In less than two weeks, the UFC will return to Fox for one of its four major network-televised events of 2012. Though it is headlined by lightweight contenders Nate Diaz and Jim Miller, rising middleweights Rousimar Palhares and Alan Belcher will try to steal the show with a fight that is very important in determining the ordering of title hopefuls in the 185-pound division.
While there are others probably more deserving of a title shot right now, a spectacular win at UFC on Fox 3 could move Palhares or Belcher to the front of the line for a matchup against the winner of an upcoming middleweight title fight between champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen.
Before Palhares and Belcher shake up the division with their fight in early May, let’s take a look at how the UFC’s 185-pound fighters stack up from top to bottom.
The following rankings are computed based primarily on results against similar competition and do not include fighters who have not yet competed inside the Octagon, announced their retirement, been suspended, gone more than one year without competing or scheduled a fight in a new division.