Final 2008 MMA Pound-For-Pound List

WEC and UFC brought fight fans great events in December and an exciting close to 2008.  UFC 92 saw the installation of two new champions and we finally see some worthwhile shuffling in pound-for-pound lists across the globe. This list will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows.  A few protests.  A few cheers.  But these are the fighters who are, pound-for-pound, the best in the world.

No. 10 Kenny "KenFlo" Florian

I have to agree with Kenny's co-commentators on ESPN's MMALive:  "KenFlo" is vying for the worst nickname in MMA.  But even with the unimaginative nomenclature, few fighters enter the ring with the preparation and training that Florian brings.  By his own admission, he is "obsessed with watching fights" and the preparation shows.  Since his October 2006 decision loss to would-be champ, Sean Sherk, Florian has rattled off six straight wins with each win building on the last.  In UFC 91, Flo pounded and then submitted Joe "Daddy" Stevenson in four minutes and solidified his position as No. 1 contender for BJ Penn's belt.

Other No. 10's: Thiago Alves, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

No. 9 Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida

On January 31, Machida will cement his place on every Top 10 P4P list in the world—or—give it up to Thiago Silva.  At UFC 94, Machida and Silva will face-off in a much-heralded battle of unbeatens. Machida fights with a deliberate, methodical and even "unorthodox" striking style but few fighters control the outcome of bouts like the Dragon.

No. 8 Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Few writers saw reason to drop Rampage from the Top 10 after his (controversial?) decision lost to Griffin in July.  He remains one of the most explosive, athletic fighters in the UFC. His Dec. 27 knockout of long-time nemesis Wanderlei Silva was nothing short of spectacular—a Knockout of the Year candidate.

No. 7 Rashad "Sugar" Evans

Evans is a new on most P4P lists, and No. 7 may be a little high. By all accounts, Evans is a "git 'er done" fighter.  It generally takes him a round or two to get comfortable with the fight, his opponent and his gameplan.  But when Sugar gets comfortable, he gets it done:  Lights out for former champ Chuck Liddell.  Vicious ground-and-pound for former champ Forrest Griffin.  Life is going to get hard for Evans as everyone wants his belt and everyone wants his record.

No. 6 Forrest Griffin

Griffin made his case for No. 1 light heavyweight in the world with back-to-back victories over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Quinton Jackson. His recent loss to Rashad Evans should not drop him from the list.  Their Dec. 27 match, while ending with Griffin flailing about under Evans' ground-and-pound, started with a two-round demonstration of Griffin's vastly improved and downright impressive striking.

No. 5 Miguel Angel Torres

Torres fights in the WEC and is one of two fighters on this list not in the UFC. But with one loss in 36 fights (that was in 2003 and was later avenged), we have to start asking ourselves, "Can anyone handle this guy?"  Manny Tapia brought his undefeated record into the cage on Dec. 3 and left with a loss under a flurry of punches and elbows.

No. 4 BJ "The Prodigy" Penn

2008 saw the emergence of a new BJ Penn.  A focused BJ Penn.  A determined BJ Penn.  A conditioned BJ Penn.   With dominant wins over Jens Pulver (2007), Joe Stevenson and Sean Sherk, Penn demonstrated why he is a true mixed martial arts prodigy. And now—the entire MMA world is waiting for his rematch against St-Pierre. A win in Vegas will send him to the top of P4P lists and make him a true legend—a two-belt champion.

No. 3 Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor only fought once in 2008 and that has caused him to slide from the top spot.  His one fight was against former UFC Heavyweight, Tim Sylvia.  Fedor destroyed him in 38 seconds.  Unfortunately, Sylvia looked like he was just showing up to get his Affliction paycheck.  Fedor's Pride rep is slippin.'  Will someone please get Fedor a real fight? 

No. 2 Georges "Rush" St-Pierre

There are two fighters that make you say "Holy Crap!" when you see them fight. One is UFC newbie, Brock Lesnar. How can a guy that big move so well?  The other is Georges St-Pierre.  How can a guy be so athletic?  He out-wrestles world-class wrestlers. Out-strikes the top strikers.  Submits the submission specialists.  After the BJ Penn fight, maybe he will take a lesson from Penn and move up a weight class to face No. 1.

No. 1 Anderson "The Spider" Silva

In a world where few champions can hold onto the Big Beltbuckle for more than a few fights, Sylvia has had the Middleweight belt for two years. Like Miguel Torres, Silva has no one to challenge for his belt—really, who can beat this guy?  Fighting up a class, at LHW,  for most of 2008, Silva easily took out James Irvin and danced Patrick Cote into a self-inflicted knee injury.