Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Lightweight

1. B.J. Penn (13-4-1)
Always on the quest for the most marquee challenges, the UFC's lightweight champion will return to welterweight in February to rekindle his rivalry with Georges St. Pierre. However, when Penn returns to 155, there should be no shortage of challengers, as several high-stakes affairs will take place in the UFC’s lightweight division in the coming months.

2. Eddie Alvarez (15-1-0)
It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times for Alvarez. In the biggest bout of his career, the Philadelphian came through with a “Fight of the Year” candidate against perennial top lightweight Tatsuya Kawajiri on July 21. He also became the first man to knock out the "Crusher." The enormity of the moment was stifled, though, when Alvarez could not advance to the tournament final to meet Shinya Aoki because his right eye had been mangled in his brawl with Kawajiri.

3. Joachim Hansen (19-7-1)
With losses to the likes of Shinya Aoki, Eiji Mitsuoka and Eddie Alvarez, it seemed that the Norwegian nightmare's days as a top lightweight may have been finished. However, when the stars lined up and gave "Hellboy" his chance to step back into the Dream lightweight grand prix after he had easily handled Kultar Gill in the reserve match, Hansen blasted Aoki to gain a measure of vengeance -- the Dream lightweight championship and his biggest win in years.

4. Takanori Gomi (29-3-0, 1 NC)
In just his second bout in 18 months, Sengoku's lightweight ace took a hard-fought decision over the anonymous but underrated Deep lightweight champion Seung Hwan Bang. Gomi has promised better in-ring performances in the future, which he may need as he will soon face the winner of Sengoku's lightweight tournament: Satoru Kitaoka, Eiji Mitsuoka, Mizuto Hirota or Kazunori Yokota.

5. Shinya Aoki (17-3, 1 NC)
With his dominant win over Caol Uno and then Eddie Alvarez being unable to continue into the final, it seemed inevitable that Aoki would win the Dream lightweight grand prix. He was facing Joachim Hansen, a man already on Aoki’s highlight reel after a gogoplata on New Year's Eve 2006. This time around, however, Aoki's rubber guard wizardry was no match for Hansen's ferocity, and the Norwegian smashed Aoki to claim the tournament.

6. Gesias Cavalcante (14-2-1, 1 NC)
Still recovering from a torn ACL that he carried into his April 29 bout with Shinya Aoki, Cavalcante has been missed in Dream's lightweight division. With the intriguing outcomes of Dream's lightweight grand prix, the potential bouts are numerous for the American Top Teamer, who will hopefully see action before the year is out.

7. Josh Thomson (15-2-0, 1 NC)
Strikeforce's 155-pound titlist figures to be in for an evening of more pleasure than business when he meets a seemingly overmatched Ashe Bowman in a tune-up fight on Strikeforce's Sept. 20 Playboy Mansion card. However, also on the card is Japanese standout Mitsuhiro Ishida, who makes his mainland U.S. debut. Wins by both Ishida and Thomson could lead to a major lightweight title clash in the near future.

8. Gilbert Melendez (14-2-0)
A favorite going into his June 27 title defense against Josh Thomson, Melendez was outclassed over five rounds and lost a lopsided decision. What's next for the talented Cesar Gracie prospect is uncertain.

9. Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2)
Not unlike his September 2005 mega-clash with Takanori Gomi, Kawajiri threw caution to the wind and fought fire with fire against Eddie Alvarez. While it may eventually earn him “Fight of the Year” honors, it did not earn him a victory. Instead, Alvarez rallied back from adversity to stop Kawajiri on strikes for the first time in his career.

10. Sean Sherk (32-3-1)
He was tabbed to dominate the lightweight division, but a positive steroid test and a rejuvenated B.J. Penn thwarted plans of supremacy for Sherk. However, the "Muscle Shark" will have a chance to get into the lightweight mix in a major way on Oct. 25 at UFC 90, when he meets surging young lightweight Tyson Griffin in a compelling 155-pound scrap.