With the trilogy between UFC champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard finally in the past, the lightweight division is now primed for an unpredictable and exciting year in 2012. In February, Edgar will defend his title against former WEC champion Benson Henderson.
The next year could also see Gilbert Melendez and Michael Chandler emerge as stars, as Melendez could make the move from Strikeforce to the UFC, and Chandler recently dethroned Eddie Alvarez as Bellator champion.
Heading into the final month of 2011, let’s take a look at how the top lightweights in MMA stack up in terms of rankings. These rankings are the combined effort of some of Bleacher Report MMA’s best writers, as we continue to try and provide you with the best content on the web.