Tag: Frank Edgar

MMA Top 10 Pound-for-Pound: Jon Jones Moves Ahead of GSP

Filed under: UFCJon Jones has just completed one of the greatest calendar years in MMA history. Georges St. Pierre is in the midst of the most disappointing year of his MMA career. As a result, Jones has leapfrogged St. Pierre on the latest list of the…

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Jon Jones has just completed one of the greatest calendar years in MMA history. Georges St. Pierre is in the midst of the most disappointing year of his MMA career. As a result, Jones has leapfrogged St. Pierre on the latest list of the Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts.

And Jones is No. 2 with a bullet: He’s getting awfully close to dethroning Anderson Silva as the top fighter in the sport, in any weight class. Considering that Jones is 12 years younger than Silva, it’s only a matter of time before Jones is recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

For now, I have Silva just ahead of Jones, and St. Pierre next. See how I rank the rest of the Top 10 fighters below.

Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in MMA
(Number in parentheses is the fighter’s rank in the last pound-for-pound list.)

1. Anderson Silva (1): The reckless style and killer instinct Jones has shown over the last couple years reminds me of the way Silva looked early in his UFC run. Silva is a little more cautious now, but his 14-0 record in the UFC leaves him a shade above Jones in my estimation.

2. Jon Jones (3): Jones’s 2011 is the best year anyone has ever had in the UFC. In other MMA promotions, the only fighters I can recall who have had comparable years to Jones in 2011 — in terms of staying active and earning quality wins over good opponents — were Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2002 and Shogun Rua in 2005. Top-level fighters just don’t fight more than three times a year these days, and for Jones to go 4-0 and beat four high-quality opponents handily, all in one year, is something to celebrate.

3. Georges St. Pierre (2): St. Pierre hasn’t fought since April, and it will likely be late in 2012 before his surgically repaired ACL allows him to return to the Octagon. That’s a year and a half of his prime without a single fight. That’s a major disappointment for a great champion.

4. Frank Edgar (4): The lightweight champion of the world will finally get a new opponent when he faces Ben Henderson in February, after fighting only Gray Maynard in 2011 and only B.J. Penn in 2010. Edgar is the quickest fighter in the lightweight division and maybe the quickest in any division, and that should be a big edge against Henderson.

5. Jose Aldo (5): Aldo will defend the featherweight at home in Brazil when he faces Chad Mendes in January. Aldo has never fought a wrestler as good as Mendes before, but Mendes has never fought a striker as good as Aldo before.

6. Junior dos Santos (9): Dos Santos reached a big audience when he took the heavyweight title from Cain Velasquez on Fox. He’ll have a huge fight in 2012 against the winner of the upcoming Brock Lesnar-Alistair Overeem bout.

7. Dominick Cruz (6): Cruz and Uirjah Faber will coach against each other on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter and then meet in the cage for the third (and, presumably) final time in the summer of 2012. Cruz hasn’t really caught on with MMA fans yet, but being featured every week on FX will introduce him to a new audience.

8. Dan Henderson (NR): Two things we need to remember when ranking Henderson on a pound-for-pound list: One is that he’s the only elite light heavyweight who has also had success fighting at middleweight. The other is that one of Henderson’s recent wins was over a heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko. Henderson’s ability to transcend weight classes earns him a spot on the pound-for-pound list.

9. Joseph Benavidez (NR): I’ve been saying for years that Benavidez would be the best flyweight in the world if he fought in a promotion that had flyweights, and the UFC’s decision to launch the 125-pound class with a four-man tournament will be Benavidez’s opportunity to prove that. Benavidez is 15-2 in his MMA career, with both losses coming to Cruz, despite fighting a weight class too high. He’ll take on the reigning Shooto 123-pound champion Yasuhiro Urushitani in March.

10. Rashad Evans (NR): With one more win, against Phil Davis in January, Evans may finally get his chance to fight Jones. As great as Evans is, that’s a fight hardly anyone will pick him to win.

 

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Dana White: Frankie Edgar No. 2 Pound-for-Pound, but 145 Should Be True Home

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HOUSTON — The doubters are falling by the wayside, and the believers continue flocking the Frankie Edgar war wagon.

After Saturday night’s rousing comeback win over Gray Maynard at UFC 136, Edgar received superlatives from all onlookers, but received no greater praise than that coming from UFC president Dana White, who voiced a belief that Edgar has vaulted past welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, trailing only Anderson Silva.

More Coverage: UFC 136 Results

“if you really look at what pound-for-pound means, you cannot deny that Frankie Edgar is No. 2,” White said. “The guy weighs 145 pounds and he’s beating guys at 155 pounds. He beat a guy who had him out of it. A guy who many believed had his number. He knocked him out tonight. I’m telling you man, I’ve never seen any s— like that in my life.”

White said he jumped out of his chair at Edgar’s comeback, which saw him rally from a horrific start, during which he was nearly KO’d.

“It’s an honor,” Edgar said. “Anytime you’re boss thinks you’re doing work and excelling in the same light as those guys, it’s a big honor. But the reality is, it’s opinion based. That’s his opinion. Your opinion might be different. But for me, I still got to go in there and fight.”

Still, White made mention several times of his belief that Edgar should move down to featherweight, where he would almost certainly receive an automatic title shot.

“Did you see the size difference between those two tonight?” White said. “I’ve been telling him for a long time he should fight at 145. I’m not his dad or trainer. That’s his decision. He’s a grown man and knows what he’s doing.”

When later asked to elaborate on his opinion, White said it wasn’t a question of performance but long-term health. White said he believed Edgar could have a longer career at a lower weight class because he would not be facing bigger, more powerful strikers.

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“I don’t think the guys who don’t fight out their weight class and fight a weight class above them and take damage can have longevity that other fighters have,” he said. “When you fight with guys your own size, you don’t take the punishment that you take when you fight bigger guys. The weight classes are there for a reason.”

He also said Edgar would set his own course.

Before this fight, Edgar said he was sick of talking about Maynard, but he’s got to be downright exhausted of this weight topic. He’s been in the UFC for over four years, fought 10 times as a lightweight, and only lost once. He’s the division’s champion, beat BJ Penn twice and just knocked out Gray Maynard, and it still comes up.

“Here I am. I’m the champion,” he said. “It’s definitely a nice option to be able to go down and possibly fight at 145 in the future, but I’m comfortable right now. I could talk some ideas over with Dana and Lorenzo [Fertitta] and see what they think, but I’m comfortable at 155. I’m the champion. I don’t see any reason to go anywhere.”

 

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HOUSTON — The doubters are falling by the wayside, and the believers continue flocking the Frankie Edgar war wagon.

After Saturday night’s rousing comeback win over Gray Maynard at UFC 136, Edgar received superlatives from all onlookers, but received no greater praise than that coming from UFC president Dana White, who voiced a belief that Edgar has vaulted past welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, trailing only Anderson Silva.

More Coverage: UFC 136 Results

“if you really look at what pound-for-pound means, you cannot deny that Frankie Edgar is No. 2,” White said. “The guy weighs 145 pounds and he’s beating guys at 155 pounds. He beat a guy who had him out of it. A guy who many believed had his number. He knocked him out tonight. I’m telling you man, I’ve never seen any s— like that in my life.”

White said he jumped out of his chair at Edgar’s comeback, which saw him rally from a horrific start, during which he was nearly KO’d.

“It’s an honor,” Edgar said. “Anytime you’re boss thinks you’re doing work and excelling in the same light as those guys, it’s a big honor. But the reality is, it’s opinion based. That’s his opinion. Your opinion might be different. But for me, I still got to go in there and fight.”

Still, White made mention several times of his belief that Edgar should move down to featherweight, where he would almost certainly receive an automatic title shot.

“Did you see the size difference between those two tonight?” White said. “I’ve been telling him for a long time he should fight at 145. I’m not his dad or trainer. That’s his decision. He’s a grown man and knows what he’s doing.”

When later asked to elaborate on his opinion, White said it wasn’t a question of performance but long-term health. White said he believed Edgar could have a longer career at a lower weight class because he would not be facing bigger, more powerful strikers.

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“I don’t think the guys who don’t fight out their weight class and fight a weight class above them and take damage can have longevity that other fighters have,” he said. “When you fight with guys your own size, you don’t take the punishment that you take when you fight bigger guys. The weight classes are there for a reason.”

He also said Edgar would set his own course.

Before this fight, Edgar said he was sick of talking about Maynard, but he’s got to be downright exhausted of this weight topic. He’s been in the UFC for over four years, fought 10 times as a lightweight, and only lost once. He’s the division’s champion, beat BJ Penn twice and just knocked out Gray Maynard, and it still comes up.

“Here I am. I’m the champion,” he said. “It’s definitely a nice option to be able to go down and possibly fight at 145 in the future, but I’m comfortable right now. I could talk some ideas over with Dana and Lorenzo [Fertitta] and see what they think, but I’m comfortable at 155. I’m the champion. I don’t see any reason to go anywhere.”

 

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UFC 136 Weigh-In Results

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Jose Aldo, Kenny FlorianHOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.

The energy around the event is palpable, with two titles being defended as well as the return of Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann‘s rising star. In fact, it’s hard to tell what the fans are most excited about.

Clearly though, the fight with the most lead-up is the last fight of the epic rivalry between Frank “the Answer” Edgar and Gray “the Bully” Maynard. Both champion and challenger comfortably made the lightweight title fight limit, checking in at 154.5 and 155, respectively.

“I’m ready to do it,” Edgar said. “It’s been too long thinking about this kid. I’m all about the anti-bully movement. Let’s do it.”


“All the pre-fight is done,” Maynard said. “Let’s have some fun. October 8, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to get that title.”

The featherweight showdown is nearly as anticipated, with longtime crowd favorite Kenny Florian possibly getting his last chance to capture gold. Florian has failed to deliver on two previous tries, and he is considered the underdog against Jose Aldo again on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a great fight,” he said. “It’s the fight I wanted for a long time, the fight that brought me to 145. I’ve trained too hard and suffered too much to not go home with the title tomorrow night.”

Aldo, who went through an excruciating weight cut at his last fight in April, seemed practically joyous this time around, bouncing around and smiling. Both Aldo and Florian weighed 145.

“He’s an excellent athlete but I’m very well prepared,” Aldo said through an intepreter. “Whatever he presents, I’m going to be twice as good.”

In his return to action, Chael Sonnen received a mixed reaction from the crowd, which booed him as he walked to the stage, but cheered him after he checked in at 185.5. He shared a respectful handshake with surging Brian Stann, who made 186 pounds on his second try after ditching his underwear and weighing in behind a towel.

Main Card
Frank Edgar (154.5) vs. Gray Maynard (155)
Jose Aldo (145) vs. Kenny Florian (145)
Chael Sonnen (185.5) vs. Brian Stann (186)
Leonard Garcia (145) vs. Nam Phan (145)
Melvin Guillard (155.5) vs. Joe Lauzon (155.5)

Preliminary Card
Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185)
Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156)
Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Darren Elkins (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)
Eric Schafer (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)

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Jose Aldo, Kenny FlorianHOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.

The energy around the event is palpable, with two titles being defended as well as the return of Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann‘s rising star. In fact, it’s hard to tell what the fans are most excited about.

Clearly though, the fight with the most lead-up is the last fight of the epic rivalry between Frank “the Answer” Edgar and Gray “the Bully” Maynard. Both champion and challenger comfortably made the lightweight title fight limit, checking in at 154.5 and 155, respectively.

“I’m ready to do it,” Edgar said. “It’s been too long thinking about this kid. I’m all about the anti-bully movement. Let’s do it.”


“All the pre-fight is done,” Maynard said. “Let’s have some fun. October 8, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to get that title.”

The featherweight showdown is nearly as anticipated, with longtime crowd favorite Kenny Florian possibly getting his last chance to capture gold. Florian has failed to deliver on two previous tries, and he is considered the underdog against Jose Aldo again on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a great fight,” he said. “It’s the fight I wanted for a long time, the fight that brought me to 145. I’ve trained too hard and suffered too much to not go home with the title tomorrow night.”

Aldo, who went through an excruciating weight cut at his last fight in April, seemed practically joyous this time around, bouncing around and smiling. Both Aldo and Florian weighed 145.

“He’s an excellent athlete but I’m very well prepared,” Aldo said through an intepreter. “Whatever he presents, I’m going to be twice as good.”

In his return to action, Chael Sonnen received a mixed reaction from the crowd, which booed him as he walked to the stage, but cheered him after he checked in at 185.5. He shared a respectful handshake with surging Brian Stann, who made 186 pounds on his second try after ditching his underwear and weighing in behind a towel.

Main Card
Frank Edgar (154.5) vs. Gray Maynard (155)
Jose Aldo (145) vs. Kenny Florian (145)
Chael Sonnen (185.5) vs. Brian Stann (186)
Leonard Garcia (145) vs. Nam Phan (145)
Melvin Guillard (155.5) vs. Joe Lauzon (155.5)

Preliminary Card
Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185)
Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156)
Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Darren Elkins (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)
Eric Schafer (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)

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UFC 136 Weigh-In Results

Filed under: UFC, NewsHOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made…

Filed under: ,

Jose Aldo, Kenny FlorianHOUSTON — With a lineup full of impactful fights, UFC 136 could end up as the card of the year. Of course, the athletes have to deliver on Saturday night, but on Friday, the 22 fighters made their bouts official, as everyone made weight in the last obligation before stepping into the cage.

The energy around the event is palpable, with two titles being defended as well as the return of Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann‘s rising star. In fact, it’s hard to tell what the fans are most excited about.

Clearly though, the fight with the most lead-up is the last fight of the epic rivalry between Frank “the Answer” Edgar and Gray “the Bully” Maynard. Both champion and challenger comfortably made the lightweight title fight limit, checking in at 154.5 and 155, respectively.

“I’m ready to do it,” Edgar said. “It’s been too long thinking about this kid. I’m all about the anti-bully movement. Let’s do it.”


“All the pre-fight is done,” Maynard said. “Let’s have some fun. October 8, baby. Tomorrow, I’m going to get that title.”

The featherweight showdown is nearly as anticipated, with longtime crowd favorite Kenny Florian possibly getting his last chance to capture gold. Florian has failed to deliver on two previous tries, and he is considered the underdog against Jose Aldo again on Saturday.

“It’s going to be a great fight,” he said. “It’s the fight I wanted for a long time, the fight that brought me to 145. I’ve trained too hard and suffered too much to not go home with the title tomorrow night.”

Aldo, who went through an excruciating weight cut at his last fight in April, seemed practically joyous this time around, bouncing around and smiling. Both Aldo and Florian weighed 145.

“He’s an excellent athlete but I’m very well prepared,” Aldo said through an intepreter. “Whatever he presents, I’m going to be twice as good.”

In his return to action, Chael Sonnen received a mixed reaction from the crowd, which booed him as he walked to the stage, but cheered him after he checked in at 185.5. He shared a respectful handshake with surging Brian Stann, who made 186 pounds on his second try after ditching his underwear and weighing in behind a towel.

Main Card
Frank Edgar (154.5) vs. Gray Maynard (155)
Jose Aldo (145) vs. Kenny Florian (145)
Chael Sonnen (185.5) vs. Brian Stann (186)
Leonard Garcia (145) vs. Nam Phan (145)
Melvin Guillard (155.5) vs. Joe Lauzon (155.5)

Preliminary Card
Demian Maia (185) vs. Jorge Santiago (185)
Anthony Pettis (154.5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (156)
Joey Beltran (245) vs. Stipe Miocic (236)
Darren Elkins (145) vs. Tiequan Zhang (146)
Eric Schafer (185.5) vs. Aaron Simpson (186)
Steve Cantwell (186) vs. Mike Massenzio (185)

%VIRTUAL-Gallery-136080%

 

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UFC 136 Picks

Main card Lightweight Championship bout Frankie Edgar (c) vs Gray Maynard I always would pick Frank Edgar over opponents, but against Gray Maynard I think the last fight Gray just gassed himself out. I don’t expect that again. I’ve got Gray in this one. Featherweight Championship bout: José Aldo (c) vs Kenny Florian I want

Main card

Lightweight Championship bout Frankie Edgar (c) vs Gray Maynard

I always would pick Frank Edgar over opponents, but against Gray Maynard I think the last fight Gray just gassed himself out. I don’t expect that again. I’ve got Gray in this one.

Featherweight Championship bout: José Aldo (c) vs Kenny Florian

I want to pick Kenny Florian, but I can’t. Aldo faster, more technique, more dangerous.

Middleweight bout Chael Sonnen vs Brian Stann

Chael Sonnen. Expect takedown and grind down.

Lightweight bout Joe Lauzon vs Melvin Guillard

In the past Lauzon would be an easy pick here. However, Melvin Guillard has improved so much in the submission and submission defense. I think Guillard is going to be too much for Lauzon.

Featherweight bout Leonard Garcia vs Nam Phan

Nam Phan. A little more technique here might be the key to victory.

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs Jorge Santiago

I like the improvements Demian Maia has made to his standup game and the agressive stance he has taken. If it goes to the ground Maia is better there, but Santiago is no slouch. Standup probably goes to Santiago, but hes definitely more wild.

Lightweight bout Anthony Pettis vs Jeremy Stephens

Such a good fight. Both have great striking with Stephens being the bigger power puncher of the two. However, Jeremy is more wild. If it goes to the ground, Pettis, has a good advantage. On the feet I think its even, slight edge to Pettis, due to reach.

Preliminary card (Facebook)

Heavyweight bout Joey Beltran vs Stipe Miocic

I can take the Mexicutioner in the dark here.

Featherweight bout: Zhang Tie Quan vs Darren Elkins

Pass

Middleweight bout Aaron Simpson vs Eric Schafer

Interesting match. Two zombies that don’t stop coming forward despite taking damage. Schafer is not as good as doing damage as Simpson is. If it stays up I say Simpson.

Middleweight bout Steve Cantwell vs Mike Massenzio

Steve Cantwell. I don’t know what skills Massenzio has to beat Cantwell.

MMA Top 10 Pound-for-Pound: Anderson Silva Stands Far Above the Rest

Filed under: UFC, Rankings, OverallSaying that Anderson Silva the best fighter in MMA is an accurate statement, but it’s also an understatement. Just calling Silva the best doesn’t really capture just how big a gap there is between Silva and the rest o…

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Anderson Silva defeated Yushin Okami in the main event of UFC 134.Saying that Anderson Silva the best fighter in MMA is an accurate statement, but it’s also an understatement. Just calling Silva the best doesn’t really capture just how big a gap there is between Silva and the rest of the sport right now.

Since signing with the UFC in 2006, Silva is 14-0, which is the best record anyone has ever had in the UFC. But it’s not just the fact that he keeps winning, it’s the way he wins. Twelve of Silva’s 14 victories are by stoppage, and he has a wide variety of ways he can stop his opponents: He knocked out Chris Leben and Rich Franklin with knees, James Irvin and Forrest Griffin with punches, and Vitor Belfort with a front kick. He TKO’d Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt with punches, and Franklin with knees in a rematch. (He also TKO’d Patrick Cote, although you can’t give Silva a whole lot of credit for the way Cote’s knee buckled underneath him.) Silva made Chael Sonnen tap out to a triangle armbar, made Dan Henderson tap out to a rear-naked choke and made Travis Lutter tap out by holding him in a triangle and elbowing him in the head.

Winning percentage and stoppages aren’t the only way to measure a fighter, but a fighter’s record gives you a pretty good idea how good he is, and how often he finishes his opponent gives you a pretty good idea how dominant he is. And there’s really no one on Silva’s level when it comes to fighting at a high level, consistently winning and stopping his opponents with great frequency.

We’ll compare Silva to the rest of the best fighters in MMA below.

Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Fighters in MMA
(Number in parentheses is the fighter’s rank in the last pound-for-pound list.)

1. Anderson Silva (1): Silva is the all-time UFC record holder for consecutive wins and wins in title fights, and he’s twice moved up in weight class and destroyed the two opponents he met at 205 pounds. The only real question is whether the UFC can keep finding good opponents for him; other than a Sonnen rematch there’s not a lot for Silva to do at middleweight.

2. Georges St. Pierre (2): In the same time that Silva has gone 14-0, St. Pierre has gone 10-1, with three wins by TKO, one by submission and six by decision. The methodical way St. Pierre controls fights by insisting on doing what he does best and never allowing his opponents to do what they do best is impressive, but it’s not as impressive as the way Silva crushes people. And, of course, GSP lacks Silva’s undefeated record inside the Octagon.

3. Jon Jones (3): Jones’ record looks a lot like Silva’s: He’s 13-1, with eight wins by knockout or TKO, three by submission and two by decision. And Jones could easily be 14-0 with one more stoppage; his disqualification loss to Matt Hamill is really more like a TKO win for the purposes of considering how good Jones is. The difference between Jones and Silva is that Jones has only been fighting professionally for three and a half years, has only been in the UFC for eight fights and only started fighting the best of the best this year. Jones is the active fighter whose accomplishments may look the most like Silva’s one day, but Jones isn’t there yet.

4. Jose Aldo (4): In the same time that Silva has gone 14-0, Aldo is 11-0, with seven wins by knockout or TKO and four wins by decision. Aldo is somewhat similar to Silva as a striker in the diverse way he can finish fights with his hands, feet, knees and elbows. But he’s not quite as consistent as Silva, and unlike Silva he hasn’t yet proven that he can finish fights with his submission game.

5. Dominick Cruz (5): In the same time that Silva has gone 14-0, Cruz is 12-1, with one win by knockout, one win by TKO on a doctor stoppage, one win by submission and nine wins by decision. Cruz’s stand-up style is very effective in its own way but a lot different from — and nowhere near as destructive as — Silva’s style. Cruz is the master of point-fighting, and that’s respectable, but if he ever wants to be considered one of the truly great fighters he’s going to need to finish more fights.

6. Frank Edgar (6): In the same time that Silva has gone 14-0, Edgar is 10-1-1, with one win by TKO, one by submission and eight by decision. The loss and the draw came against the man Edgar will face at UFC 136…

7. Gray Maynard (7): In the same time that Silva has gone 14-0, Maynard is 8-0-1, with one win by knockout and seven by decision. Maynard also had two wins, a loss and a no contest in his Ultimate Fighter days. Maynard was something of an anti-Silva during his eight-fight winning streak prior to fighting Edgar, as he’d consistently win but rarely dominate and often bore. His fight with Edgar, however, was sensational, and if he can win the rematch, he’ll eliminate any doubt about what a great fighter he is.

8. Cain Velasquez (8): Velasquez is 9-0, including eight wins by knockout or TKO and one by decision. Velasquez has only seven UFC fights, so he has a long way to go before he has achieved as much as Silva, but his run of dominance to begin his career has been impressive. The big question is whether he can keep it up as he recovers from a serious shoulder injury, starting with Junior dos Santos in November.

9. Shogun Rua (10): Shogun’s pounding of Forrest Griffin moves him up a spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. The Rua of the Pride days was a lot like Silva: In the three and a half years he fought in Pride, Shogun went 12-1, with nine wins by knockout or TKO, one win by submission and one win by decision. But he’s not quite that fighter anymore; in the same time that Silva has gone 14-0, Rua is 8-3. Rua is still a great fighter who I’d pick to beat anyone at 205 pounds not named Jon Jones, but knee injuries have robbed him of some of his explosiveness.

10. Junior dos Santos (9): Dos Santos is 13-1, with eight wins by knockout or TKO, three by submission and two by decision. Unlike Silva, dos Santos’s decision victories have been thoroughly impressive, and he has shown knockout power like few fighters in MMA have. If he passes his toughest test yet when he faces Velasquez, dos Santos will have a good case that he belongs near the top of the pound-for-pound list.

 

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