Melendez at Strikeforce: Nashville, Shinya Aoki has coasted through the Dream Lightweight division with recent victories over Tatsuya Kawajiri and Marcus Aurelio. Despite the victories, Aoki wants another taste of American competition to prove his status amongst the world’s elite. The westward expansion will be put on hold for now. He’ll face Yokthai Sithoar at DEEP: 50th Impact.

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 was scheduled to be against Bellator Season 2 Lightweight winner Pat Curran, but Curran was forced out of the fight with a shoulder injury. Alvarez will now face Roger Huerta in a non-title bout at Bellator 33.

7) Sean Sherk - After a year hiatus, the "Muscle Shark" returned to form in his UFC 119 split decision victory over Evan Dunham. It was a gritty bout that forced Sherk to rely heavily on his grappling. Despite the controversy surrounding the decision, it was a great victory over a promising prospect. When his grappling is at the forefront, Sherk remains a handful for any Lightweight.

8) Kenny Florian - In his UFC 118 loss to Gray Maynard, Florian continues to show struggles in the wrestling department. Wrestling isn’t the only issue facing the Peruvian. Despite being a black belt in BJJ, Florian has a hard time putting together any offense from his back. Since the loss, he has hired a wrestling coach and changed up his training regimen.

9) 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.

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. The next challenge comes through Anthony Pettis at WEC 53. Henderson will have the home field advantage as the event is being held in Glendale, Arizona.

FeatherWeight (145 -pound limit)

1) Jose Aldo - The technical brilliance consistently shown by Jose Aldo is unbelievable. He picks his opponents apart mentally before doing so physically. At WEC 51, he defeated another top Featherweight challenger in TUF Season 5 finalist, Manny Gamburyan. Despite only two defenses under his belt, Aldo is quickly cleaning out the Featherweight division. It’ll be interesting to see who rises up as the next contender.

2) Manny Gamburyan - Oh Manny…Oh Manny…Oh Manny. After flailing a taunt reminiscent of the Diaz brothers, Gamburyan found himself on the wrong end of a Jose Aldo bomb that had him scrambling for his senses. On the ground, Aldo finished the fight with a barrage of vicious uppercuts. It was a tough loss for Gamburyan in a bout where he really struggled to find his range. Diego Nunes or Mike Brown would make for good comeback opponents.

3) Mike Thomas Brown - It’s been an inconsistent year for Mike Brown. He is 2-2 in his last four bouts. After being KO’d by Manny Gamburyan at WEC 48, Brown got a first round TKO stoppage over Cole Province at WEC 51. Despite an impressive ending, a victory over Province isn’t going to thrust Brown back into title contention. A rematch with Gamburyan is a much needed bout.

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 - Michihiro Omigawa continued his march towards a shot at the Dream Featherweight Title after defeating Cole Escovedo at Dream 16. The bout served as nothing more than a tune-up for Omigawa as he controlled on the ground and notched up a first round submission. We’ll see if Dream moves past the milking of the anticipated showdown between Omigawa and Dream Featherweight Champion, Bibiano Fernandez.

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. Could Hioki be Dream-bound?

8) Diego Nunes - After upsetting Raphael Assuncao at WEC 49, Diego Nunes continued his Featherweight ascend with his unanimous decision victory over Tyler Toner at WEC 51. It was a victory that could set him up to face an upper-echelon Featherweight in his next outing. Regardless, Nunes is a fresh presence in a division quickly crippling to Jose Aldo’s dominance.

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 WEC 52 bout with L.C. Davis…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 is set to dine at WEC 53.

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’ll get that opportunity at WEC 52 when he faces Wagnney Fabiano.

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 - After dropping his last two previous bouts, Miguel Torres returned to the winner’s column at WEC 51 after submitting Charlie Valencia. The bout showcased a calmer and more methodical Torres than we’ve grown accustomed to. Despite the much needed victory, the mountainous climb back to the top remains steep for the former dominant champion.

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 heated up, Page was forced to watch from the sidelines. He has finally secured a clean bill of health and will take on Eddie Wineland at WEC 52.

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 seven moving on to 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) 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.

10) Antonio Banuelos - Shuichiro Katsumura’s TKO loss to Darren Uyenoyama at Shooto 5 helped Antonio Banuelos make his top ten debut. Banuelos has surged lately with victories over Scott Jorgensen, Brian Goldsby, and Kenji Osawa. Jorgensen snapped The Pit student’s three fight streak in a rematch at WEC 48. Banuelos rebounded at WEC 51 with a unanimous decision win over Chad George.

(Article originally published at SportsHaze.com)