MMA Top 10 per Weight Class

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Heavyweight

1. Junior dos Santos (14-1)
Despite suffering a serious knee injury only 11 days prior, dos Santos did on Nov. 12 what no heavyweight before him could: stop Cain Velasquez. Now perched atop the ranks as the MMA world’s best big man, “Cigano” may undergo surgery before defending his UFC title against the winner of Dec. 30’s Brock Lesnar-Alistair Overeem clash.

2. Cain Velasquez (9-1)
American Kickboxing Academy’s star heavyweight suffered the first loss of his career in brutal fashion on Nov. 12, succumbing to punches in 64 seconds and dropping his UFC heavyweight title to Junior dos Santos. It’s now back to the drawing board for Velasquez, who will need to rehab a sprained knee before returning to action.

3. Alistair Overeem (35-11, 1 NC)
The hulking Dutch “Demolition Man” split from his longtime camp at Golden Glory in September and has since taken up residence at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas to prepare for his UFC debut. The stakes could hardly be higher for Overeem’s first time in the Octagon, as the winner of his Dec. 30 collision with Brock Lesnar will become the No. 1 contender for Junior dos Santos’ title.

4. Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1)
On June 18, 51 weeks after submitting Fedor Emelianenko in a shocking upset, Werdum found himself in an entirely different type of fight. Despite showing flashes of strong standup, the Brazilian spent much of his Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix quarterfinal attempting to pull guard and lure Alistair Overeem into his realm. The Dutchman stayed upright for almost the entire bout and did enough to walk away with a unanimous decision, evening the pair’s series at 1-1.

5. Brock Lesnar (5-2)
Sidelined for 14 months due to another bout with diverticulitis, Lesnar will move right back into the swing of things for his December return. The former UFC champ will try to snap the 11-fight unbeaten streak of ex-Strikeforce titleholder Alistair Overeem at UFC 141, with the winner guaranteed a shot at newly crowned divisional king Junior dos Santos.

6. Shane Carwin (12-2)
Faced with the first two-fight skid of his career after suffering losses to Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos, Carwin was expected to compete at UFC 141 in December. However, the Grudge Training Center product was dealt yet another injury setback in October and will instead undergo back surgery with eyes on a mid-2012 return.

7. Frank Mir (15-5)
Mir will attempt to follow up on a dominant May decision over Roy Nelson against an old foe. Having already punched out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in December 2008, Mir will have the chance to prove it was no fluke when he meets the Pride legend for a second time on Dec. 10.

8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC)
Having been punched out in two of his last three starts -- the first stoppage losses of his storied career -- Nogueira was in need of a statement win. That’s exactly what he got on Aug. 27, when, before a riotous hometown crowd in Rio de Janeiro, “Big Nog” defied bookmakers and served hot prospect Brendan Schaub a first-round knockout. The 35-year-old will have revenge on his mind for his next bout: On Dec. 10, Nogueira will try to avenge his first knockout loss when he rematches Frank Mir.

9. Josh Barnett (31-5)
The sport’s preeminent catch-wrestling stylist added another major name to his resume on Sept. 10, handing fellow Pride veteran Sergei Kharitonov a first-round submission loss and advancing to the final of Strikeforce’s world heavyweight grand prix. Awaiting the “Warmaster” in the to-be-scheduled last round is unbeaten upstart and freestyle wrestling convert Daniel Cormier.

10. Daniel Cormier (9-0)
The two-time wrestling Olympian secured the biggest win of his short fighting career on Sept. 10, as he knocked out massive Brazilian Antonio Silva in the semifinals of Strikeforce’s world heavyweight grand prix. Less than two years into his MMA career, Cormier will now have the chance to tangle with all-time heavyweight great Josh Barnett in the tournament final, though the American Kickboxing Academy product’s broken hand may delay that bout.

Other contenders: Fedor Emelianenko, Cole Konrad, Roy Nelson, Brendan Schaub, Antonio Silva.

 

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Light Heavyweight

1. Jon Jones (14-1)
The UFC’s young star shone again on Sept. 24, when Jones defended his 205-pound title for the first time and became only the second man to submit Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. “Bones” was expected to face former training partner Rashad Evans on Dec. 10, but injury once more derailed the matchup, leaving Jones to defend against ex-champ Lyoto Machida in Toronto.

2. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (20-5)
Rua turned in a vintage performance at UFC 134, disposing of former upsetter Forrest Griffin with the type of vicious assault which defined the Brazilian’s Pride Fighting Championship tenure. Shogun will look to move closer to another title shot when he takes on ex-Strikeforce titleholder Dan Henderson in the five-round main event of UFC on Nov. 19.

3. Rashad Evans (16-1-1)
Evans has faced some tough 205’ers in the Octagon over the past four years, but his hardest challenge of late has been staying healthy. Returning from a 14-month hiatus in August, the former Michigan State Spartan walloped Tito Ortiz but suffered a hand injury during the bout which will prevent him from challenging Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title in December.

4. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (32-9)
Jackson was halted for the first time since 2005 and submitted for only the second time in his career on Sept. 24 when he ran up against red-hot champion Jon Jones at UFC 135. The loss stopped a two-fight win streak and moved the Memphis native’s Octagon mark to 7-3.

5. Lyoto Machida (17-2)
Unable to land a date with injured prospect Phil Davis, it appeared “The Dragon” would remain dormant for the remainder of 2011 until another injury cleared the way for a title shot. Machida will attempt to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight title he lost last year when he challenges Jon Jones on Dec. 10.

6. Phil Davis (9-0)
Injury forced Davis from his UFC 133 main event against Rashad Evans, and not much has been heard from the former Penn State Nittany Lion since. Still recovering from surgery to repair a partially torn knee ligament, Davis remains without a definite timetable for his return.

7. Forrest Griffin (18-7)
After losing his UFC light heavyweight title in 2008 and being embarrassed by Anderson Silva in 2009, Griffin strung together back-to-back victories over Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin. That streak came to an abrupt halt on Aug. 27, however, when the man Griffin shockingly submitted in 2007, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, took revenge in the form of a first-round knockout at UFC 134.

8. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5)
Nogueira was forced from an August bout with Rich Franklin due to a shoulder injury, but it didn’t take long for the UFC to schedule him another date. The Brazilian is now set to return on Dec. 10 against ex-champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 140, the same card on which his twin brother will rematch Frank Mir.

9. Dan Henderson (28-8)
It was only a matter of time before “Hendo” returned to the UFC fold. The heavy handed 41-year-old will attempt to transfer the momentum from his July triumph over Fedor Emelianenko when he meets Mauricio Rua in the five-round main event of UFC 139 on Nov. 19.

10. Rafael Cavalcante (11-3)
Six months after dropping his Strikeforce light heavyweight title to Dan Henderson, “Feijao” returned to his violent ways on Sept. 10. After a strangely tepid opening round, Cavalcante exploded on Yoel Romero Palacio, punching out the Olympic Greco-Roman silver medalist in their Strikeforce showdown.

Other contenders: Rich Franklin, Alexander Gustafsson, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Vladimir Matyushenko, Gegard Mousasi.

 

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Middleweight

1. Anderson Silva (31-4)
The world’s best pound-for-pound fighter left little doubt as to who rules the 185-pound ranks with a flawless August performance against Yushin Okami in Rio de Janeiro. All signs now point to a championship rematch with Chael Sonnen in the first quarter of 2012, once “The Spider” rehabs a sore shoulder.

2. Chael Sonnen (26-11-1)
In spite of a year fraught with controversy, Sonnen got back to work on Oct. 8, shutting down the surging Brian Stann en route to a second-round submission win. The Oregonian will look to prove that he is, as he claims, the true middleweight champion when he rematches top-ranked Anderson Silva in 2012.

3. Yushin Okami (26-6)
Yushin Okami finally got his chance to vie for the UFC middleweight champion, but it didn't go as he'd hoped. "Thunder" was beaten down by Anderson Silva and summarily sent to the back of the line in the UFC's 185-pound division.

4. Mark Munoz (11-2)
The ever-improving wrestler from Oklahoma State took another big step up the middleweight ladder on Nov. 5, beating the brakes off of tough vet Chris Leben en route to a second-round corner stoppage. Munoz’s UFC record now sits at 7-2, with strong victories over Demian Maia, Aaron Simpson and C.B. Dollaway.

5. Nate Marquardt (31-10-2)
After a testosterone replacement therapy debacle caused Marquardt’s June ouster from the UFC, the Greg Jackson student inked a contract with the London-based British Association of Mixed Martial Arts. Now, Marquardt has his first opponent, fellow UFC vet Yoshiyuki Yoshida, against whom he’ll vie for the vacant BAMMA welterweight title on Feb. 11.

6. Demian Maia (15-3)
After coming up short in a close June decision against Mark Munoz, Maia got back on track with a grinding win over Jorge Santiago on Oct. 8. The decorated grappler has won four of his last six starts, all of which have gone the distance.

7. Brian Stann (11-4)
Stann had no answer for the ground attack of Chael Sonnen at UFC 136, submitting to the former title contender in the second frame. The loss snapped a three-fight winning streak which saw Stann polish off Chris Leben, Jorge Santiago and Mike Massenzio.

8. Michael Bisping (21-3)
Bisping silenced antagonist Jorge Rivera in February with a second-round knockout, but the Englishman will attempt to close an even louder mouth later this year. The winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 3 is currently in Las Vegas serving as a coach for Season 14 of the reality series, the finale of which will see Bisping square off against middleweight wildman and rival coach Jason "Mayhem" Miller.

9. Vitor Belfort (20-9)
On Jan. 14, the 34-year-old “Phenom” will fight in his home country of Brazil for the first time in more than a decade. Belfort will try to build on his August destruction of Japanese star Yoshihiro Akiyama when he faces former welterweight standout Anthony Johnson at UFC 142.

10. Luke Rockhold (8-1)
Rockhold enters the rankings on the back of his Strikeforce middleweight title win, a razor-thin Sept. 10 decision in which the American Kickboxing Academy fighter handed the Brazilian gator his first stateside defeat.

Other contenders: Tim Kennedy, Hector Lombard, Rousimar Palhares, Jorge Santiago, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

 

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Welterweight

1. Georges St. Pierre (22-2)
It’s been a bumpy couple of months, but the world’s best 170-pounder may be more motivated now than ever. St. Pierre was knocked from his October UFC title defense against Carlos Condit with a knee injury, the validity of which was called into question by original opponent and former Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz. GSP took exception to Diaz’s remarks, and the result is a tentative Super Bowl weekend showdown between St. Pierre and Diaz, with Condit awaiting the winner.

2. Jon Fitch (23-3-1, 1 NC)
Following shoulder surgery, Fitch is ready to return to the Octagon. The perennial welterweight second banana was vocal in his desire to compete in his adopted backyard of San Jose, Calif., but will instead tangle with two-time NCAA wrestling champion Johny Hendricks in Las Vegas on Dec. 30.

3. Nick Diaz (25-7, 1 NC)
With another strong offensive showing, Diaz took a unanimous decision over B.J. Penn on Oct. 29, setting up a match with the man Diaz was originally slated to meet that night. The former Strikeforce champ has now been penciled in for a shot at UFC ace Georges St. Pierre in February.

4. Josh Koscheck (16-5)
Making a short-notice, sooner-than-expected September return against Matt Hughes, Koscheck rebounded strongly from his orbital-shattering December loss to Georges St. Pierre. Now, riding the momentum from his first-round knockout of Hughes, “Kos” will look to climb back into contendership when he faces Carlos Condit at UFC 143 on Feb. 4.

5. Jake Ellenberger (26-5)
Ellenberger blasted his way into the ranks of the 170-pound elite in September by handing Jake Shields his first knockout loss in more than 10 years. With five straight victories in the Octagon -- four by way of stoppage -- the 26-year-old Nebraskan awaits an assignment while the tangle at the top of the division plays out.

6. Jake Shields (26-6-1)
On Sept. 17, Shields was knocked out for the first time in more than 10 years by Jake Ellenberger. Now, Shields will return to Japan, where he initially broke out in the Shooto ranks almost a decade ago, as the Cesar Gracie disciple will take on Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144.

7. Carlos Condit (27-5)
It was easy come, easy go in October for the “Natural Born Killer,” who was awarded a UFC title shot against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 137 and then lost it just as quickly when the champ came up injured. Condit will step back in line for the time being and will compete against perennial contender Josh Koscheck on the same February card where St. Pierre and Nick Diaz clash.

8. Rick Story (13-4)
Story might have lost a decision to Charlie Brenneman in June, but the gritty Oregonian is not taking any softballs. "The Horror" Story will step back into the Octagon at UFC 139 on Nov. 19 against skilled Dane Martin Kampmann.

9. Johny Hendricks (11-1)
On Aug. 6, Hendricks showed off improved boxing and clinch work to earn a hard-fought split decision win over an equally tough Mike Pierce. The two-time NCAA wrestling champion will have a chance to move even higher up in the 170-pound rankings on Dec. 30 when he meets perennial contender Jon Fitch.

10. B.J. Penn (16-8-2)
Penn had no answer for Nick Diaz’s aggressive volume-punching attack on Oct. 29 and dropped a unanimous decision to the ex-Strikeforce titleholder. Having won only one of his last five starts, “The Prodigy” suggested postfight that he may not return to the Octagon, and now decided to “take some time off to enjoy life, train and teach” before deciding on his future.

Other contenders: Ben Askren, Charlie Brenneman, Anthony Johnson, Rory MacDonald, Tyron Woodley.

 

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Lightweight

1. Frankie Edgar (14-1-1)
After surviving another brutal first round against Gray Maynard on Oct. 8, Edgar closed out the pair’s trilogy with another spectacular comeback, knocking out his “Bully” in the fourth round. Next up for the New Jerseyan is a Feb. 26 UFC title defense in Japan against former World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder Ben Henderson.

2. Gilbert Melendez (19-2)
While recent comments from UFC boss Dana White indicate that “El Nino” will be storming the Octagon in short order, Melendez still has one more hurdle to jump. The Strikeforce lightweight champion is still expected to defend his belt against American Top Team slugger Jorge Masvidal on Dec. 17.

3. Gray Maynard (10-1-1, 1 NC)
Maynard doled out more damage to Frankie Edgar in their third encounter, but just as in their second meeting, he could not finish off the scrappy champ. The result: Maynard’s first career loss, a brutal fourth-round knockout, and a bump back down the ladder in the crowded UFC 155-pound division.

4. Ben Henderson (15-2)
Henderson has looked nothing short of exceptional since transferring to the UFC, earning dominant unanimous decisions over Clay Guida, Jim Miller and Mark Bocek. The 27-year-old has expressed disappointment with his inability to finish in recent outings, something he’ll have the chance to rectify when he faces divisional ace Frankie Edgar for the UFC title in Japan on Feb. 26.

5. Shinya Aoki (29-5, 1 NC)
Since enduring a five-round drubbing from Melendez in April 2010, Aoki has reeled off six straight victories, including submissions of Tatsuya Kawajiri and Lyle Beerbohm. Most recently, the “Tobikan Judan” recorded his third straight win via neck crank on Sept. 24 by tapping ex-WEC champ Rob McCullough.

6. Eddie Alvarez (22-2)
The busy schedule which Alvarez once kept has slowed drastically since he won Bellator’s lightweight title in 2009. Now recovered from an injury which postponed his October title defense, Alvarez will put his belt on the line against fourth-season tournament winner Michael Chandler on Nov. 19.

7. Jim Miller (20-3)
Miller was on the doorstep of a UFC lightweight title shot but stumbled again. The New Jersey native simply could not keep up with the potent ground attack of Benson Henderson and lost a unanimous decision that will set him back in the lightweight title picture.

8. Clay Guida (29-12)
Once more on the cusp of contention, Guida had his title dreams busted -- along with his four-fight winning streak -- by Ben Henderson in a thrilling Nov. 12 three-rounder. The lightweight stalwart finishes 2011 with a 2-1 mark, having topped Anthony Pettis and Takanori Gomi.

9. Anthony Pettis (13-2)
World Extreme Cagefighting’s final lightweight champion got his first UFC win on Oct. 8, using takedowns to narrowly outpoint Jeremy Stephens, much in the same way Clay Guida earned a decision in Pettis’ June debut. The 24-year-old Roufusport fighter has now won six of eight bouts under Zuffa employ.

10. Donald Cerrone (16-3)
The former WEC lightweight title contender has looked like a man reborn since entering the Octagon in February, racking up wins and keeping plenty busy. After tearing through four opponents in eight months, Cerrone has been granted a co-headlining slot against Nate Diaz at December’s major UFC 141 card.

Other contenders: Melvin Guillard, Joe Lauzon, Jorge Masvidal, Dennis Siver, Gleison Tibau.

 

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Featherweight

1. Jose Aldo (20-1)
Nova Uniao’s top student maintained his position atop the 145-pound division by turning away former UFC lightweight title challenger Kenny Florian in a five-round decision at UFC 136. The 25-year-old champ will next defend against unbeaten wrestler Chad Mendes on Jan. 14 before a partisan crowd in Rio de Janeiro.

2. Hatsu Hioki (24-4-2)
It wasn’t pretty, but Hioki avoided the curse of the Japanese imports with an Oct. 29 split decision win over George Roop in his Octagon debut. The Shooto champ has yet to be assigned his next bout, though February’s UFC card in Saitama, Japan, seems a likely destination.

3. Chad Mendes (11-0)
Team Alpha Male’s new top featherweight was clinical in his August dismantling of grappling whiz Rani Yahya, cementing Mendes’ position as the division’s No. 1 contender. After some delay, the NCAA wrestling standout will get his shot at divisional kingpin Jose Aldo on Jan. 14 in Rio de Janeiro.

4. Pat Curran (16-4)
Curran started slowly but finished brutally in his Aug. 20 showdown with former Sengoku and Pancrase champion Marlon Sandro in the final of Bellator's Summer Series tournament. With his head kick knockout of Sandro, Curran earned the right to challenge champ Joe Warren, a shot which will come in February at an as-yet-unannounced Bellator event.

5. Kenny Florian (14-6)
Florian was denied his third UFC title bid on Oct. 8, his size advantage and clinching tactics insufficient for stymieing the skills of featherweight ruler Jose Aldo. Following the five-round loss, Florian contemplated retirement but has since stated that he plans to return to the 155-pound division, likely in mid-2012.

6. Marlon Sandro (19-3)
On the heels of the first knockout loss of his career, Sandro has stated that he is hungry for revenge against Bellator’s top featherweight contender, Pat Curran. Before he can get payback, however, the hard-hitting Brazilian will have to go through grappling countryman Rafael Dias on Nov. 19.

7. Diego Nunes (16-2)
Nunes proved a tough out for Kenny Florian in June but has been out of order since that decision loss due to injury and personal troubles. Finally healed, “The Gun” will get the date he wanted with fellow WEC-import Manny Gamburyan when he faces the hard-hitting judoka at UFC 141 on Dec. 30.

8. Dustin Poirier (11-1)
The 22-year-old Poirier earned the first stoppage of his UFC tenure on Nov. 12, by taking apart Pablo Garza before submitting him with a brabo choke in the second round. The win keeps Poirier unbeaten as a featherweight and should set up a higher stakes bout come 2012.

9. Bart Palaszewski (36-14)
MMA fans know that Bart Palaszewski is an exciting and dangerous puncher, but few expected his Oct. 29 contest with fellow former lightweight Tyson Griffin to be that competitive, let alone end in a win for Palaszewski. Instead, with a positively brutal knockout, Palaszewski earned the biggest win of his career.

10. Joe Warren (7-2)
Bellator’s 145-pound titleholder seemed a clear-cut favorite to win the company’s fifth-season 135-pound bracket, but things took an unexpected turn on Sept. 24 when Warren was flattened by a left hook from fellow wrestler Alexis Vila. With top contender Patricio Freire injured, Warren will move back up the scale to defend his title against Pat Curran in February.

Other contenders: Patricio Freire, Manny Gamburyan, Tyson Griffin, Mark Hominick, Erik Koch.

 

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Bantamweight

1. Dominick Cruz (19-1)
The “Dominator” was dominant once again as the start of the first cable-televised bantamweight title bout in UFC history. Desite suffering yet another hand injury in the process, Cruz earned a five-round unanimous decision -- his fourth in a row -- by holding off small-but-strong challenger Demetrious Johnson on Oct. 1.

2. Joseph Benavidez (15-2)
He might not get another shot at 135-pound gold any time soon, but Benavidez continues to bulk up his bantamweight resume. At UFC Live 5 on Aug. 14, the Team Alpha Male product turned in a solid unanimous decision performance against the heavy-hitting Eddie Wineland.

3. Urijah Faber (25-5)
Faber could not take the UFC bantamweight title from Dominick Cruz in July. However, "The California Kid" is never far from prominent competition: Faber will return to the Octagon on Nov. 19 at UFC 139 in San Jose, Calif., taking on former WEC champion Brian Bowles.

4. Brian Bowles (10-1)
Bowles' path back to the top of the 135-pound division just got tougher. The former WEC champion will return to action in pursuit of his third straight win since falling to Dominick Cruz, taking on another former WEC champion, Urijah Faber, at UFC 139 on Nov. 19.

5. Scott Jorgensen (13-4)
Since dropping a lopsided, five-round decision to Dominick Cruz in his final WEC appearance, it’s been back to business for Jorgensen. “Young Guns” has won seven of his last eight starts and has started out his UFC career at 2-0, knocking out Ken Stone before outpointing tough vet Jeff Curran on Oct. 29.

6. Demetrious Johnson (9-2)
“Mighty Mouse” was banged up but never beaten over 25 minutes in his Oct. 1 decision loss to dominant UFC bantamweight titleholder Dominick Cruz. While the defeat predictably amplified calls for Johnson to become the first member of the UFC’s 125-pound class, the Matt Hume pupil says his sights are set on 135 for the time being.

7. Renan Barao (27-1, 1 NC)
Competing in his highest-profile bout to date, Barao placed himself on the brink of contendership with yet another sterling performance. In the co-main event of UFC 138 on Nov. 5, the 24-year-old Brazilian served up a first-round submission of tough Brit Brad Pickett, extending Barao’s remarkable unbeaten streak to 28 in a row.

8. Miguel Torres (39-4)
The former WEC bantamweight ace saw his UFC record fall to 1-1 in May with a razor-thin unanimous decision loss to Demetrious Johnson. Torres will have a chance to get back on track at UFC 139 in November when he meets another Johnson victim, Nick Pace.

9. Brad Pickett (20-6)
Pickett’s home-turf UFC debut on Nov. 5 did not go as planned. The trilby-wearing Englishman won “Fight of the Night” honors at UFC 138 in Birmingham, but lost via first-round rear-naked choke to Brazilian contender Renan Barao.

10. Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Ueda has returned to top form, rattling off four consecutive wins since his shocking submission loss to Shuichiro Katsumura in March 2010. On Sept. 14, the former Shooto 132-pound world champ moved up to the retiring Royler Gracie in Brazil; two divisions above his natural weight, Ueda walked away with a handy decision victory.

Other contenders: Bibiano Fernandes, Zach Makovsky, Michael McDonald, Takeya Mizugaki, Eddie Wineland.

 

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Flyweight

1. Ian McCall (11-2)
McCall was spectacular on Aug. 5, wresting the Tachi Palace Fights title from Darrell Montague with a third-round rear-naked choke. The man called “Uncle Creepy” was slated to defend against UFC vet Will Campuzano, but injury has changed McCall’s Dec. 2 opponent to Midwestern standout Josh Rave.

2. Jussier da Silva (13-1)
In his Oct. 29 defense of the Shooto South America 123-pound title, Formiga was able to do to Michael William Costa that which he hadn’t done in nearly three years: finish. Escaping unscathed from the second-round rear-naked choke victory, da Silva now turns his attention toward a Dec. 15 date with unbeaten prospect Rodrigo “Indio” Santos in da Silva’s hometown of Natal, Brazil.

3. Yasuhiro Urushitani (19-4-6)
On July 18, Urushitani laid waste to former tormentor Yuki Shojo, as the Shooto world champion scored a brutal head kick knockout. The next move for Urushitani, however, remains unclear in the continuously changing flyweight landscape.

4. Mamoru Yamaguchi (26-6-3)
The 34-year-old flyweight star suffered a hit on Aug. 5, as he lost a sound unanimous decision to Brazilian standout Jussier da Silva. Fortunately for Yamaguchi, his fan-friendly nature and action-packed style will continue to secure him fights on both sides of the Pacific.

5. Darrell Montague (9-2)
Montague started fast in his first Tachi Palace Fights flyweight title defense, but he could not stand up to the pressure of challenger Ian McCall. Montague was forced to tap in the second frame, but the talented and dynamic 23-year-old still figures to play a formative role in the flyweight division going forward.

6. Shinichi "B.J." Kojima (11-4-5)
The former ruler of the 125-pound roost has gone straight back to work since returning from his two-year layoff in August, earning two wins inside three months. Kojima’s most recent trip to the ring saw him earn a lackluster Nov. 5 unanimous decision over reigning super-flyweight King of Pancrase Kiyotaka Shimizu.

7. Yuki Shojo (11-6-2)
Shojo got his chance at the Shooto world title, but he could not replicate his 2008 victory over Yasuhiro Urushitani. This time around, the Shooto world champion knocked Shojo flat with a crushing head kick, sending him to the figurative back of the line in Shooto's 123-pound division.

8. Kiyotaka Shimizu (10-5-2)
With a 9-1-1 record since 2009, Shimizu has quietly made a name for himself as one of Japan’s strongest and toughest 125-pounders. The reigning super flyweight King of Pancrase will head to the ring of Shooto once again on Nov. 5 for a showdown with former flyweight top-ranker “B.J,” Kojima.

9. John Dodson (11-5)
Dodson is one of the slickest, most physically gifted fighters in MMA. However, like divisional compatriots Alexis Vila and Louis Gaudinot, he is currently focused on challenges at 135 pounds: The Greg Jackson-trained “Magician” is currently competing as a bantamweight on the 14th season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

10. Louis Gaudinot (5-1)
Currently showing his wares as a bantamweight on the 14th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the green-haired Tiger Schulmann student has made his mark in the cage at 125 pounds. Gaudinot has not fought an official contest since September 2010, when he submitted Jessie Riggleman to win the vacant Ring of Combat flyweight strap.

Other contenders: Fumihiro Kitahara, Jose Maria Tome, Alexandre Pantoja, Mitsuhisa Sunabe, Ryosuke Tanuma.