411 MMA Rankings 01.31.12: Heavyweight Division

Posted by Jonathan Solomon on 01.31.2012

Alistair Overeem forced Brock Lesnar into retirement, but is he the second best heavyweight in MMA? Frank Mir broke Minotauro Nogueira's arm, is he back in the top five? Plus, Fabricio Werdum fights Roy Nelson this weekend, where does he place? See where everyone ranks in 411's Heavyweight Rankings!



It's that time of the week again which means it's time for the 411 MMA Rankings! As we wave goodbye to January (flew by like a comet), we will take a look at the heavyweight division after a massive change. You can guess what massive reference I mean but it doesn't take a rocket scientist. Brock Lesnar retired following his UFC 141 loss one month ago and for the first time since 2008, he is no longer ranked. Brock Lesnar's MMA career, we hardly knew ye.

The man who ended his career is none other than Alistair Overeem who is now preparing to fight Junior dos Santos for the UFC championship later this year. Time and time again, the Reem destroys his opponents (unless your name is Fabricio Werdum) and looks unstoppable. I'm positive JDS will disagree along with his buddy Minotauro Nogueira, but then again, I'm sure every Brazilian believes Overeem will walk into a buzz saw in that fight.

Speaking of the legendary Big Nog, his New Year's was not spent in optimal conditions. Why? It's tough to do when your arm was broken 24 hours earlier. Frank Mir took his arm and is keeping it in Las Vegas thanks to a Kimura that evidently did what it was suppose to. Mir proved to be arguably the best submission grappler in the division, perhaps with Fabricio Werdum as the only other candidate.

We'll get to see Werdum in action this weekend as he returns to the UFC to take on Roy "Big Country" Nelson. This is his first fight since the summer letdown against Overeem which I'm sure will not repeat at UFC 143. Say what you want about Roy Nelson, but he doesn't strike me as the type who is fearful of going to the ground with anyone in MMA. Although both men are well accomplished grapplers, I would be surprised if we see either man forced into submission. Does that mean it won't happen? Of course not, but I'd say there is a better shot of someone being knocked out with another front kick.

In Strikeforce news, there is no news.

Lastly, everyone's favorite French fighter, Cheick Kongo will return to the octagon next month in Japan. He will take on Mark Hunt who became a famous K-1 and Pride fighter in that country last decade. Most recently, Hunt went 2-0 in the UFC in 2011 with wins over Chris Tuchscherer and Ben Rothwell. Kongo himself is 3-0-1 in his last four fights (he would have been 4-0 if he had not been penalized for holding Travis Browne's shorts at UFC 120). Kongo was last seen in October where he ended Matt Mitrione's undefeated record. Between Kongo and Hunt, we should see an explosive striking match-up that may result in a "knockout of the night" bonus being awarded by the UFC. I can't wait!


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Here's some feedback to last week's pound for pound rankings:

From Liol:
I think Jones is right at the point of beating GSP in these rankings. GSP's decisions have caught up with him a little, where as Jones battles have been pretty dominant finishes. With GSP injured, I feel like one or two more wins from Jones should let him be placed number 2.

Silva is just to far ahead, so in regards to him, he needs to lose, to lose his number 1 spot, or be injured for 18 months or something.
Well, GSP will not be eligible for our rankings once April rolls around so regardless, there will be a new number two by the time Jon Jones fights Rashad Evans. Without a doubt, you could talk about Bones as the #2 fighter in the world with a win over Rashad, regardless of GSP's status. Right now, Jones has beaten so many top echelon 205ers, it's tough to argue. While GSP has been dominant in his own way, you can question the quality of some of his opponents (Dan Hardy, Matt Serra, Thiago Alves to name three).

From just saying:
honestly if jones gets 2 more strong title defenses and end's up 8-0 his last 8 and getting them all finished and sweeter if one more tko and one more sub so it's an even 4 - 4 split.... well honestly in that time Anderson might be retired by the end of this year in a small chance and who knows how GSP will respond w/ his knee.... In 18 months time if they hold on it will be Jones Aldo and Edgar fighting for those top spots.......
Time's sooner or later catching up to the Spider and GSP...... I for one hope it's not that soon, but then again think about the personality of both of those guys and if they wouldn't leave when they know it's slowing down for them and still have enough name and charisma to make a living afterwards after giving so much of their life to the sport.....
MMA is in an exciting time because it's another turn over of generations period with it being another noticeable jump in depth talent, athleticism in the talent, and strategy and techniques to the game daily...... We have a strong mix of the closing guard and the new right now it's sick.......
Good points. The "old guard" of guys like Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre appear to be on the downhill compared to the younger guys like Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo, Dominick Cruz, Junior dos Santos and of course Jon Jones. Plus, Silva may only have 3-4 fights left in him, max. Meanwhile, GSP has serious questions revolving around how well he will fight once he's back from his ACL tear. Also, let's face it, if GSP returns and beats Nick Diaz or Carlos Condit, the division is pretty much cleaned out. With the exception of Jake Ellenberger, Johny Hendricks and MAYBE a few young guys, the division is there with the middleweights as far as quantity of legit contenders.

From Royce:
I really dont even care for Bones Jones, but I cant deny the names he has wrecked his last 5 fights. I would probly place him 2nd, with Aldo 3rd followed by GSP. Id bump Cruz to 5 leave Edgar at 6 and finally somehow try to squeeze Diaz a little higher. Nice rankings, though. I see your logic.
It's a deep list when you can make a case for having Frankie Edgar at #6. Plus, you didn't even bring up Junior dos Santos who has run through the heavyweight division. The men at the top of each division have made good arguments for being among the top 3 or 4 in the sport overall.

From MJH:
To continue my month long anti-Aoki argument, the Alvarez fight was 3+ years ago (and Eddie himself hasn't beaten anyone of note in years) and I am not impressed with Shaolin, Hansen or Kawijiri - there's a reason none are ranked very highly currently.

To bring that argument to something current - I think I would rank Edgar above Aldo right now because Edgar could (I agree with you that there is no reason he should) cut to 145 and beat him. Also I was surprised to see benavidez on the list. Is he the favorite to win the 125 lb. UFC belt?
You can get into the debate as to how guys are seen now, but at the time those lightweights were legit contenders.

Why would you rank Edgar above Aldo because if he dropped to 145, he could beat him? I would hope a heavier fighter dropping the weight could beat the guy at the lighter weight. Now if Edgar could put on the weight and (for example) beat GSP, that would be impressive. In my mind, I have to rank Aldo above Edgar simply because Jose has won in more impressive fashion over a prolonged period of time.

Benavidez always gets some support because he's been great against anyone not named Dominick Cruz it seems. As for the flyweight belt, I'd say he is definitely the favorite among the four contenders. His wrestling is tremendous, he's a good overall grappler and his speed is a huge benefit. I can't wait to see how he looks at 125 pounds and whether any of the other fighters can match his strength or speed.

From tab:
Condit deserves at least a vote from someone.
Perhaps, but there are a lot of deserving names. If Condit upsets Nick Diaz, he will receive some support without a doubt. Until now, he has not fought anyone who may be considered among the pound for pound best, however.

From Wolvie316:
Nice to see Urijah ranked. The guy is so much better than all the other fighters in both the featherweight and bantamweight divisions. The only ones that are better are the champions of those divisions
Off the top of my head, besides Faber, the only non-champion among those weights listed was Joseph Benavidez. We just don't know how he matches up with Faber since they have never and will never fight. We can only go by their successes and failures against others.

From Adam:
I fully expect JDS to move up to #5 if he defeats Overeem in the summer.
I don't know if you took GSP out of the equation, but I would say if dos Santos can stop Overeem, he could jump as high as #3. If Jones beats Rashad, he has to have the #2 spot locked up you must imagine. The big question would be whether Jose Aldo, JDS or Frankie Edgar can have unanimous (or anything close) support. If Edgar can beat Ben Henderson in February, maybe Aldo returns in June….it will be a great debate with three fighters with legit arguments for #3.

From Chico Whoretiz:
Jon Jones will top this list next year. In 2012 I see him beating Evans, Henderson and anyone else they throw at him. Not many guys at LHW that can challenge him right now.

Does Jones move to HW? Maybe. I think he could do well against Dos Santos if he bulked up. But someone with the size of Overeem would be tough to grapple with.

Does Anderson Silva come up for a fight at LHW? I doubt it. He will retire soon and between the winner of Sonnen-Bisping and a potential Dan Henderson rematch, he can close out his career with a win. I doubt he risks that by fighting Jones. I see Silva retired by the end of 2012.

GSP is on the shelf for a while, then will have to face an angry Nick Diaz when he gets back, a fight GSP will have a tough time with. He will be down in the ranking a year from now.

Jones will still be undefeated and have put up two or more defenses against other top 10 P4P guys. He will deserve and get the #1 spot.
Eventually, I presume Jones will make the move to heavyweight if for no other reason than his body will continue to fill out. He's still so young.

If Silva fights twice in 2012 and goes 2-0, I could see him calling it a career on top. The fact is there just are not a bunch of contenders and if he's not willing to move up to 205 and if the GSP fight is not an option, will he go back in 2013 to fight Mark Munoz or Michael Bisping?

An interesting question will be if Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre finish 2012 undefeated (and if Silva does not retire), is there any way that Jones can leap frog both to the #1 spot? Imagine if he's active like he was in 2011 and beats Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Shogun Rua and perhaps a fourth opponent, that could do it. I will assume many people expect he could have a year like that.

From MJH:
"Does Jones move to HW? Maybe. I think he could do well against Dos Santos if he bulked up. But someone with the size of Overeem would be tough to grapple with. "

There was an interesting article anout this on another website. It said Jones would be a big underdog against JDS, Cain, Overeem, Brock (article was written in December) and even 2-1 underdog against Mir. I'll bet that changes in a year's time. The kid rubs me the wrong way but I would love him at 3-1 against the best heavyweights. He is skilled in all areas and the best athlete of his size to ever step foot in the Octagon.
Right now, I would consider Jones an underdog against Cain and JDS. They are both so big and powerful (and JDS has a good chin) that they would pose match-up problems right now. Mir is a gigantic heavyweight who may tire quick against a quick opponent. However, in my mind, when Jones makes the move up in 2-4 years, he'll be about 220-230 pounds. Maybe I'm wrong but he still has the frame to put on about that much and maintain his quickness.

From Brian:
Really good list, I can make an argument for that exact placement. Though, depending on your defintion of P4P, more light fighters should be at the top (Gilbert Melendez over Dos Santos... stuff like that).
You can always debate about that but JDS has been a fairly complete heavyweight (well, I may take that back since we have not seen him grapple all that much) plus he's fought a pretty tough group of heavyweights. Melendez also runs into the problem of not being able to fight the #1 guy in his division because he's in Strikeforce.

From Diavo:
I've defended GSP forever on these lists, but Jon Jones needs to be above him now. Maybe even Aldo.
Right now? GSP still has not even been tested and people want to dump him to #4? Is finishing a fight really THAT more important than just plain winning?

From MPMoore:
It will be weird come April when GSP is off the list. I guess Overeem or maybe Maynard can crack the list with wins (though I'm picking JDS in that fight with Reem).
I kinda don't get why Maynard didn't even get a mention. He lost to a top 5 guy and had a draw the previous fight. Sure, he got KO'd eventually but so did Shogun against Jones and that loss was a hell of a lot more dominant. Plus he lost 3-5 overall, regardless of competition level, that should hurt.
Oh well.
I presume enough people still see Maynard as a wrestler first. It's tough to shake that after a year in which he went 0-1-1 against Edgar. On the plus side, Maynard has been training with Jose Aldo's team in Brazil so trust that he understands the need for something fresh in his career.

From Mr Shady:
Shogun still top 15 P4P really!? 2-3 in his last 5 and 4-4 overall in the UFC. .500 over your last 8 is good enough to be one of the best 15 guys in the world now? Considering the 4 guys he has beat in the UFC have records over their previous 5 fights of 2-3 (Coleman - included a win over Rua), 1-4 (Liddell), 2-3 (Machida - included a win over Rua) and 2-3 (Griffin - doesn't include his win over Rua but has beaten him before as well) makes his inclusion absolutely ridiculous. Yes some of his losses have been close and he's looked good in most of his fights but he still lost them.

As for who i'd have instead, well Cain has only lost once and has had good wins against Brock, Kongo & Nog. Overeem is 11-0-0-1 over his last 12 and while he may not have faced the best competition has still managed to beat the likes of Lesnar and Werdum. Mir is 4-1 over his last 5 including Wins over Kongo, Nelson and Big Nog. Hell Belfort, Fitch and even Shields could still be considered.

The one that really shocks me though is how Gray Maynard can be completely left off. Record of 10-1-1-1 including a win and draw over the current champion and wins over other good fighters such as Florian, Jim Miller, Nate Diaz, Denis Siver & Roger Huerta and yet he doesn't get a look in.

The rest of the listing I have no real problem with (don't know if Faber should sneak in there either but it doesn't bother me too much). But the Shogun inclusion just baffles me when so many other fighters have had better results recently.
You may be the first person in a LONG time to bring up the potential of Frank Mir being included. His striking has improved over the years and his grappling is well known. Perhaps he should be an honorable mention but it's tough when even Cain Velasquez struggles to make it after suffering his first loss.

As for Shogun, I think you're alluding to the point that perhaps his name receives more support than it should because he's Shogun. He has had an awkward career in the UFC including injuries with losses to Griffin, Machida, Henderson and Bones while beating Coleman, Liddell, Forrest and Machida. People still recognize him as being one of the most dangerous in the division with potent striking and a skilled ground game. Based on his record alone, perhaps he shouldn't be ranked. After all, it is true that there are others who have had less failure recently while being just as talented.

Good points.


From G-Walla:
I'd still switch Jones over GSP, due to Bones actually finishing opponents. No offense to GSP, just results talk. And at this instance, if everyone was the same size, I'd take Bones over GSP in a fight.
Hell yeah, I'd take Jon Jones over GSP as well, all things being equal. However, after the year Bones had, it's an easy thing to do. He doesn't just look great or pose problems for opponents, he RUNS THROUGH guys. Shogun, Rampage, Machida were all made to look like average fighters and the three are anything but. He's so fast and powerful plus his wrestling is second to none right now.

From Baron Skinny:
My top 15 would be:
1. Anderson Silva
2. Jon Bones Jones
3. GSP (difficult to know where to rank GSP due to inactivity and recent conservative fighting style)
4. Frankie Edgar
5. Jose Aldo
6. Junior Dos Santos
7. Dominick Cruz
8. Alistair Overeem
9. Nick Diaz
10. Ben Henderson
11. Cain Velasquez
12. Dan Henderson
13. Chael Sonnen
14. Gilbert Melendez
15. Urijah Faber
The most notable omission I would make from the 411 rankings is Rashad Evans. He seems to have talked his way into the P4P rankings as the he hasn't beaten anybody of championship calibre in recent memory. In the last two years he's beaten a washed up Tito and a disinterested movie star in Rampage (in a fight he almost managed to lose). The last time he fought a top fighter at their prime was against Machina who knocked him into next week. If he gets past Davis he's going to be dismantled by Jon Bones Jones.
I also think that Overeem deserves better than an honourable mention.
Overeem is tough here because the quality of opposition just isn't there compared to some of the other fighters. Picking on Rashad for that issue, you could make the case as you have. However, he's looked so much better in his recent fights. His striking is crisp and his wrestling has been more than effective. Based on the fact he's only had one loss, I don't see the problem with him being ranked.

I do find it interesting you have Gilbert Melendez as low as #14 but Overeem as high as #8.

From 411's Wyatt Beougher:
For the record, some of us did vote for Jon Jones above GSP (well, I did...not sure about any of the other guys), but apparently there's still a strong segment of 411 writers who think dry humping a guy for 25 minutes is preferable to five straight dominant wins, the last three of them against current or former champions.

*shrugs*
Ha. I wouldn't say GSP dry humped Jake Shields, Josh Koscheck, B.J. Penn, Jon Fitch or Matt Serra. He absolutely dominated Serra, Fitch, Penn and Koscheck. He was only able to finish two of them but does it take away from the dominance of the victory? I'll be the first to admit that Jones' 2011 was the most impressive out of any fighter in MMA history. However, GSP has been beating his top opponents handily nonstop since 2007. Personally, I just need to see more than one year from Bones before I put him in that #2 spot.

For those counting, GSP was ranked #2 on 60% of the ballots and was ranked above Jon Jones on 80% of the ballots from earlier in the month.

From Who Dat!?!?!:
Jones has said that he doesn't have much trouble cutting since he's so young but he knows that as he gets older it will be difficult and he'll have to move up to heavyweight
Exactly. Imagine a bigger, stronger, more experienced and wiser Jon Jones.

From Sisti:
Anderson Silva number 1 p4p is ridiculous, its nick diaz
I'm afraid along with the 411 MMA Fighter Profile, you just jinxed Nick Diaz.



Thank you for all the comments and MMA debate/talk, it's always welcomed and appreciated.

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CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S 411 MMA TOP 5
THE WORST ULTIMATE FIGHTER WINNERS

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Rankings From One Year Ago
02.22.11

1. Cain Velasquez

2. Junior dos Santos

3. Fabricio Werdum

4. Brock Lesnar

5. Antonio Silva

5. Shane Carwin

7. Alistair Overeem

8. Frank Mir

9. Fedor Emelianenko

10. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria

11. Roy Nelson

12. Brendan Schaub

13. Josh Barnett

14. Sergei Kharitonov

14. Cole Konrad

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411's MMA Ranking Rules

- If a fighter hasn't fought in a year, he can not be ranked. It's not fair to people who are fighting to not be ranked because a fighter is taking a year off. The rule also applies to specific divisions. If a fighter hasn't fought in a weight division in a year he is no longer eligible to be ranked. However, if a fighter schedules a fight he is still eligible for being ranked.

- If a fighter appears on just one single ballot, and in the top ten, five points shall be deducted to balance out between other fighters who may have been ranked lower, but appeared on more total ballots.

- If you wish to complain about a fighter's ranking in the comments section, then please include an objective reason as to why you don't like the ranking, and remember "if u rite lik thiss" then your opinion doesn't matter.

- 411's MMA Rankings are voted on by the MMA staff at 411mania. We have been doing it for over four years so that kind of makes us experts. Right? MMA Experts. (wink, wink)

* denotes statistical tie

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411's Official MMA Rankings

Heavyweight Division


1) Junior dos Santos (14-1)

Height: 6'4

Weight: 243

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Cain Velasquez - Win via TKO (strikes)- UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. dos Santos - November 12, 2011

- vs. Shane Carwin - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 131: dos Santos vs. Carwin - June 11, 2011

- vs. Roy Nelson - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen - August 7, 2010

- vs. Gabriel Gonzaga - Win via KO (punches) - UFC on Versus - March 21, 2010

- vs. Gilbert Yvel - Win via TKO (punches) - UFC 108: Evans vs. Silva - January 2, 2010

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Alistair Overeem - UFC - TBA

Comment: According to interviews from earlier in the month, Junior should be feeling as close to 100% as possible by this point. He underwent knee surgery following his UFC championship win in November and has been doing weight training and boxing in recent weeks. Returning to grappling has been the final step on his recovery. Now, it's all about preparing for his first championship defense when he meets Alistair Overeem in the future. Odds are the fight would take place between April and June.

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2) Cain Velasquez (9-1)

Height: 6'2

Weight: 242

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Junior dos Santos - Loss via TKO (strikes) - UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. dos Santos - November 12, 2011

- vs. Brock Lesnar - Win via TKO (punches) - UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez - October 23, 2010

- vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Win via KO (punch) - UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez - February 20, 2010

- vs. Ben Rothwell - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 104 - October 24, 2009

- vs. Cheick Kongo - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 99: The Comeback - June 13, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- Unknown

Comment: There were rumors that Velasquez's first fight since his only MMA loss would take place in April against Antonio Silva. This report has proven to be false and Cain's return is still up in the air. With Silva apparently out of the equation, the potential opponent that makes most sense is Frank Mir. Whether it comes to fruition or not remains to be seen.

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3) Alistair Overeem (34-11)

Height: 6'5

Weight: 266

Birthday: May 17, 1980

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Brock Lesnar - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem - December 30, 2011

- vs. Fabricio Werdum - Win via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum - June 18, 2011

- vs. Todd Duffee - Win via KO (punches) - K-1 Dynamite!! 2010 - December 31, 2010

- vs. Brett Rogers - Win via TKO - Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery - May 15, 2010

- vs. Kazuyuki Fujita - Win via KO (knee) - K-1 Dynamite!! 2009 - December 31, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Junior dos Santos - UFC - TBA

Comment: Boom! The Reem made his presence felt in his long awaited UFC debut as he finished Brock Lesnar in the first round of their December fight. Whether you want to debate if Brock was mentally prepared for a fight or not given that he retired after the fact, Overeem gave no reason to feel he did not live up to the hype. Now, the fights don't get any easier as he will fight for another MMA championship; the UFC heavyweight strap. If he can score the upset over JDS, the UFC gold would join a trophy case already filled with the DREAM championship, the Strikeforce championship and the K-1 World Grand Prix championship.

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4) Frank Mir (16-5)

Height: 6'1

Weight: 240

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Win via submission (Kimura) - UFC 140: Jones vs. Machia - December 10, 2011

- vs. Roy Nelson - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill - May 28, 2011

- vs. Mirko Cro Cop - Win via KO (knee) - UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop - September 25, 2010

- vs. Shane Carwin - Loss via TKO (punches) - UFC 111: St. Pierre vs. Hardy - March 27, 2010

- vs. Cheick Kongo - Win via submission (Guillotine choke) - UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez - December 12, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- Unknown

Comment: Holy crap! Mir is not only the first man to knock out and finish Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, but now he's the first (and only) man to submit the man in an MMA match. It was one of the most entertaining comebacks of 2011 as Mir was actually being picked apart with Big Nog's boxing until for some odd reason, Nogueira took the fight to the ground. Mir went into instinctual mode and grabbed his arm, locked on a Kimura and the rest is history. Although a BIG money rematch with Brock Lesnar is off the table, Mir is right back in the mix for a potential shot at the UFC gold later in 2012.

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5) Josh Barnett (31-5)

Height: 6'4

Weight: 240

Currently fighting with: Strikeforce

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Sergei Kharitonov - Win via submission (arm-triangle choke) - Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov - September 10, 2011

- vs. Brett Rogers - Win via submission (arm-triangle choke) - Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum - June 18, 2011

- vs. Geronimo dos Santos - Win via TKO (strikes) - Impact FC 1: The Uprising - July 10, 2010

- vs. Mighty Mo - Win via submission (Kimura) - DREAM 13 - March 22, 2010

- vs. Gilbert Yvel - Win via submission (strikes) - Affliction: Day of Reckoning - January 24, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Daniel Cormier - Strikeforce - 2012

Comment: While the Strikeforce Grand Prix Finals are still on hiatus until Daniel Cormier's hand is healthy, Josh Barnett returned to the wrestling ring in Japan. On the massive New Year's Eve card in Japan (which featured DREAM MMA action, kick boxing match-ups, mixed rules fights and pro wrestling bouts), Barnett participated in a pro wrestling bout which received rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

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6) Daniel Cormier (9-0)

Height: 5'9

Weight: 239

Currently fighting with: Strikeforce

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Antonio Silva - Win via KO (strikes) - Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov - September 10, 2011

- vs. Jeff Monson - Win via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum - June 18, 2011

- vs. Devin Cole - Win via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Saffiedine - January 7, 2011

- vs. Soa Palelei - Win via submission (strikes) - Xtreme MMA 3 - November 5, 2010

- vs. Jason Riley - Win via submission (strikes) - Strikeforce: Houston - August 21, 2010

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Josh Barnett - Strikeforce - 2012

Comment: The Cormier/Barnett fight was originally planned for the March 3 show in Ohio. However, Cormier could not receive proper medical clearance for his right hand which was broken in his win over Big Foot Silva in September. Their fight is expected for the next Strikeforce card after March, which is not currently scheduled.

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7) Shane Carwin (12-2)

Height: 6'1

Weight: 259

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Junior dos Santos - Loss via decision (unanimous) - UFC 131: dos Santos vs. Carwin - June 11, 2011

- vs. Brock Lesnar - Loss via submission (Arm Triangle choke) - UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin - July 3, 2010

- vs. Frank Mir - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 111: St. Pierre vs. Hardy - March 27, 2010

- vs. Gabriel Gonzaga - Win via KO (punch) - UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine - March 7, 2009

- vs. Neil Wain - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben - October 18, 2008

Next scheduled appearance:

- Unknown

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8) Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1)

Height: 6'4

Weight: 242

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 wins:

- vs. Alistair Overeem - Loss via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum - June 18, 2011

- vs. Fedor Emelianenko - Win via submission (triangle choke) - Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum - June 26, 2010

- vs. Antonio Silva - Win via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers - November 7, 2009

- vs. Mike Kyle - Win via submission (guillotine choke) - Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg - August 15, 2009

- vs. Junior dos Santos - Loss via TKO (punches) - UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote - October 25, 2008

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Roy Nelson - UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit - February 4, 2012

Comment: Werdum has jumped back to the UFC as the Strikeforce heavyweight division is slimmed down. Werdum has not fought in the octagon since 2008 when he was knocked out in an upset by Junior dos Santos (in JDS' UFC debut). Since then, Werdum is 3-1 including one of the most historical wins in heavyweight MMA history when he submitted Fedor Emelianenko in 2010. His first fight will be against Roy Nelson this weekend in a battle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts. With that said, you can probably expect a kickboxing match between the two.

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9) Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-7-1)

Height: 6'3

Weight: 231

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Frank Mir - Loss via submission (Kimura) - UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida - December 10, 2011

- vs. Brendan Schaub - Win via KO (strikes) - UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami - August 27, 2011

- vs. Cain Velasquez - Loss via KO (punch) - UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez - February 20, 2010

- vs. Randy Couture - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira - August 29, 2009

- vs. Frank Mir - Loss via TKO (punches) - UFC 92: Ultimate 2008 - December 27, 2008

Next scheduled appearance:

- Injured

Comment: Minotauro's arm was broken by Frank Mir at UFC 140 and the Brazilian underwent surgery to repair the damage. He says he would like to return by June to fight in his home country again, but the status of that arm will dictate whether that can happen. Mir locked on the Kimura and Nogueira only tapped out as the arm snapped and Herb Dean jumped in. I bet most never expected to see Nogueira submitted in any way during his MMA career but as we have found out time and time again, there are first times for everything.

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10) Antonio "Big Foot" Silva (16-3)

Height: 6'4

Weight: 263

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Daniel Cormier - Loss via KO (strikes) - Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov - September 10, 2011

- vs. Fedor Emelianenko - Win via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) - Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva - February 12, 2011

- vs. Mike Kyle - Win via TKO (punches) - Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu 2 - December 4, 2010

- vs. Andrei Arlovski - Win via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery - May 15, 2010

- vs. Fabricio Werdum - Loss via decision (unanimous) - Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers - November 7, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- Unknown

Comment: Silva is now a UFC fighter and is expected to make his debut at UFC 145 in Atlanta this April.

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11) Cheick Kongo (17-6-2)

Height: 6'4

Weight: 230

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Matt Mitrione - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz - October 29, 2011

- vs. Pat Barry - Win via KO (strikes) - UFC on Versus: Kongo vs. Barry - June 26, 2011

- vs. Travis Browne - Draw (unanimous) - UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama - October 16, 2010

- vs. Paul Buentello - Win via submission (strikes) - UFC on Versus - March 21, 2010

- vs. Frank Mir - Loss via submission (guillotine choke) - UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez - December 12, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Mark Hunt - UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson - February 26, 2012

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12) Cole Konrad (8-0)

Height: 6'5

Weight: 266

Currently fighting with: Bellator Fighting Championships

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Paul Buentello - Win via decision (unanimous) - Bellator 48 - August 20, 2011

- vs. Neil Grove - Win via submission (Keylock) - Bellator 32 - October 14, 2010

- vs. Damian Grabowski - Win via decision (unanimous) - Bellator 29 - September 16, 2010

- vs. Rogent Lloret - Win via decision (unanimous) - Bellator 25 - August 19, 2010

- vs. John Orr - Win via decision (unanimous) - Bellator 22 - June 17, 2010

Next scheduled appearance:

- Unknown

Comment: Konrad will continue to be patient before he learns who his first Bellator championship defense will be against. The season five heavyweight tournament final will take place on March 16 between Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos. The fight originally took place last year but ended in a no contest when Santos landed a low blow which resulted in Prindle being unable to continue.

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13) Roy Nelson (16-6)

Height: 6'0

Weight: 264

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Mirko Cro Cop - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz - October 29, 2011

- vs. Frank Mir - Loss via decision (unanimous) - UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill - May 28, 2011

- vs. Junior dos Santos - Loss via decision (unanimous) - UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen - August 7, 2010

- vs. Stefan Struve - Win via KO (punch) - UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi - March 31, 2010

- vs. Brendan Schaub - Win via KO (punch) - TUF 10 Finale - December 5, 2009

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Fabricio Werdum - UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit - February 4, 2012

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14*) Travis Browne (12-0-1)

Height: 6'7

Weight: 255

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Rob Broughton - Win via decision (unanimous) - UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage - September 24, 2011

- vs. Stefan Struve - Win via KO (superman punch) - UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill - May 28, 2011

- vs. Cheick Kongo - DRAW (unanimous) - UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama - October 16, 2010

- vs. James McSweeney - Win via TKO (strikes) - UFC TUF 11 Finale - June 19, 2010

- vs. Aaron Brink - Win via TKO (strikes) - Gladiator Challenge: Vision Quest - February 21, 2010

Next scheduled appearance:

- vs. Chad Griggs - UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans - April 21, 2012

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14*) Fedor Emelianenko (33-4)

Height: 6'0

Weight: 233

Currently fighting with: M-1 Global

Last 5 fights:

- vs. Satoshi Ishii - Win via TKO (strikes) - Dream: Fight for Japan. New Year's Eve 2011 - December 31, 2011

- vs. Jeff Monson - Win via decision (unanimous) - M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Monson - November 20, 2011

- vs. Dan Henderson - Loss via TKO (strikes) - Strikefoce: Fedor vs. Henderson - July 30, 2011

- vs. Antonio Silva - Loss via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) - Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva - February 12, 2011

- vs. Fabricio Werdum - Loss via submission (triangle) - Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum - June 26, 2010

Next scheduled appearance:

- Unknown

Comment: Fedor returned to Japan on New Year's Eve as he knocked out Satoshi Ishii in the first round of their fight. The Last Emperor is said to be preparing to return to the cage/ring early in the summer and wants to fight twice or three times this year. There were rumors he was going to fight Bobby Lashley, but a M-1 Global rep denied such reports.

The video above features Fedor and Chan Sung Jung (The Korean Zombie) on a South Korean TV show in a friendly sparring match.






Closing Comments: The other fighters with votes include Brendan Schaub, Stefan Struve and Mike Russow.