Sportstwo.com presents: MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings: Top Ten September 25th, 2010 10. Lyoto Machida (16-1, 8-1 UFC), 205lbs. Machida's much-lauded undefeated drive came to an abrupt halt at UFC 113 in Montreal when he leaped into Mauricio Rua's right hand. Before that the famously evasive Dragon had befuddled the UFC's light heavyweight division en route to a title win at UFC 98, knocking out undefeated champion Rashad Evans with a barrage of punches. The luster on Machida's record has taken a hit as of late with many fans considering his last two fights (the first of which was a controversial decision victory over the aforementioned Rua) both as losses. Machida's upcoming bout with former champion Quinton Jackson serves as a title-eliminator as Machida marches back up to the top of the division. The 32-year old has little room for error in one of the most talent-rich divisions in all of MMA. 09. Jake Shields (25-4-1, 0-0 UFC), 170 & 185lbs. The 31-year old from Mountain Ranch, California has shown no signs of slowing down in recent years putting together a stellar 14-fight winning streak since 2005. The former Strikeforce, EliteXC, and Shooto title holder has emigrated to the UFC in hopes of adding a true world title to his collection. Shields opted to join the UFC as a welterweight despite fighting last at middleweight. The depth of talent in the UFC's 170-lbs. division should keep him busy until he retires. 08. Jon Fitch (23-3-0-1, 13-1 UFC), 170lbs. Few have had as much success in the UFC as Jon Fitch. The former Purdue wrestling captain has 13 wins to only one loss since debuting at Fight Night 2 in 2005. His road to a second title shot against untouchable World Champion Georges St. Pierre has been a long one due to Fitch's lack of a finishing touch. Fitch is perhaps the best fighter to have never won a championship in MMA. At 32-years old time is seemingly not on Fitch's side. 07. Frank Edgar (13-1, 8-1 UFC), 155lbs. Toms River, New Jersey, the city of champions. Or at least one--reigning UFC Lightweight World Champion Frank "Frankie" Edgar. The 28-year old has done the seemingly impossible in defeating lightweight legend BJ Penn twice in a row, winning at least 8 of 10 rounds and thoroughly outworking the former champion in the process. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt under Ricardo Almedia, Edgar's combination of wrestling and grappling have served him well in his career thus far. Yet his development as a quick-strike boxer with the fastest feet in MMA has become his bread and butter. Edgar's only loss--a lopsided decision to Gray Maynard in 2008--could be avenged at the UFC's annual New Year's show in January. 06. Fedor Emelianenko (32-2-0-1, 1-1 Strikeforce), 265lbs. The greatest fighter of all time hasn't fought as often as his fans would like, averaging a fight every eight months in the last three years. Perhaps that is the biggest factor in his stunning upset loss to Fabricio Werdum in June. Emelianenko was unconcerned following the loss--in fact, the Russian Orthodox Christian was practically jovial, joking with the media that he'd finally demonstrated his humanity to his worshipful fans. His critics will say he hasn't fought a top-ranked heavyweight since Mirko Filipovic in 2005 but there are few free passes available in Strikeforce's burgeoning heavyweight division. The former PRIDE champion is rumoured to be fighting overseas in the coming months before returning to Strikeforce to face Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett, or another standout. Whether the 33-year old and his fans have time and patience for such warm-ups is up for debate. 05. Brock Lesnar (5-1, 4-1 UFC), 265lbs. Few athletes can change sports as late in life as the former Bismark State and Minnesota wrestler Brock Lesnar, who debuted for the UFC with only one pro fight under his belt at 30-years old. However there are few physical specimens like him. A virtual wall of meat and muscle, Lesnar has bullied his way to the top of the UFC's heavyweight division, taking the World Championship after only two UFC fights with mixed results. Frighteningly, Lesnar is still very much a work in progress. He survived an early bombardment against Shane Carwin by the skin of his teeth en route to shocking the MMA world with a second-round arm triangle submission at UFC 116 in July. His trainers later told the press that the submission he used was the only one he had trained. MMA's biggest draw faces undefeated challenger Cain Velasquez next and if his past fights are any indication, anything can and will happen. 04. Mauricio Rua (19-4, 3-2 UFC), 205lbs. Rua's career with PRIDE began with a bang in 2003. The Muay-Thai kickboxer from Curitiba demolished Akira Shoji with punches and stomps in the first round--a trademark style that would earn him nine TKO victories in Japan. However many doubted that style could translate to the wrestling- and rules-heavy American UFC promotion. Instead it would be Rua's surgically repaired knee that would hold him back in his debut. Multiple surgeries and lengthy recoveries followed but in recent fights the 28-year old Rua has regained his lost momentum. Now the UFC Light Heavyweight World Champion, the 2009 Comeback Fighter of the Year has solidified his place at the top of the UFC's most competitive division. His upcoming bout with Rashad Evans will be the first time Rua's faced a top-level wrestler still in his prime since fighting Kevin Randleman in 2006--a fight he won by kneebar submission. 03. Jose Aldo (17-1, 7-0 WEC), 145lbs. The WEC has put together a highly competitive featherweight division but so far there have been no obstacles for champion Jose Aldo. The 24-year old from Brazil's city in the rain forest, Manaus, has clear-cut his way through the division with six TKO victories to only one decision. The 2009 co-Fighter of the Year (with Georges St. Pierre) has expressed interest in capturing all three of the WEC's championship belts. With a win over Manny Gamburyan at the end of the month there will be little opposition left for him in the featherweight division. 02. Georges St. Pierre (20-2, 14-2 UFC), 170lbs. With few exceptions the UFC is not the place for fighters to learn on the job. However St. Pierre's progression as a student of martial arts has developed before the eyes of UFC fans since his promotional debut in 2004. The karate specialist from St. Isadore has matured with every fight he's had in the UFC, especially in his two avenged losses, to become the prototype for the modern MMA fighter. St. Pierre seamlessly combines top-level wrestling, grappling, and innovative striking into a style that in recent years has been irresistible. The 29-year old triple black belt has defeated every fighter he's faced professionally, has never lost a fight that's gone longer than one round, and is on a 26-round winning streak. Having nearly solidified his reputation as the greatest welterweight of all time, a move up in weight may be St. Pierre's best option if he wants to be considered the best all-around. 01. Anderson Silva (27-4, 12-0 UFC), 185 & 205lbs. The undisputed World Champion. The record-setter. The most dynamic striker in the history of MMA. The Brazilian from Curitiba has looked invincible since entering the UFC in 2006--at least until last month. Silva found himself "on the receiving end of a one sided-pounding", as promised, by middleweight challenger Chael Sonnen, down four rounds and four minutes, having offered only brief moments of offense throughout the fight. Yet Silva wouldn't allow himself to be beaten. With time ticking away and Sonnen covering up in Silva's guard, the longtime champion was able to secure wrist control and throw his long legs around Sonnen's neck and arm, securing a triangle-armbar submission and an escape from one of the most remarkably bad performances of his career. This is the stuff of champions. The 35-year old looks to continue his unprecedented consecutive title defense record with eight early next year against former UFC Heavyweight World Champion Vitor Belfort.
Really well written speeds. Its a good top ten too. Unbelievable that Shogun is only 28 years old (younger than GSP).
6 months later who's your new top 10? Just to get the conversation going... 1. Anderson 2. GSP 3. Aldo 4. Cain 5. Dominick Cruz 6. Edgar 7. Jon Jones 8. Jake Shields 9. Jon Fitch 10. Dos Santos
1. Anderson Silva 2. Georges St. Pierre 3. Jose Aldo (I think in some order, the top three is pretty standard on everyones.) 4. Jon Jones 5. Cain Velazquez 6. Dominick Cruz 7. Frankie Edgar 8. Gilbert Melendez 9. Jake Shields 10. BJ Penn
These kinds of lists get more and more pointless when you start to have dominant champions in most weight classes. Hard to distinguish between GSP, Aldo, and Silva at this point. Jones & Velasquez could join that group with a few defenses.
