UFC 125: Ranking the Top 10 Lightweights in the UFC

UFC 125 Lightweight Fights

Jacob Volkmann defeated Antonio McKee by split decision

Jeremy Stephens defeated Marcus Davis by knockout in the third round

Clay Guida defeated Takanori Gomi by submission in the second round

Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard fought to a split draw

Lightweight Fights in January 2011

Evan Dunham vs. Melvin Guillard

Cole Miller vs. Matt Wiman

Cody McKenzie vs. Yves Edwards

Waylon Lowe vs. Willamy Freire

Rising Prospects

Nik Lentz (20-3-2)

Last Fight: Win vs, Tyson Griffin @ UFC 123

Next Fight: TBA

Melvin Guillard (25-8-2)

Last Fight: Win vs. Jeremy Stephens @ UFC 119

Next Fight: vs. Evan Dunham @ UFC Fight for the Troops 2

Cole Miller (17-4)

Last Fight: Win vs. Ross Pearson @ UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares

Next Fight: vs. Matt Wiman @ UFC Fight for the Troops 2

Jeremy Stephens (19-6)

Last Fight: Win vs. Marcus Davis @ UFC 125

Next Fight: TBA

Edson Barboza (7-0)

Last Fight: Win vs. Mike Lullo @ UFC 123

Next Fight: vs. Anthony Njokuani @ UFC 128

Other Contenders

Mac Danzig (20-8-1)

Last Fight: Win vs. Joe Stevenson @ UFC 124

Next Fight: TBA

Ben Henderson (12-2)

Last Fight: Loss vs. Anthony Pettis @ WEC 53

Next Fight: TBA

Takanori Gomi (32-7, 1 NC)

Last Fight: Loss vs. Clay Guida @ UFC 125

Next Fight: TBA

Joe Stevenson (31-12) 

Last Fight: Loss vs. Mac Danzig @ UFC 124

Next Fight: TBA

Donald Cerrone (13-3, 1 NC)

Last Fight: Win vs. Chris Horodecki @ WEC 53

Next Fight: TBA

10. Evan "3-D" Dunham (11-1)

Last Fight: Loss vs. Sean Sherk @ UFC 119

Next Fight: vs. Melvin Guillard @ UFC Fight for the Troops 2

Evan Dunham was set to have an excellent opportunity against Kenny Florian at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. However, Florian has been forced out of that fight with an injury.

Instead, Dunham will face Melvin Guillard. "The Young Assassin" Guillard is a dangerous fighter, but a win over Florian would have been much more beneficial for Dunham.

9. Anthony "Showtime" Pettis (13-1)

Last Fight: Win vs. Ben Henderson @ WEC 53

Next Fight: TBA

It's hard to determine where the top WEC fighters should be ranked at this point in time. We will start to get a feel for how they fit in with the other UFC fighters over the next couple months. Until then, they'll be considered at the bottom of the heap of UFC title contenders.

Pettis had been promised the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II. However, it is unknown what Pettis' fate will be now that Edgar and Maynard are going to have a rematch.

8. Jim Miller (19-2)

Last Fight: Win vs. Charles Oliveira @ UFC 124

Next Fight: vs. Kamal Shalorus @ UFC 128

The time has come for Jim Miller to get some recognition for what he has been doing in the UFC.

Miller has now won six fights in a row, including his Submission of the Night victory at UFC 124 over Charles Oliveira.

With the only losses of his MMA career coming against Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar, Miller could be on his way to a rematch for the UFC lightweight championship.

7. Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk (36-4-1)

Last Fight: Win vs. Evan Dunham @ UFC 119

Next Fight: TBA

After battling injuries for more than one year, Sherk finally returned to the Octagon with a victory over Evan Dunham at UFC 119.

While it was far from a dominating performance, Sherk did enough to take a decision on the judges' scorecards.

The win proved that the 37-year-old Sherk is still relevant in the lightweight division.

6. Clay "The Carpenter" Guida (28-11)

Last Fight: Win vs. Takanori Gomi @ UFC 125

Next Fight: TBA

Clay Guida has long been considered at gatekeeper to the lightweight division's elite fighters.

At UFC 125, Guida's submission of Takanori Gomi may have made him a contender.

Guida is now deserving of a fight with a top five UFC fighter. If not, Sean Sherk would make for an exciting fight.

5. George Sotiropoulos (14-2)

Last Fight: Win vs. Joe Lauzon @ UFC 123

Next Fight: vs. Dennis Siver @ UFC 127

Sotiropoulos continues to run through his competition in the UFC. While many hoped his next opponent would be a top contender, Dana White named Dennis Siver as Sotiropoulos' next adversary.

Siver is a tough fight for anyone in the division, but his lack of star-power shows that Sotiropoulos may still be a few fights away from a title shot.

4. Kenny "Ken-Flo" Florian (14-5)

Last Fight: Loss vs. Gray Maynard @ UFC 118

Next Fight: TBA

With a title shot on the line, Kenny Florian suffered another letdown in a fight against Gray Maynard. 

Florian was schuduled to fight Evan Dunham at UFC Fight For The Troops 2. However, Florian suffered an injury and was removed from that bout.

3. B.J. "The Prodigy" Penn (16-7-1)

Last Fight: Win vs. Matt Hughes @ UFC 123

Next Fight: vs. Jon Fitch @ UFC 127

With his impressive knockout victory over Matt Hughes at UFC 123, Penn became a contender at welterweight.

Although his lightweight future is on hold, Penn seemed to have the anger from back-to-back defeats against Frankie Edgar fresh in his mind as he threw the punch that may have ended Hughes' career.

2. Gray "The Bully" Maynard (10-0-1, 1 NC)

Last Fight: Draw vs. Frankie Edgar @ UFC 125

Next Fight: vs. Frankie Edgar @ TBA

After dominating Frankie Edgar in the first round of their title fight, Gray Maynard seemed to slow from his energy spent on trying to finish the champion.

If Maynard is presented with the same opportunity in their rematch, he will most likely take a smarter approach to trying to finish Edgar.

1. Frankie "The Answer" Edgar (13-1-1)

Last Fight: Draw vs. Gray Maynard @ UFC 125

Next Fight: vs. Gray Maynard @ TBA

Frankie Edgar showed a lot of heart to come back from the first round beating he took against Gray Maynard. As an underdog, Edgar defended his belt for the second time, although it was by a draw.

It will be interesting to see if Edgar will be an underdog yet again in his third title defense.