The best mixed martial artists are all in a familiar spot at or near the top of their respective divisions.
However, as similar as the best fighters in the sport may be in terms of talent, many of their careers are currently headed in very different directions.
For example, Fedor Emelianenko, who may have been at the top of this list at this time last year, will now be fighting to remain relevant in his next bout, which will come against Dan Henderson in July.
Career paths can be changed with every appearance in this sport. In the minds of critics, a fighter is only as good as how he performed in his last fight.
With that being said, here are the top 50 fighters in the sport today and the direction in which their careers are currently trending.