It’s time to countdown the top 15 fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts. We grouped in the best fighters from all different divisions and all different organizations to compile the list of the top 15 fighters in the world. There will be some surprises and some guarantees as MMAcrunch brings you the latest list featuring the best of the best.
15. Lyoto Machida
Machida has yet to lose a professional fight and is coming off a unanimous victory over the legendary Tito Ortiz. He needs to snare a few more quality victories before he can rise through the ranks. Saturday night’s match-up against Thiago Silva is a good start. In the crowded light heavyweight division of the UFC, Machida has his work cut out for him.
14. Paulo Filho
No fighter has gone the distance with Filho in his last nine fights. He currently boasts a 16-0 record as the WEC Middleweight champion. Thus far in his career, Filho has steamrolled over the competition, although that competition will need to get better if he hopes to continue his rise. Filho’s next opponent is Chael Sonnen, not exactly a household name.
13. Mauricio Rua
All of the sudden, Rua’s previous loss to Forrest Griffin doesn’t seem so bad. Injury has currently sidelined Rua as it looks as though he won’t return to the octagon until December at best. Now, Rua’s past victory over Quinton Jackson seems like a distant memory. Coming back from injury, Rua will have to re-establish himself in the high competitive UFC light heavyweight division.
12. Miguel Torres
We can’t compile such a list without a Bantamweight fighter from the WEC. In that division, there is none better than Miguel Torres. Torres is the true definition of warrior and hasn’t lost a bout since 2003. His impressive 34-1 record compels him to rank among the very best in the sport of mixed martial arts. A Torres-Faber showdown would be huge for the WEC, if Torres decides to bump up in class in the future.
11. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
While Nogueira has dropped two out of his last four fights, he still remains a very dangerous fighter. The Brazilian Jiu-jitsu artist is capable of beating anyone on any given night. Nogueira will likely make Edwin Dewees his next victim at Affliction: Banned, And if he stays with Affliction, he could emerge as one of the organization’s top fighters.
10. Quinton Jackson
What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Jackson has gone from one of the top fighters in the UFC to a man struggling to maintain his sanity. While he is still a very formidable fighter, one has to question how the past week’s events will affect his future. Jackson will have more to overcome quite a bit on his way back to the top of the light heavyweight division.
9. Chuck Liddell
Liddell is now in the driver’s seat as far as getting a shot at the UFC light heavyweight championship. If he can get past Rashad Evans, he will likely earn the right to take on Forrest Griffin. Notwithstanding his troubles against Rampage Jackson, Liddell has pretty much had his way with the light heavyweight division. If Jackson is out of the picture for a bit, it could bode well for Liddell.
8. Jon Fitch
The opportunity to climb up to the top of the list awaits Fitch as a date with Georges St. Pierre is less than a month away. Fitch is quite a stranger to defeat, not having lost since 2003. He’ll bring in a string of 14 straight victories and an undefeated UFC record when he faces GSP. For Fitch, there won’t be a more golden opportunity to thrust his name atop of the UFC.
7. Urijah Faber
All Faber seems to do is dominate every opponent that faces him. He owns a 16-1 record and hasn’t really been challenged as of late. Jens Pulver did an adequate job of just being able to finish the fight. In that fight, Faber showed a more complete game and tattooed Pulver when the two were not on the mat. Faber’s reign has the potential to be long lived.
6. Forrest Griffin
There has been no fighter whose stock is rising more rapidly. Griffin validated his worth when he dismantled Rampage Jackson, giving him two very impressive victories in a row. Now, the light heavyweights must stand in line for the chance to test Griffin. However, they must bring everything they have as Griffin has proven he can not only dish out pain, but he can also take his lumps.
5. Randy Couture
The bad blood between Couture and the UFC is no secret. It has put his career into a standstill, however Couture still has to be recognized as a dangerous fighter. Until these squabbles can be resolved and until someone defeats the current UFC Heavyweight champion, he still has to be considered among the best in the sport, regardless of where he winds up fighting.
4. BJ Penn
At this point, Penn is arguably the best lightweight in the sport of mixed martial arts. He has settled in nicely and reeled off three straight quality wins over high caliber opponents. Avenging his last loss to Matt Hughes may not even be in the cards for Penn as of now. For the time being, he is the man to beat in the UFC lightweight division. Every top contender now seems to jockeying for the chance to square off against Penn.
3. Anderson Silva
Making the jump to the light heavyweight division could enable Silva to become the best fighter in the game. He has run through the ranks of the middleweight division but will have a stiffer challenge as the competition among the light heavys is ferocious. He’ll get his start this weekend while hoping to provide more evidence as to why he should be considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Anderson Silva Highlights:
2. Fedor Emelianenko
He still can’t speak English, but Fedor can sure fight. He’ll get the chance to show his dominance once more against Tim Sylvia at Affliction: Banned. Fedor hasn’t lost since the turn of the century and remains one of the most feared fighters in the sport. Yet, until he fights in the sport’s most elite organization, he still cannot be considered the best.
Fedor Emelianenko Highlights:
1. Georges St. Pierre
GSP is at the top of his game right now. His list of casualties keeps getting more impressive and he will hope to add Jon Fitch to that list next month. The UFC Welterweight champion has a complete, all-around game and his training has only intensified in recent months. For anyone to dethrone GSP, they will have to be at their absolute best. As of now, St.Pierre is the best of the best in the sport of mixed martial arts.
Georges St. Pierre Highlights:
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