UFC Stock Watch: 10 Fighters Who Are Rising and Falling

Each month new divisional competitors emerge and other fighters stumble to the back of the bus.

Highlight-reel knockouts, eye-popping submissions and hard noised chin-to-chin battles make up the usual "wow" fights across the UFC board.

Granted, other bouts still prove noteworthy even though they're categorized as the technical chess match kind.

Regardless of how you spin it, a win is a win.  The more flashy, the better. But for now, a victory inside a caged octagon against an opponent trying to take your head off still penetrates any speculation we may have towards specific fighters.

With that said, NASDAQ and Dow Jones aside, here are 10 fighters who are either on the rise or struggling to stay afloat flooded divisions in the UFC's stock market.

Rising: Mark Munoz

Let's get this one out of the way.

Mark Munoz has been tormenting middleweight opponents for far too long to not be considered a direct No. 1 contender in the division.

With steaks for hands and an unmatched wrestling background, "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" has posted a 7-1 record inside the octagon since losing his first UFC bout via KO at the hands of Matt "The Hammer" Hamill.

At this point in his career, the 33-year-old has gained enough recognition as a menace to society in order to receive a title-shot from Dana White and Joe Silva.

If Munoz's KO of Chris Leben this past weekend doesn't scream power, I don't know what does.

Falling: Dan Hardy

Seriously, what has happened to Dan Hardy?

He went from being the guy who could potentially KO George St. Pierre to the man you see today, a welterweight who is currently riding a four-fight losing streak.

Hardy, who's arguably the most heavy handed hitter at 170 pounds, has tapped-out or hit the canvas in two of his last three bouts.

His most recent demise, at the hands of veteran Chris Lytle, produced an outcome that was an all-around disgrace.

Hardy was outclassed on the feet and on the ground, leading to a third-round submission on behalf of the 37-year-old Lytle.

Going forward, other fighters are going to read between the lines of Hardy's past losses and try to take him down for some good ole' fashion ground and pound.

So it's going to be difficult for the Brit to maintain his composure as a UFC welterweight, let alone contend for a title.

Rising: Johny Hendricks

Johny Hendricks' next fight against Jon Fitch will be a true test in telling whether or not he's ready to be called a top contender in the welterweight division.

But for now, we'll just have to agree that his stock is indeed on the rise.

The 28-year-old power wrestler is currently 6-1 in the UFC, with key victories over Charlie Brenneman, Mike Pierce and Amir Sadollah.

Hendricks' lone loss came via a unanimous decision in 2010 to Rick Story.

With some of the best wrestling, ground and pound and power punching in the division, it's going to be tough for anyone to beat the bearded menace.

But if there's anyone that can do it, it's Fitch.

Falling: Matt Hamill

Just like Dan Hardy, Matt Hamill has went from No. 1 contender to virtually non-existent.

His last fight against Alexander Gustafsson, in which Hamill got TKO'd in the second-round, and didn't even make it to the main card.

That says a lot considering Hamill's previous two fights, against Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz, were either the main event or co-main event.

So what's the problem? 

There's a few.

Not a lot of people realize that Hamill is 35 years old.  His initial burst onto the season five years ago could have been a product of the wrestler entering the octagon in his prime.

Another fault to pay attention to is the fact that Hamill has recently abandoned his most valuable asset, his wrestling.  Hamill has failed to record even one take-down in his last two fights, proving that his heralded background in wrestling has not played a major role in his game-planning.

Even though his age is an immediate factor going forward, as well as his urge to stand and bang with his opponents, Hamill is a very hard worker that can turn things around quickly.

Not for nothing, but Hamill has tailored masterful victories over Tito Ortiz, Mark Munoz and Keith Jardine in his career.

Rising: Anthony Johnson

As it stands right now, Anthony "Rumble" Johnson's only loss in the past three years came at the hands of a Josh Koscheck submission, back at UFC 106.

Since then, Johnson has knocked off Dan Hardy and Charlie Brenneman.

With unbelievable striking and a 6'2" frame at 170 lbs., Johnson is looking to get his shot at George St. Pierre's welterweight title.

With an upcoming bout against legendary Vitor Belfort, at UFC 142, "Rumble" will get a chance to prove his worth.

However, that fight has Johnson pegged to move up to the middleweight division for the first time in his career and fight one of the top contenders in the division.

While many people look at his decision as one not worth taking, Johnson's capabilities in beating Belfort won't change.

He's a lengthy 27 year old who's well-rounded on his feet and in the clinch.

The move may not make sense now, but a victory over Belfort would put all those negatives inclinations to rest.

Falling: Pat Barry

Pat Barry's "HD" nickname has suited him well over his last two fights because he's been heavily depleted.

After catching the short end of the stick against Cheick Congo in one of the best comeback fights in UFC history, Barry was given a fight against a soft-chinned Stephan Struve that was supposed to get him back on track.

Don't get me wrong, Struve is no slouch, but Barry is an excellent kick-boxer with exceptional power who should have KO'd the 6'11" skyscraper.

Regardless of his skills, Barry was unable to dethrone Struve at UFC Live 6, making his potential comeback in the division as a top contender nearly unfathomable.

With two heartbreaking loses, Barry will ultimately get one more chance to prove himself as a top fighter in the heavyweight division before the end of the year.

A task that goes unwarranted as far as importance, and a fight that could make or break the 32-year-old's UFC career.

Rising: Erik Koch

There's a reason why Erik Koch's nickname is "New Breed", he's the future of the featherweight division.

Besides a three-round loss to No. 1 contender Chad Mendes at WEC 47, Koch has compiled a 5-0 record between the UFC and WEC.

His most recent victory against Ultimate Fighter winner Jonathan Brookins proved that the 23-year-old has a long future ahead of him.

With his age and power, Koch has the right tools to become a household name over his next few fights.

If he can do that, with a couple of KOs here and there, there's no reason why he can't capture a title shot by the end of 2012.

Falling: Tyson Griffin

To be honest, Tyson Griffin's stock has been falling for a while now.

The 27-year-old has gone 1-4 over his last five fights and has never really recovered from his loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 90.

His recent move back down to the featherweight division could do him some good, but his most recent bout with Bart Palaszewski showed that Griffin looks out of shape and unable to contend with the speed of 145 lb. fighters.

Griffin's time in the UFC could be coming to an end, especially with the recent expansion to seven divisions.

There's just too many talented fighters, with more success in the octagon, to entertain a dwindling Griffin as a legitimate contender.

Rising: Stipe Miocic

Unlike Mirko Cro Cop, fellow Croatian fighter Stipe Miocic has shown that he's capable of winning fights in the UFC.

The 29-year-old recently made his heavyweight debut against brawler Joey Beltran, a fight that is no cakewalk for a first-timer.

Miocic's hands looked quick, offering power and technique that stabilized Beltran's power and solid boxing.

Dana White and Joe Silva need to give Miocic a serious fight because he looks like he's poised for greatness in the UFC, despite his small size when matched-up against bigger and stronger heavyweights.

Falling: Forrest Griffin

If no one else is going to say it, I will.

Forrest Griffin is officially a shell of his former-self.

He may still be one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, but his overall talent and potential within the light heavyweight division has recently been exposed.

Besides his most recent wins over an aging Rich Franklin and a split-decision against Tito Ortiz, Griffin hasn't answered the calls that "No. 1 contenders" usually do.

Not to mention he has only participated in four bouts since losing his championship title to Rashad Evans in 2008.

Anderson Silva's KO of Griffin at UFC 101 made him look like a 145 lb. fighter, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua's KO back in August helped cement the 32-year-old's fate as just an ordinary mixed martial artist.

It appears that Griffin's well-known heart and aggressive striking will have to fight for its life in his next fight.

However, Griffin is currently nursing a foot and jaw injury from the Shogun loss.

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