Anderson Silva (left) will fight at home against Yushin Okami. | Photo: Sherdog.com
Middleweight
Though many believe that the UFC’s preeminent 185-pounder has little left to accomplish in the cage, there is still some housekeeping for “The Spider” to tend to. Silva will look to erase the most recent loss on his record, a 2006 disqualification against Yushin Okami, when he meets the Chael Sonnen training partner Aug. 27 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A win would extend Silva’s ongoing UFC records for most consecutive wins (13) and title defenses (eight).
2. Chael Sonnen (25-11-1)
After a dizzying rollercoaster ride in wake of his UFC title challenge against Anderson Silva last August and the testosterone replacement therapy issues that followed, Sonnen is ready to fight again. The middleweight firebrand will take on emerging contender Brian Stann at UFC 136 in Houston on Oct. 8.
3. Yushin Okami (26-5)
After 10 wins and five years in the UFC, Okami will finally get his second go-around with Anderson Silva on Aug. 27. A November decision against Nate Marquardt put “Thunder” in line for the middleweight title shot, which will come before 14,000 of Silva’s countrymen in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
4. Nate Marquardt (31-10-2)
In wake of the TRT debacle that resulted in his exit from the UFC, Marquardt has been mostly silent. However, the perennial middleweight standout has signed with U.K. promotion British Association of Mixed Martial Arts, though no date has been offered for a potential debut.
5. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (14-2, 1 NC)
Souza has been unbeatable thus far in his Strikeforce run, compiling a 4-0 record since joining the promotion in late 2009. The decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion will look to defend his Strikeforce 185-pound belt for the second time on Sept. 10, when he takes on American Kickboxing Academy’s Luke Rockhold, who is riding a six-fight finishing spree in the Strikeforce cage.
6. Mark Munoz (11-2)
It was expected after his victory over former UFC title challenger Demian Maia that Munoz might land in a bout with Brian Stann. "All-American" drew Chael Sonnen instead, so Munoz will now become a trivia answer, as he and Chris Leben square off on Nov. 5 at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England, in the promotion's first non-title five-round main event.
7. Demian Maia (14-3)
Maia lost a competitive decision to Mark Munoz in June. Come Oct. 8 at UFC 136, he will meet a countryman in a similar situation, as he collides with former Sengoku champion Jorge Santiago, who is coming off of a tough knockout loss to Brian Stann.
8. Brian Stann (11-3)
After a dominant performance against Jorge Santiago in May, Stann earned himself a bout of real significance in the UFC middleweight division. He will take on notorious former title challenger Chael Sonnen on Oct. 8 at UFC 136.
9. Michael Bisping (21-3)
Bisping silenced antagonist Jorge Rivera in February with a second-round knockout, but the Englishman will attempt to close an even louder mouth later this year. The winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 3 is currently in Las Vegas serving as a coach for Season 14 of the reality series, the finale of which will see Bisping square off against middleweight wildman and rival coach Jason "Mayhem" Miller.
10. Vitor Belfort (20-9)
In his first bout since being victimized by Anderson Silva in February, Belfort blew through Yoshihiro Akiyama with absolute ease in the first round, forcing his way firmly into the middle of the UFC's 185-pound division.
Other contenders: Alan Belcher, Tim Kennedy, Mamed Khalidov, Hector Lombard, Robbie Lawler, Jorge Santiago.
* With the entry of 10th-ranked Vitor Belfort, previously 10th-ranked Jorge Santiago exits the top 10.
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