Did you expect to see someone else here? | Photo: Marcelo Alonso
Middleweight
In front of over 16,000 fans in Rio de Janeiro, Anderson Silva avenged his January 2006 disqualification loss to Yushin Okami in brutal fashion. Now, the drum is beating again for Silva to meet Georges St. Pierre, though the UFC's goal in the short term is more likely a rematch with Chael Sonnen.
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 (26-6)
Yushin Okami finally got his chance to vie for the UFC middleweight champion, but it didn't go as he'd hoped. "Thunder" was beaten down by Anderson Silva and summarily sent to the back of the line in the UFC's 185-pound division.
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. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Luke Rockhold (8-1)
Rockhold enters the rankings on the back of his Strikeforce middleweight title win, a razor-thin Sept. 10 decision in which the American Kickboxing Academy fighter handed the Brazilian gator his first stateside defeat.
Other contenders: Tim Kennedy, Hector Lombard, Rousimar Palhares, Jorge Santiago, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.
With his Sept. 10 loss to Luke Rockhold, previously fifth-ranked Ronaldo Souza falls to the contenders list.
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