Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings
Light Heavyweight
Jul 23, 2008
Light Heavyweight
1. Forrest Griffin (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Griffin will tell you he's not the most skilled or talented guy around. Yet his drive and determination have paid off in spades, as the poster boy for the new UFC is now the man to beat at 205 pounds. However, the real emphasis will be on defending his title in arguably the biggest and best weight class in the game. A potential rematch with Quinton Jackson (Pictures), a showdown with former champ Chuck Liddell (Pictures), an encounter with Lyoto Machida (Pictures) and tons of other challengers are on the horizon.
2. Quinton
Jackson (Pictures) (28-7-0)
With his recent personal and legal troubles, the immediate rematch between "Rampage" and Forrest Griffin (Pictures) obviously isn't next on the slate. Best wishes are in order for the former UFC champion, whom we'd rather see in the cage than the courtroom.
3. Lyoto Machida (Pictures) (13-0-0)
While he won't get to fight for the light heavyweight title just yet, one more win would make Machida's claim to contendership undeniable. Oct. 18 in Birmingham, England, will be the next hurdle for Machida, as he faces fellow undefeated Brazilian Thiago Silva (Pictures) on the main card of UFC 89 in a high-stakes 205-pound affair.
After a highly anticipated clash with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was nixed, the "Iceman" suffered a nasty hamstring tear that slashed his June 7 clash with undefeated Rashad Evans (Pictures). Thankfully, the Liddell-Evans bout will still go on and is reportedly set for Sept. 6 in Atlanta.
5. Mauricio Rua (Pictures) (16-3-0)
After injuring his knee and stumbling in his UFC debut, it seemed "Shogun" had hit rock bottom. Then, with a big fight against Chuck Liddell (Pictures) looming, disaster struck again when Rua injured the same knee that had been surgically repaired just months before.
6. Dan Henderson (Pictures) (22-7-0)
Following his March loss to Anderson Silva (Pictures), there was much speculation over whether Henderson would continue to campaign as a 185-pounder or head back to the 205-pound class. It's been decided: Henderson will be staying at middleweight. He’ll meet hot Brazilian prospect Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares at UFC 88 on Sept. 6 in Atlanta.
7. Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) (32-8-1, 1 NC)
After a vintage Silva performance in May when he stampeded over Keith Jardine (Pictures) in 36 seconds, fans were left wanting more Silva ASAP. While they almost got their wish, an opponent couldn't be finalized for "The Axe Murderer" for the July 19 UFC Fight Night card. Fans will have to wait a little bit longer for Silva's return.
8. Keith Jardine (Pictures) (13-4-1)
After knocking off Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Jardine had the opportunity to defeat the two greatest light heavyweights in the sport's history when he entered the Octagon for his May 24 bout with Wanderlei Silva (Pictures). Instead, Jardine was ripped apart and brutally dispatched in 36 seconds.
9. Rashad Evans (Pictures) (11-0-1)
Evans slid into the biggest fight of his career, a scheduled June 7 clash with Chuck Liddell (Pictures), but he was removed from the card after injuries to Liddell and replacement James Irvin (Pictures). Luckily for Evans, he will get his crack at the former UFC light heavyweight king on Sept. 6 when the UFC heads to Atlanta.
10. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) (5-2-0)
Sokoudjou will also see action on the UFC 89 card in October from Birmingham, England. The 24-year-old Cameroonian has been done no favors by the UFC, as he'll have to back up his hype when he takes on Brazilian punisher Luiz Arthur "Banha" Cane in a fight that would seem to render scorecards unnecessary.
1. Forrest Griffin (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Griffin will tell you he's not the most skilled or talented guy around. Yet his drive and determination have paid off in spades, as the poster boy for the new UFC is now the man to beat at 205 pounds. However, the real emphasis will be on defending his title in arguably the biggest and best weight class in the game. A potential rematch with Quinton Jackson (Pictures), a showdown with former champ Chuck Liddell (Pictures), an encounter with Lyoto Machida (Pictures) and tons of other challengers are on the horizon.
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With his recent personal and legal troubles, the immediate rematch between "Rampage" and Forrest Griffin (Pictures) obviously isn't next on the slate. Best wishes are in order for the former UFC champion, whom we'd rather see in the cage than the courtroom.
3. Lyoto Machida (Pictures) (13-0-0)
While he won't get to fight for the light heavyweight title just yet, one more win would make Machida's claim to contendership undeniable. Oct. 18 in Birmingham, England, will be the next hurdle for Machida, as he faces fellow undefeated Brazilian Thiago Silva (Pictures) on the main card of UFC 89 in a high-stakes 205-pound affair.
4. Chuck
Liddell (Pictures) (21-5-0)
After a highly anticipated clash with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was nixed, the "Iceman" suffered a nasty hamstring tear that slashed his June 7 clash with undefeated Rashad Evans (Pictures). Thankfully, the Liddell-Evans bout will still go on and is reportedly set for Sept. 6 in Atlanta.
5. Mauricio Rua (Pictures) (16-3-0)
After injuring his knee and stumbling in his UFC debut, it seemed "Shogun" had hit rock bottom. Then, with a big fight against Chuck Liddell (Pictures) looming, disaster struck again when Rua injured the same knee that had been surgically repaired just months before.
6. Dan Henderson (Pictures) (22-7-0)
Following his March loss to Anderson Silva (Pictures), there was much speculation over whether Henderson would continue to campaign as a 185-pounder or head back to the 205-pound class. It's been decided: Henderson will be staying at middleweight. He’ll meet hot Brazilian prospect Rousimar "Toquinho" Palhares at UFC 88 on Sept. 6 in Atlanta.
7. Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) (32-8-1, 1 NC)
After a vintage Silva performance in May when he stampeded over Keith Jardine (Pictures) in 36 seconds, fans were left wanting more Silva ASAP. While they almost got their wish, an opponent couldn't be finalized for "The Axe Murderer" for the July 19 UFC Fight Night card. Fans will have to wait a little bit longer for Silva's return.
8. Keith Jardine (Pictures) (13-4-1)
After knocking off Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Jardine had the opportunity to defeat the two greatest light heavyweights in the sport's history when he entered the Octagon for his May 24 bout with Wanderlei Silva (Pictures). Instead, Jardine was ripped apart and brutally dispatched in 36 seconds.
9. Rashad Evans (Pictures) (11-0-1)
Evans slid into the biggest fight of his career, a scheduled June 7 clash with Chuck Liddell (Pictures), but he was removed from the card after injuries to Liddell and replacement James Irvin (Pictures). Luckily for Evans, he will get his crack at the former UFC light heavyweight king on Sept. 6 when the UFC heads to Atlanta.
10. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) (5-2-0)
Sokoudjou will also see action on the UFC 89 card in October from Birmingham, England. The 24-year-old Cameroonian has been done no favors by the UFC, as he'll have to back up his hype when he takes on Brazilian punisher Luiz Arthur "Banha" Cane in a fight that would seem to render scorecards unnecessary.
