Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Heavyweight

1. Brock Lesnar (5-1)
Big-time heavyweight bouts seldom deliver, but Lesnar’s July 3 title defense against Shane Carwin did just that. In addition to pulling significant PPV numbers, Lesnar’s rousing second-round submission comeback showed he is not just a hulking frontrunner. The win set up what will likely be Lesnar’s biggest test to date when he defends against Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 on Oct. 23.

2. Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1)
On Aug. 18, Fabricio Werdum underwent surgery and had 27 loose bone fragments removed from his left elbow. Already in physiotherapy to rehab, the author of 2010’s most significant upset now targets a return to action in the first quarter of 2011.

3. Fedor Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC)
The chicanery of another Fedor Emelianenko pre-fight has begun. Emelianenko’s promoters at M-1 have openly announced their interest in fighting Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, on the condition that Overeem submits to Olympic-style drug testing. Naturally, little headway has been made surrounding Emelianenko’s next bout.

4. Cain Velasquez (8-0)
The July 3 matchup between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin was especially interesting for Velasquez, who was already tabbed to face the winner. Now, Velasquez will tackle the tallest task of his young career when he challenges Lesnar for the heavyweight throne at UFC 121 in October.

5. Junior dos Santos (12-1)
For the first time in his UFC tenure, dos Santos could not stop his foe. Nonetheless, at UFC 117 in Oakland, Calif., “Cigano” put a 15-minute beating on tough heavyweight Roy Nelson to take a unanimous decision and entrench himself as the man to challenge the winner of October’s clash between Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez.

6. Shane Carwin (12-1)
One would have expected his July 3 loss to Brock Lesnar to be Carwin’s toughest pill to swallow. Instead, the Coloradan’s name has cropped up in a federal case for reportedly having received steroids. Though it will be his biggest fight in the near future, Carwin has yet to offer comment on the matter.

7. Frank Mir (14-5)
At UFC 119, Mir and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic underwhelmed the Indianapolis crowd for 14 minutes with a dreadful exhibition of aimless clinching. Finally, with just 58 ticks to go in the fight, Mir landed a colossal knee that crushed the Croat, notching one of the least impressive highlight-reel KOs in recent memory.

8. Alistair Overeem (33-11, 1 NC)
The Strikeforce heavyweight champion’s efforts continue to come in kickboxing rather than MMA. “The Demolition Man” earned an easy first-round KO over Aussie Ben Edwards on Oct. 2 in Seoul, South Korea, to advance to December’s K-1 World Grand Prix finale in Yokohama, Japan. As for an MMA return, it remains anyone’s guess for now.

9. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1, 1 NC)
Back in December 2008, Nogueira was shockingly wiped out by Frank Mir in lopsided fashion. He was scheduled for a chance at redemption against Mir at UFC 119 on Sept. 25, until a hip injury struck, forcing “Minotauro” from the fight and onto the surgeon’s table.

10. Antonio Silva (14-2)
Silva wanted a shot at Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. It seemed he was going to get at least an Overeem, as a bout with elder sibling Valentijn Overeem was rumored for Strikeforce’s Dec. 4 card in St. Louis. However, Strikeforce boss Scott Coker said the bout was merely that at this point -- a rumor.

Other contenders: Andrei Arlovski, Josh Barnett, Roy Nelson, Brett Rogers, Ben Rothwell.