MMA World Rankings

Whether it's hate or love, the MMA world has become infatuated with Jon Jones.

A few months after destroying Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the UFC light heavyweight title, Jones dominated another MMA legend and former champion in Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 135.

While his insane reach helps, Jones' unique abilities, well-rounded skill set and high technical I.Q. are what make him great. People say it about Georges St-Pierre all the time, but Jon Jones truly is the "complete fighter."

There are still a multitude of challenges that lie ahead for the 24-year-old champion, and he'll have to stay at the top of his game to answer the call.

Meanwhile, the heavyweight division gets a new face in former U.S. Olympian Daniel Cormier.

Fresh off his first round knockout of Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, Cormier is making headlines as the next potential breakout star in the heavyweight division.

*These rankings rely heavily on quality of competition and defeating previously ranked opponents. They are not based on possibilities––such as fighter A would beat fighter B.

Heavyweight: Over 205 Pounds

No. 1 Cain Velasquez

An MMA world fixated on size and power had no place for Cain Velasquez.

On October 23, fans and pundits alike were reminded of the lone fact that has eluded many ever since the emergence of gargantuan heavyweights—technique is greater than strength.

Velasquez overcame size by giving Brock Lesnar a first round thrashing to become the new UFC Heavyweight Champion.

It will be incredibly challenging for anyone to withstand Velasquez's ferocious offense. His teammates credit him for outworking lightweights.

Velasquez is expected to return from a torn rotator cuff in November at UFC on Fox 1 to defend his title for the first time against Dos Santos.

No. 2 Junior Dos Santos

Junior Dos Santos proved at UFC 131 that the entire heavyweight division runs through him and Cain Velasquez. He wasn't able to finish Shane Carwin, but the three-round drubbing bestowed upon the former title contender was more than enough to get the point across.

Dos Santos now turns his attention to Velasquez in what could be the greatest heavyweight title bout in UFC history. The expected date for the showdown is November 12.

No. 3 Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem has claimed the Strikeforce heavyweight title, the Dream Heavyweight title and the K-1 World Grand Prix title. Now, he'll have the chance complete his collection by claiming the most coveted title in all of MMA––the UFC heavyweight title.

Overeem's quest for UFC gold begins at UFC 141 in a blockbuster showdown with Brock Lesnar.

No. 4 Fabricio Werdum

Fabricio Werdum's performance against Alistair Overeem was just plain awkward. Shockingly, Werdum was winning some of the stand-up exchanges, but instead of following up, he wasted precious time with failed attempts at pulling guard.

The bout was a slop fest from start to finish, and it certainly didn't turn any heads in the UFC's heavyweight division.

No. 5 Brock Lesnar

The loss to Cain Velasquez has to be tough for Brock Lesnar. This had no resemblance to the Frank Mir loss. Against Velasquez, Lesnar was completely dominated and outclassed by the superior fighter.

Despite the loss, Lesnar is only 33 years old and still relatively inexperienced. He will continue to get better as he gets more fights, but the obvious gap in skill level between him and Velasquez will definitely be hard to account for.

Velasquez recently suffered a torn rotator cuff, and he wasn't able to defend his title against top contender Junior Dos Santos.

Lesnar and Dos Santos were assigned coaching duties over season 13 of "The Ultimate Fighter." At the end of the show, the coaches were set to battle one another at UFC 131 for a shot at the heavyweight title, but a second case of diverticulitis forced Lesnar to withdraw from the bout.

He is expected to return December 30 against Alistair Overeem.

No. 6 Shane Carwin

Any previous assumptions surrounding Shane Carwin's suspect chin were erased at UFC 131. For three brutal rounds, Carwin's head acted as a sparring mitt for top heavyweight contender Junior Dos Santos.

A good thing to take away from the bout was Carwin's improved cardio. He never faded throughout the 15-minute lashing.

An official timeline for a return hasn't been announced, but Carwin is looking at late December or early January.

No. 7 Frank Mir

Frank Mir continued to show off his improved striking in his UFC 130 routing of Roy "Big Country" Nelson. It was a great way to rebound and erase a horrific main event outing against Mirko "Cro Cop."

At UFC 140, Mir is set to face Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a rematch of their December 2008 bout.

No. 8 Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett has always been a world class heavyweight, and the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix has given him the avenue to prove it once again on a mainstream stage. In the first two rounds of the tournament, Barnett dominated and submitted Sergei Kharitonov and Brett Rogers with an arm triangle.

It'll be interesting to see Barnett's strategy in the finals against Daniel Cormier. Barnett is a world class grappler, but Cormier, a former Olympian, will likely have the wrestling advantage.

No. 9 Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier makes his debut in the heavyweight rankings after dominating Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the semifinals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. With striking to go along with his Olympic-level wrestling, Cormier is certainly a heavyweight to watch in the coming months.

He'll move on to the finals to face former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. It was announced that Cormier broke his hand in his bout with Silva. There hasn't been any word yet on whether or not Cormier's injury will affect the Grand Prix finals.

No. 10 Antonio Silva

Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva came into his semifinal bout with Daniel Cormier expecting to be taken down. Instead, Silva was the one attempting take-downs after getting battered on the feet by the former Olympian.

Unfortunately, the take-downs proved useless against a wrestler of Cormier's caliber. After withstanding massive damage, Silva's chin finally succumbed to Cormier's offensive onslaught late in the first round.

Light Heavyweight: 205-Pound Limit

No. 1 Jon Jones

The future has become the present. UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones may be the greatest talent MMA has ever seen.

Coming off dominant wins over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Jones is casting a long shadow over the light heavyweight division. Nobody is unstoppable, but Jones' otherworldly performances spell doom for any potential opposition.

Former UFC champion Rashad Evans will be next to step up to the challenge.

No. 2 Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

 Mauricio "Shogun" Rua's one-sided beating from Jon Jones is all a distant memory. The Brazilian rebounded in a big way in front of his hometown fans in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 134 in his bout with Forrest Griffin.

It took Rua less than two minutes to dispatch of Griffin and get back on track. The road back to the title continues for Rua at UFC 139 when he meets former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson.

No. 3 Rashad Evans

Coming into UFC 133, the odds were stacked against Rashad Evans. He hadn't competed in over a year, a renewed Tito Ortiz was his opponent, and this was his first UFC bout without long-time coach Greg Jackson.

As the fight got underway, it became evident fairly quickly that Evans hadn't lost a step.

He dominated Ortiz en route to a second round TKO stoppage. A date hasn't been set, but an ultimate test lies ahead for Evans. He is expected to challenge former teammate Jon Jones for the world title.

No. 4 Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson wasn't successful in solving the Jon Jones puzzle, but he should be commended for a valiant effort. The former light heavyweight champion stuffed the majority of Jones' take-downs and utilized great head movement.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as Jones dictated the stand-up and latched on the fourth round rear naked choke to get the submission win.

Rampage was humble in defeat and admitted that Jones' hype was warranted.

He hopes to make his return when the UFC goes to Japan in February 2012. Forrest Griffin's name is being tossed around as a possible opponent.

No. 5 Lyoto Machida

Lyoto Machida should change his nickname from "The Dragon" to "The Karate Kid" after his second round crane kick knockout win over Hall of Famer Randy Couture at UFC 129. With the win, Machida avoids his third straight loss and thrusts himself back into the light heavyweight title picture.

There was talk of Machida facing undefeated light heavyweight contender Phil Davis at UFC 140, but the idea could be scrapped due to Davis needing more time to recover from knee surgery.

No. 6 Dan Henderson

This is the year of Dan Henderson. In one year, he captured the Strikeforce light heavyweight title, defeated heavyweight icon Fedor Emelianenko and signed a brand new UFC contract.

He is scheduled to make his UFC return against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139. UFC President Dana White has stated that the winner could be in line for a title shot after Rashad Evans.

No. 7 Forrest Griffin

 There was definitely a lot on Forrest Griffin's mind heading into his UFC 134 bout with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. While his wife was going into labor, he was competing in the co-main event of a major UFC card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

One mistake was all that was needed for Rua to capitalize in the stand-up game and finish Griffin in the first round. With the Rua bout in the rear view mirror, Griffin could be slated for a rematch with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in February 2012.

No. 8 Phil Davis

Stepping in as a late replacement for the injury-riddled Tito Ortiz, Phil Davis picked up the biggest victory of his MMA career with a unanimous decision win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC Fight Night 24.

The former NCAA Division I wrestling champion faced adversity against a game Nogueira, who seemed to have made great improvements in his take-down defense.

Davis was set to face former UFC champion Rashad Evans at UFC 133, but he had to pull out of the bout due to an injury sustained in training.

The UFC had plans for Davis to make his return at UFC 140 against Lyoto Machida, but that bout is now in question due to Davis needing more time to heal from his injury.

No. 9 Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira burst onto the scene in the UFC with an impressive KO victory over Luiz Cane, and his name was immediately thrown into the hat, alongside a plethora of others, as a potential light heavyweight title contender.

Now, the twin brother of Rodrigo Nogueira could be on the chopping block in his upcoming UFC 140 bout with Tito Ortiz. He is coming off a lackluster performance against Jason Brilz and two consecutive losses to Phil Davis and Ryan Bader.

No. 10 Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante

Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante got back to his winning ways in the prelims of the "Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov" fight card, knocking out Yoel Romero Palacio in the second round.

With Dan Henderson re-signing in the UFC, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and Gegard Mousasi are among the only significant light heavyweights left in the Strikeforce promotion. Cavalcante will likely face one of the two.

Middleweight: 185-Pound Limit

No. 1 Anderson Silva

 Anderson Silva's reign of terror is unending.

At UFC 134, he dominated a proposed stylistic nightmare in top middleweight contender Yushin Okami, picking up the second round TKO.

Silva's next title defense was expected to be against Dan Henderson, but a shoulder injury will keep him sidelined until early 2012. Every fighter has to lose at some point, right? Right?

No. 2 Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen can talk the talk, and he can walk the walk. After taking a year hiatus to clear up a multitude of legal issues, Sonnen is ready to make another run at the middleweight title and nemesis Anderson Silva.

He'll have to get past the wall-like presence of Brian Stann at UFC 136 if he hopes to earn another tussle in "The Spider's" web.

No. 3 Yushin Okami

After waiting years for a chance to contend for the UFC title, Yushin Okami wasted a tremendous opportunity in his championship bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 134.

On paper, Okami has all the skills needed to defeat a fighter like Silva, but instead of sticking to his grappling strengths, he decided to engage in a stand-up battle with the greatest striker in the history of the sport.

No. 4 Nate Marquardt

After a disappointing unanimous decision loss to Yushin Okami, Nate Marquardt rebounded with a victory over Dan Miller at UFC 128. Inconsistent performances at middleweight has caused the former King of Pancrase to drop down to the welterweight division.

He was supposed to make his 170-pound debut against Rick Story at UFC on Versus 4, but he was pulled from the card a day out from the fight for failing to pass pre-fight medical requirements.

It was later revealed that Marquardt had been undergoing hormone replacement therapy.

He has since been released from the UFC and is now under contract with the BAMMA promotion.

No. 5 Vitor Belfort

Vitor Belfort is a man seeking redemption, and he'll crush anyone that stands in his way. After suffering an embarrassing knockout loss to Anderson Silva, Belfort rebounded with a vicious knockout win over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133.

He was hoping to welcome Cung Le to the UFC at UFC 139, but an injury forced him to withdraw from the card. A return is now being targeted for UFC 141.

No. 6 Mark Munoz

Mark Munoz finally crosses the top 10 threshold with his unanimous decision win over Demian Maia at UFC 131. It was a close fight that could've gone either way, but Munoz's superior wrestling and ability to scramble out of bad positions helped him sway the minds of the judges.

Munoz is expected to face Chris Leben at UFC 138.

No. 7 Demian Maia

It's amazing that a judge scored Demian Maia's UFC 131 bout 30-27 for Mark Munoz. Despite the questionable scorecards, the decision could've easily gone to either fighter. Maia may have been better suited to keep the bout standing.

He showed great improvements in his striking. If only he had the wrestling pedigree to go along with the rest of his skills, Maia could be a world champion.

He'll have a chance to rebound at UFC 136 when he meets Jorge Santiago.

No. 8 Luke Rockhold

There weren't many people giving Luke Rockhold a snowball's chance in hell to defeat Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. As a fan, it's easy to forget how unpredictable MMA can be. Rockhold's unanimous decision win over Jacare certainly served as a great reminder.

With the future of Strikeforce in question, it'll be interesting to see if Rockhold even gets an opportunity to defend his newly-acquired strap.

No. 9 Ronaldo Souza

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza was left completely stunned in his unanimous decision loss to Luke Rockhold. Despite his world class grappling, Jacare struggled throughout the fight at securing take-downs and maintaining top position.

With a thinning middleweight division, Jacare will be left out in the cold until Rockhold puts forth at least one title defense.

No. 10 Michael Bisping

If true, Michael Bisping's actions after his victory over Jorge Rivera at UFC 127 were completely uncalled for. Rivera's camp made claims that Bisping spit on one of the trainers sitting cage-side.

The entire build-up between these two middleweights began when Rivera's camp posted videos on Youtube, poking fun at the Brit. Immediately after his post-fight shenanigans, Bisping apologized in his interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

"The Count" will coach opposite Jason "Mayhem" Miller on the Ultimate Fighter Season 14. At the end of the show, the two coaches will battle one another in the live finale on December 3.

Welterweight: 170-Pound Limit

No. 1 Georges St. Pierre

It wasn't the smoothest outing for the welterweight kingpin, but Georges St-Pierre managed to put forth his sixth consecutive UFC title defense at UFC 129 against former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields.

While many criticize St-Pierre's performance, a victory over a former Top-10 pound-for-pound fighter such as Shields is significant.

The French Canadian is arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and he is one title defense away from tying UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes's record for most welterweight title defenses.

St-Pierre will have the chance to break that record at UFC 137 in a highly anticipated showdown with Carlos Condit.

No. 2 Jon Fitch

Jon Fitch was a round away from dropping his second UFC loss to former two-division champion B.J. Penn at UFC 127. If Fitch didn't turn the tides with a 10-8 round in the third, two of the three judges were ready to give Penn the nod for the split decision.

In the end, the bout was ruled a draw.

An immediate rematch was scheduled for UFC 132, but Fitch had to pull out of the fight due to an injury sustained in training. With a clean bill of health, Fitch will make his octagon return at UFC 141 against an incredibly tough Johny Hendricks.

No. 3 Josh Koscheck

Josh Koscheck's wish was granted at UFC 135. After an injury forced Diego Sanchez off the card, Koscheck stepped in for his former adversary to finally get a crack at UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes.

Despite losing early in the stand-up exchanges, Koscheck eventually found his range and landed a hard punch that put an abrupt end to Hughes's night late in the first round. After the fight, the main question surrounding Koscheck is whether he plans on staying at welterweight or making the jump to middleweight.

No. 4 Nick Diaz

Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz continued his winning ways in April against Paul Daley.

Despite Daley's explosive striking, Diaz was the aggressor throughout the first round, which was an exciting back-and-forth stand-up war until Daley finally wilted from Diaz's high volume of strikes.

Diaz's search for big fights has led him to the world of professional boxing, but a proposed bout with Jeff Lacy was thwarted when Diaz accepted a monumental MMA fight with UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

Unfortunately for Diaz, his inability to play by the rules got him kicked out of the UFC 137 main event. He'll now face MMA legend B.J. Penn in the co-main event.

No. 5 B.J. Penn

It's amazing how some pundits and fans talk about B.J. Penn's ensuing retirement, especially after he drew even with top welterweight contender Jon Fitch at UFC 127.

Physically, Penn is far from finished in the sport.

In his past seven fights, his only losses have come to Frankie Edgar and Georges St. Pierre, who are currently the premier fighters in both of their divisions.

There are plenty of intriguing fights for Penn at welterweight and lightweight. The lightweight division suits him best, but Penn is gearing up for a welterweight bout at UFC 137 against Nick Diaz.

No. 6 Carlos Condit

Carlos Condit has really seen his stock grow in the UFC welterweight division over the last couple of years, and he is finally reaping the benefits for all his hard work.

After removing Nick Diaz from the main event of UFC 137, UFC President Dana White offered Condit an opportunity to step in for Diaz and challenge Georges St-Pierre for the world title.

Overcome with emotion, Condit quickly accepted the offer.

St-Pierre will undoubtedly enter the fight a huge favorite, but people shouldn't underestimate Condit, who is coming off wins over Rory MacDonald, Jake Ellenberger, Dan Hardy and Dong Hyun Kim.

No. 7 Jake Ellenberger

Jake Ellenberger's days of flying under the radar are over. At UFC Fight Night 25, Ellenberger picked up a shocking first round TKO over former pound-for-pound standout Jake Shields.

People always pay attention when you're finishing opponents, and Ellenberger has managed to finish four of his last five opponents. He is rumored to be facing Diego Sanchez at UFC 141.

No. 8 Jake Shields

These are tough times for Jake Shields. He is coming off back-to-back UFC losses, but most importantly he is still dealing with the sudden death of his father.

Some time away from the sport could be great for Shields. Despite recent losses, he is still one of the top welterweights in the world.

No. 9 Diego Sanchez

Since rejoining Team Jackson, Diego "The Dream" Sanchez has found new life in the welterweight division. He is coming off two tough wins over previous Top-10 opponents in Martin Kampmann and Paulo Thiago.

Sanchez will undoubtedly have his skeptics, but it's hard to dismiss his performances against world class competition.

At UFC 135, "The Dream" was set to take on Matt Hughes, but he had to withdraw from the bout due to a broken hand.

The rumor mill is currently buzzing about a possible UFC 141 matchup between Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger.

No. 10 Charlie Brenneman

After Rick Story shocked the world by upsetting Thiago Alves at UFC 130, Charlie Brenneman came in and did the same to Story at UFC on Versus 4. He was able to use his underrated wrestling to rack up take-downs and outwork Story for a unanimous decision.

Even with the win over Story, Brenneman still faces plenty of skeptics. He'll have a chance to prove his naysayers wrong when he faces Anthony "Rumble" Johnson at UFC on Versus 6.

Lightweight: 155-Pound Limit

No. 1 Frankie Edgar

In one of the most exciting UFC championship bouts of all time, Frankie Edgar finally earned the MMA world's respect after weathering a monumental storm in the first round of his UFC 125 fight with Gray Maynard.

After being dropped several times, Edgar regained his senses and battled back into a fight most thought he would lose.

He didn't lose to Maynard, but he didn't win either. The back and forth contest was deemed a draw in the end.

Regardless of how the fight ended, Edgar and Maynard both became stars that night.

The rubber match was originally set for UFC 130, but injuries to both Edgar and Maynard pushed the anticipated bout back to UFC 136.

No. 2 Gray Maynard

 "The Bully" finally met his equal at UFC 125 in his lightweight title bout with Frankie Edgar. Gray Maynard had a wobbly Edgar fighting on instinct throughout the first round after dropping him with a hard overhand left.

The fight could've been stopped multiple times, but referee Yves Lavigne's decision to let the bout continue paid dividends as Edgar turned the tables on the challenger in the ensuing rounds.

In the end, all three judges disagreed on the decision, and the contest was ruled a draw.

Maynard is the only man to ever beat Edgar, and he'll have a chance to do it again at UFC 136.

No. 3 Gilbert Melendez

The word "impressive" can't even begin to describe Gilbert Melendez's win over Tatsuya Kawajiri in April. The Strikeforce lightweight champion has solidified himself as one of the best lightweights in the world, and he's ready to move on to bigger and better things.

He's expected to defend his title on the December 17 Strikeforce fight card against Jorge Masvidal.

No. 4 Shinya Aoki

Shinya Aoki, Gilbert Melendez and Eddie Alvarez are all relatively in the same position. They are undoubtedly three of the best lightweights in the world, but their current organizations don't bolster the upper echelon opposition to challenge their world class talents.

At Dream 17, it seemed like another day at the office for Aoki, as he picked up a first round submission victory over former WEC lightweight champion "Razor" Rob McCullough.

There are preliminary talks ongoing about a potential lightweight super-fight between Aoki and Alvarez in 2012.

No. 5 Eddie Alvarez

There is no question that Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is a world-class talent. Instead of proving his case against higher ranked opposition, Alvarez continues to compete under the Bellator banner against up-and-comers and UFC castoffs.

He was successful in his first title defense at Bellator 39 against Bellator Season 2 Lightweight Tournament winner Pat Curran.

His next defense will be against season 4 winner Michael Chandler.

No. 6 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. He is currently planning a Fall return.

No. 7 Ben Henderson

If you didn't believe before, you certainly believe now. Ben Henderson is for real.

His dominant unanimous decision win over lightweight contender Jim Miller was an eye-opening experience for the vast majority of MMA fans. Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar have both defeated Miller in the past, but neither of them even came close to replicating "Bendo's" dominance.

At UFC on Fox 1, Henderson could earn a lightweight title shot with a win over Clay Guida.

No. 8 Jim Miller

Before UFC on Versus 5, Jim Miller seemed well on his way to contending for a UFC world title. He was riding a seven-fight win streak over solid opposition until he ran into Ben Henderson.

The word "disappointment" is an understatement for Miller, who was completely dominated by the former WEC champion in a one-sided decision.

It will be a tough road ahead, but Miller has shown the ability in the past to rebound from tough losses and string together consecutive wins.

No. 9 Clay Guida

A position in the Top-10 lightweight rankings has been a long time coming for Clay Guida. After plenty of disappointing losses, "The Carpenter" has finally found his way.

Currently riding a four-fight win streak, Guida is coming off back-to-back wins over former world champions in Takanori Gomi and Anthony Pettis.

He could propel himself into title contention with a win over Ben Henderson at UFC on Fox 1.

No. 10 Melvin Guillard

While the world anoints Ben Henderson and Clay Guida as the front-runners for a shot at the UFC lightweight title, UFC President Dana White still believes Melvin Guillard leads the pack of potential contenders.

Riding a five-fight win streak, Guillard has looked exceptionally dominant since moving his camp to Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is slated to face Joe Lauzon at UFC 136.

Featherweight: 145-Pound Limit

No. 1 Jose Aldo

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo met a stiffer test than expected in Mark Hominick at UFC 129.

Coming off a neck and shoulder injury, Aldo lost steam early in the bout, but he was able to lean on his underrated grappling to pull out the victory.

His second UFC title defense is expected to be against Kenny Florian at UFC 136.

No. 2 Chad Mendes

Chad Mendes continued his flawless ways at UFC 133, coasting to a unanimous decision win over Rani Yahya.

The win could finally get Mendes the featherweight title that has continued to elude him. He'll definitely be watching the upcoming championship showdown between Jose Aldo and Kenny Florian to scout out his next potential opponent.

No. 3 Hatsu Hioki

After defeating explosive Brazilian knockout artist Marlon Sandro for the Sengoku featherweight title, Hatsu Hioki kept the ball rolling at Shooto Tradition 2011, where he submitted Donald Sanchez in the second round with a triangle choke.

Hioki will bring his talents to western shores at UFC 137 against George Roop.

No. 4 Kenny Florian

Kenny Florian came close to having his featherweight goals ruined by Diego Nunes at UFC 131. The featherweight division isn't as stacked as lightweight, but the ranked opposition is just as deadly.

With the win, Florian earned his third UFC title shot at UFC 136 against pound-for-pound great, Jose Aldo.

No. 5 Tyson Griffin

After suffering three consecutive losses at lightweight, Tyson Griffin seems to have found a comfortable home in the featherweight division. He defeated Top-10-ranked 145-pounder Manny Gamburyan at UFC on Versus 4.

His next test comes from hard-nosed veteran Bart Palaszewski at UFC 137.

No. 6 Diego Nunes

There weren't many people giving Diego Nunes a chance in his UFC 131 bout against Kenny Florian. It was impressive to see him put together the kind of performance he did against an upper echelon fighter like Florian.

Nunes may have lost the fight, but he can walk away with his head held high. He proved he belongs on the big stage against world class talent.

An injury threw a monkey wrench in Nunes's plans to compete at UFC 135.

No. 7 Mark Hominick

There is no doubt Mark Hominick is disappointed by the outcome of his UFC featherweight title bout with Jose Aldo, but he certainly doesn't have anything to be ashamed of. 

When most counted him out, Hominick came out and put up a solid effort against a guy many consider one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

He'll try to begin his journey back to the top at UFC 140 when he meets "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung.

No. 8 Pat Curran

Pat Curran's highlight reel knockout of former Sengoku featherweight champion Marlon Sandro sent shock waves through the MMA world.

With the win, Curran picked up the most significant victory in his MMA career, and he became the first person to win a Bellator tournament in two different weight classes.

No. 9 Dustin Poirier

Joe Warren's exit paved the way for Dustin Poirier to once again find love in the Top-10 rankings. This has been a major year for "The Diamond." He is 2-0 in the UFC, and one of those wins came over highly-touted and former Top-10 featherweight Josh Grispi.

At UFC 131, Poirier took a unanimous decision over Jason Young. He'll make his octagon return on the historic UFC on Fox card against Pablo Garza.

No. 10 Manny Gamburyan

Back to back losses and constant injuries have pushed Manny Gamburyan down the featherweight ranks. Once in the spotlight as a featherweight title contender, Gamburyan now finds himself on the UFC chopping block, dealing with yet another shoulder injury.

The injury forced him out of his scheduled UFC 135 bout with Diego Nunes.

Bantamweight: 135-Pound Limit

No. 1 Dominick Cruz

Dominick Cruz continued to play janitor in the bantamweight division at UFC 132, where he defeated former featherweight champion Urijah Faber by unanimous decision.

The victory marked Cruz's first ever UFC title defense, and it generated a lot of attention to the 135-pound division.

Fans are already clamoring for the Cruz and Faber rubber match.

Instead, Cruz's second defense will come against explosive grappler Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson at UFC on Versus 6.

No. 2 Joseph Benavidez

Joseph Benavidez is an incredibly talented bantamweight, and it's a shame to see him miss out on some main card action in the UFC. He is stuck in a tough place right now, considering the only two losses of his professional career have both come to UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.

With a shot at 135-pound gold out of the question, Benavidez is keeping busy until the UFC unveils the planned flyweight division.

At UFC on Versus 5, he defeated Eddie Wineland by unanimous decision.

No. 3 Brian Bowles

Since being sidelined with multiple injuries, Brian Bowles has picked up exactly where he left off in the bantamweight division. After submitting Damacio Page at UFC on Versus 3, he took a unanimous decision over Top-10 bantamweight Takeya Mizugaki.

Bowles is now set to face Urijah Faber in a bout that could decide the next No. 1 contender for the UFC title.

No. 4 Scott Jorgensen

"I'm back!" Those were Scott Jorgensen's words after landing a massive right hand that put an end to Ken Stone's night at the Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale.

Fired up from his loss to UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, Jorgensen looks like a man hell-bent on rectifying past mistakes. He's set to face Jeff Curran at UFC 137.

No. 5 Urijah Faber

Urijah Faber came within inches of claiming UFC gold at UFC 132 in a thrilling battle with longtime nemesis Dominick Cruz. In the end, the judges scored the bout in Cruz's favor, but there are a few fans that felt Faber should've walked away with the decision.

If things fall into place, Faber could get another crack at Cruz by the first quarter of 2012.

Cruz has to get past Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6, and Faber will have to defeat former bantamweight champion Brian Bowles at UFC 139.

No. 6 Demetrious Johnson

Those unfamiliar with this incredible prospect were definitely awakened at UFC 130. In an unbelievable chess match that was worthy of Fight of the Night honors, Demetrious Johnson took a convincing unanimous decision victory over former WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres.

Regardless of his next opponent, Johnson proved he is more than ready for the upper echelon stars of the bantamweight division. We'll soon learn the depths of that statement in Johnson's upcoming world title bout with Dominick Cruz on October 1.

No. 7 Miguel Torres

After winning two consecutive bouts, Miguel Torres faced another setback at UFC 130 against Demetrious Johnson. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is an incredible tool, but it's tough to convince judges from your back for the majority of a bout.

Torres has to go back to the drawing board and work on his offensive and defensive wrestling. We'll see what adjustments he makes when he meets Nick Pace at UFC 139.

No. 8 Takeya Mizugaki

One look at Takeya Mizugaki's record will reveal a horribly and inconsistent stretch. Bare in mind, all of Mizugaki's recent losses have come to former world champions and title contenders.

Mizugaki has constantly proven his ability to thrash non-ranked opposition, but when confronted with upper echelon talent, he tends to fold under the competition.

At UFC 135, he picked up a second round TKO stoppage over Cole Escovedo.

No. 9 Brad Pickett

Brad Pickett is a name often overlooked in the Bantamweight division. In his last 11 bouts, Pickett has compiled a record of 10-1, with the one loss coming to former title contender Scott Jorgensen.

He took a unanimous decision win over Ivan Menjivar at WEC 53.

The UFC was mulling over the possibility of matching Pickett with former champion Miguel Torres at UFC 130, but Pickett was forced out of the bout due to an injury. Finally healthy, Pickett is set to make his UFC debut at UFC 139 against Renan Barao.

No. 10 Masakatsu Ueda

Former Shooto featherweight champion Masakatsu Ueda was victorious in his jump to lightweight at Amazon Forest Combat 1 to take on retiring BJJ phenom Royler Gracie.

At 45 years of age, Gracie gave Ueda all he could handle, but two out of three judges scored the bout in Ueda's favor.

Shuichiro Katsumura may be coming off back-to-back losses, but a revenge bout against the man that took his Shooto title has to be a fight that still interests Ueda.

Females: Pound-For-Pound

No. 1 Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos

Strikeforce women's middleweight champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos is quite possibly the scariest woman alive.

Her physical stature and natural athleticism is unrivaled. Opponents don't come looking for Cyborg. Strikeforce goes looking for opponents.

With Cyborg riding a 10-fight win streak, fans are left with one question—can anyone even present a decent challenge to this Brazilian phenom?

Cyborg signed a new contract with Strikeforce in August, and she's set to return on the December 17 fight card against Hiroko Yamanaka.

No. 2 Zoila Gurgel

Lady Luck is on Zoila Gurgel's side. In the Bellator Season 3 women's 115-pound tournament, Gurgel walked away with a couple of questionable split decision wins over Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar.

Regardless of personal opinion, Gurgel earned the nods of the judges, and the win over Fujii helped her soar up the pound-for-pound ranks.

At Bellator 35, she continued her winning ways by taking a unanimous decision over Karina Hallinan in a non-title bout.

No. 3 Megumi Fujii

Many consider Megumi Fujii the Fedor Emelianenko of women's MMA. Before losing a highly-contested split decision to Zoila Gurgel at Bellator 34, Fujii had maintained an undefeated professional record of 22-0.

The loss to Gurgel left a smudge on Fujii's perfect record and a bad taste in the mouths of many fans. Since the loss, Fujii has rebounded with back-to-back wins over Emi Fujino and Mika Nagano.

No. 4 Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate shocked the world in July by defeating Strikeforce bantamweight champion Marloes Coenen. It wasn't just the win itself that was shocking. Tate managed to submit Coenen, a highly respected BJJ ace.

As champion, the road toughens for Tate, who could be on a collision course with the last person to defeat her, Sarah Kaufman.

No. 5 Marloes Coenen

Apparently, Marloes Coenen was in the wrong gym at the wrong time. After losing the Strikeforce bantamweight title to Miesha Tate in July, Coenen was released from the promotion due to a rift between Golden Glory and UFC President Dana White.

Everything seems to be at ease now, and some fighters that were released have been given new contracts. Will Strikeforce come knocking on Coenen's door?

Regardless, the former champ just signed a non-exclusive three-fight deal with BlackEye Promotions. She's expected to make her promotional debut in February 2012.

No. 6 Sarah Kaufman

Coming off back to-back-wins over Liz Carmouche and Megumi Yabushita, Sarah Kaufman is once again in the running for the Strikeforce bantamweight title.

It's been nearly a year since Kaufman lost the belt to Marloes Coenen, and she is eager to reclaim her perch atop of the women's 135-pound division.

No. 7 Tara LaRosa

Tara LaRosa is appreciated as a legend in women's MMA. It's unfortunate she hasn't garnered the same mainstream notoriety as her peers.

With nearly a decade of professional experience, it seems that only hardcore fans recognize LaRosa as a world class talent. She is coming off a submission win over Carina Damm at Shark Fights 14.

No. 8 Rosi Sexton

Since losing to Zoila Gurgel at Bellator 23, Rosi Sexton has picked up two straight victories, including a win over former Strikeforce bantamweight title contender Roxanne Modafferi.

She was set to challenge Sheila Gaff on July 9 for the vacant Cage Warriors women's super flyweight title, but a concussion sustained in training forced her to pull out of the fight.

No. 9 Rin Nakai

Japanese prospect Rin Nakai came within an inch of seeing her perfect record ruined by U.K. native Danielle West. The judges ruled the bout a split draw, leaving Nakai's record at 10-0-1.

There has been a plethora of hype surrounding the chiseled Nakai, who has often been cited as being Japan's version of Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos.

An immediate rematch with West seems like the most logical course of action.

No. 10 Hitomi Akano

Roxanne Modafferi's exit from the pound-for-pound list gives way to a new face.

After defeating Modafferi at Jewels 15th Ring, Hitomi Akano makes her Top-10 debut in the women's rankings.

Has the time finally come for Akano to make a major run, or is her win over a possibly declining Modafferi being over-hyped?