UFC 128 Fight Card: Ranking All 24 Fighters on the Card
After the letdown at UFC 127 in the land down under, UFC 128 will most likely cleanse the pallet of the MMA fans that have had a sour taste in their mouths since the last event.
As the eyes of the fans turn toward New Jersey this Saturday, the card will feature some of the more well-known faces within the UFC as well as a new crop of fighters entering after the inclusion of World Extreme Cagefighting to the main roster after the promotion was folded into the UFC in December.
With that being said, let's take a look at the power rankings of all 24 fighters included on the card for the upcoming event in the Garden State.
No. 24: Yoshihiro Akiyama
1 of 24
Overall Record: 13-3
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: Two Losses
UFC 128 Opponent: Nate Marquardt
After going on a streak of winning 12 of 14 bouts, the poorly nicknamed Sexyama by fans has hit a skid in his last two fights with a loss to Chris Leben at UFC 116 along with a decision loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 120.
No. 23: Brendan Schaub
2 of 24
Overall Record: 7-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: Three Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Mirko Cro Cop
A former football player, Schaub has only tasted defeat once in his early MMA career, against Roy Nelson at the Ultimate Fighter finale in 2009. In his seven career victories, he has only went to decision once, with the other six never leaving the first round.
No. 22: Kamal Shalorus
3 of 24
Overall Record: 7-0-2
Last Five Fights: 4-0-1
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Jim Miller
In another good match up of fighters at the upcoming event, Kamal Shalorus has competed in nine total fights in his short MMA career without suffering a loss.
He did fall to the fate of the dreaded draw in his fights against with Jamie Varner and Mikel Bronzoulis in his time with Fists of Fury and WEC.
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No. 21: Nick Catone
4 of 24
Overall Record: 8-2
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Dan Miller
After some injury plagued months recently, Catone will look to continue his winning ways once again as he steps in the Octagon for the first time since his win over Jesse Forbes at UFC Fight Night 20 in January 2010.
No. 20: Edson Barboza
5 of 24
Overall Record: 7-0
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Current Streak: Seven Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Anthony Njokuani
It can be said that the young Edson Barboza is a definite stud. He boasts a 7-0 record with only one bout, his most recent win over Mike Lullo, going past the second round, and none of the seven going to the judge's scorecard.
No. 19: Eliot Marshall
6 of 24
Overall Record: 10-2
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: Three Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Luiz Cane
Eliot Marshall, just like many other new fighters to the UFC, will enter his fight this Saturday with an impressive overall record. He currently carries a three bout win streak into his bout with Luiz Cane, in addition to only losing two bouts in his 12 career bouts with UFC and other lower promotions.
No. 18: Erik Koch
7 of 24
Overall Record: 11-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: Two Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Rapheal Assuncao
Since the beginning of his short career so far, Erik Koch has jumped around some of the smaller promotions across the nation including the UFC's former sister promotion, WEC, as he has collected 11 wins and one loss since his MMA debut in 2007.
No. 17: Eddie Wineland
8 of 24
Overall Record: 18-6-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: Four Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Urijah Faber
Just like his opponent Urijah Faber, Eddie Wineland will be making his UFC debut after the absorption of the WEC. Wineland enters the top MMA promotion with a four bout winning streak in addition to two "Knockout of the Night" honors from the aforementioned WEC promotion in the final two fights with the now defunct promotion.
No. 16: Luiz Cane
9 of 24
Overall Record: 10-3
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: Two Losses
UFC 128 Opponent: Eliot Marshall
It has been a roller coaster career for Cane since his UFC debut.
The Brazilian started with a disqualification against James Irvin followed by a three bout win streak and now is stuck in a two match losing streak, coming up short after two consecutive TKO losses at UFC 106 and 114.
No. 15: Joseph Benavidez
10 of 24
Overall Record: 13-2
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Ian Loveland
Benavidez makes his UFC debut after competing in many lower promotions before joining the now defunct WEC in 2008, and now boasts a 13-2 record. Both of his two losses came by the judge's decision.
No. 14: Ricardo Almeida
11 of 24
Overall Record: 13-4
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Mike Pyle
Since Almeida entered the UFC in early 2008, he has gone 5-2, which featured a submission loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 117, in his second bout after his move to the Welterweight division in 2010.
No. 13: Nate Marquardt
12 of 24
Overall Record: 30-10-2
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Loss
UFC 128 Opponent: Yoshihiro Akiyama
Since the Summer of 2009, Nate Marquardt has seemed to alternate wins and losses in his recent bouts While in the UFC, he has triumphed over Demain Maia and Rousimar Palhares, while falling short to Chael Sonnen and Yushin Okami.
No. 12: Ian Loveland
13 of 24
Overall Record: 14-7
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Current Streak: Seven WIns
UFC 128 Opponent: Joseph Benavidez
After a bit of a streaky career jumping from promotion to promotion, Loveland has found a home in the UFC after a big win at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale over Tyler Toner, bumping his overall record to 14-7. He has won seven straight fights dating back to 2007.
No. 11: Dan Miller
14 of 24
Overall Record: 13-4
Last Five Fights: 2-3
Current Streak: Two Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Nick Catone
After a tough three bout losing streak in early 2010, Miller has came back with a vengeance, scoring two wins over John Salter via submission with a guillotine choke and a split decision victory over Joe Doerkson.
No. 10: Anthony Njokuani
15 of 24
Overall Record: 13-4
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Edson Barboza
After going 9-1 in small promotions since his MMA debut, Njokuani didn't experience the same success when joining former UFC sister promotion WEC, He finished his short time with the promotion with a poor 4-3 record, as he enters the UFC after the absorption of the WEC roster.
No. 9: Rapheal Assuncao
16 of 24
Overall Record: 15-3
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Erik Koch
After jumping around some of the lower promotions since his career started in 2004, Assuncao currently sits at 15-3 and makes his UFC debut this weekend against fellow newcomer Erik Koch.
No. 8: Kurt Pellegrino
17 of 24
Overall Record: 15-5
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: One Loss
UFC 128 Opponent: Gleison Tibau
Pellegrino will step back into the octagon this weekend for the first time since the summer of 2010, after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus in his bout with George Sotiropoulos at UFC 116. This defeat snapped his four bout win streak, and he will be eager to get back to winning ways.
No. 7: Jim Miller
18 of 24
Overall Record: 19-2
Last Five Fights: 5-0
Current Streak: Six Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Kamal Shalorus
Since Jim Miller has entered the UFC after jumping from promotion to promotion, he has done nothing but win since his first bout against David Baron in October of 2008. His only blemish in nine bouts came against Gray Maynard at UFC 96
No. 6: Mike Pyle
19 of 24
Overall Record: 20-7-1
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: Two Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Ricardo Almeida
After a 1-2 start to his UFC career, after a bit of a journeyman-type run, Pyle defeated Jesse Lennox and John Hathaway in his appearances at UFC 115 and 120, respectively.
No. 5: Gleison Tibau
20 of 24
Overall Record: 21-7
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Loss
UFC 128 Opponent: Kurt Pellegrino
After joining the UFC in 2006, Tibau, who takes on Kurt Pellegrino this weekend, comes into the fight with a 3-2 record over his past five fights.
No. 4: Urijah Faber
21 of 24
Overall Record: 24-4
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Eddie Wineland
After a career that started 21-1 in his first 22 bouts, Faber has shown that he slipped a little bit in his recent fights with now defunct WEC, going 3-3 in his last six, as he makes his UFC debut against Eddie Wineland this weekend.
No. 3: Mirko Cro Cop
22 of 24
Overall Record: 27-8-2
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Loss
UFC 128 Opponent: Brendan Schaub
Since eating a KO from Frank Mir at UFC 119, Cro Cop will look to get back into his past form during late 2008. Up until the Mir loss, he was a knockout machine with his lethal kicks, which has become a trademark over the course of his career.
No. 2: Mauricio Rua
23 of 24
Overall Record: 19-4
Last Five Fights: 3-2
Current Streak: One Win
UFC 128 Opponent: Jon Jones
For the Light Heavyweight Champion, Rua will look to add to his huge win over Lyoto Machida at UFC 113 with an even bigger win against up and coming Jon Jones in the UFC 128 main event.
No. 1: Jon Jones
24 of 24
Overall Record: 12-1
Last Five Fights: 4-1
Current Streak: Three Wins
UFC 128 Opponent: Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua
After an injury sidelined Rashad Evans from his title bout, the near dominant Jon Jones was chosen as the replacement for the Mauricio Rua bout at UFC 128, who would be an amazing 13-0 if he wasn't DQ'd in his bout with Matt Hamill at the Ultimate Fighter Finale in 2009.
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