Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Lightweight

1. B.J. Penn (14-5-1)
Penn will make the next defense of his UFC lightweight crown on Dec. 12 at UFC 107 in Memphis, Tenn. There, he will take on another solid contender in Diego Sanchez, who remains unbeaten as a lightweight. That will make for two title defenses in just four months for “The Prodigy,” who has been known more than anything for his preoccupations outside the lightweight division.

2. Shinya Aoki (22-4, 1 NC)
The biggest fight of his career yielded a finish for Aoki, as the Japanese submission stalwart armbarred Norwegian rival Joachim Hansen in the dying moments of their Oct. 6 rubber match. The victory gave Aoki a 2-1 win in the trilogy, along with Dream’s lightweight title.

3. Eddie Alvarez (18-2)
Having swept through Bellator's lightweight tournament, Alvarez will face his stiffest competition of the year when he takes on Japan’s hottest prospect in heavy-hitting karateka Katsunori Kikuno on Oct. 25 at Dream 12.

4. Kenny Florian (11-4)
Coming off of his August loss in a title bid against B.J. Penn, Florian did not have to wait long to find another opponent. The fighter-turned-analyst will take on divisional motor fighter Clay Guida at UFC 107 on Dec. 12.

5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (25-5-2)
It was perfunctory and meaningless, but Kawajiri had little trouble smashing an overmatched Melchor Manibusan on Oct. 6. The real question remains whether Kawajiri will get the Dream title fight he so richly desires against Shinya Aoki come New Year’s Eve.

6. Gray Maynard (8-0, 1 NC)
In his Sept. 16 win over Roger Huerta, Maynard showed both the evolution of his striking skills and the increasing potency of his top game. Furthermore, the well-appointed decision win has seemingly put him on the doorstep of a UFC lightweight title shot.

7. Frankie Edgar (10-1)
In order to continue ascending in the UFC lightweight division, Edgar will need to dispatch one of his New Jersey brethren when he takes on fellow northeasterner Kurt Pellegrino at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Live Finale on Dec. 5.

8. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)
With a deflating loss to Frankie Edgar in May, Sherk was set to face Gleison Tibau, another lightweight in a must-win scenario, at UFC 104 on Oct. 24. However, a shoulder injury in training has taken Sherk out of the bout, and Josh Neer will fill his place.

9. Mizuto Hirota (12-3-1)
In their Aug. 2 encounter, Hirota withstood Satoru Kitaoka’s early submission storm and wore down the Sengoku champion. He then smashed Kitaoka with a barrage of knees in the fourth round to claim Sengoku’s lightweight crown.

10. Joachim Hansen (19-8-1)
After a nearly 15-month layoff, Joachim Hansen was game in his Oct. 6 rubber match with Shinya Aoki, but succumbed to an armbar in the latter stages of the bout, losing the Dream lightweight title and spoiling his return to the ring.

Other contenders: Gesias Cavalcante, Tyson Griffin, Satoru Kitaoka, Gilbert Melendez, Diego Sanchez.

* With Joachim Hansen regaining eligibility to be ranked following his Oct. 6 bout with Shinya Aoki, previously 10th-ranked Satoru Kitaoka falls to the contenders list.