Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

1. Georges St. Pierre (17-2)
For now, the king of the 170-pounders will have some time to bask in his Aug. 9 blowout of Jon Fitch. However, the hype for his forthcoming rematch with lightweight ruler B.J. Penn has already begun, and their Super Bowl weekend rematch at UFC 94 has already become the most anticipated bout of 2009.

2. Thiago Alves (16-3)
If there were any doubts as to who deserves the next crack at the UFC welterweight title after the St. Pierre-Penn rematch, Alves erased them with his sensational showing against Josh Koscheck at UFC 90 on Oct. 25. With an exciting and well-earned decision, the Brazilian has, in part, atoned for his weight-related indiscretions of the past and more than earned his crack at the UFC’s welterweight crown.

3. Jon Fitch (17-3, 1 NC)
Although Fitch could not hold a competitive candle to St. Pierre in their UFC 87 bout, he likely gained a measure of respect from fans and his contemporaries with the guts he demonstrated in making it all five rounds under heavy fire.

4. Josh Koscheck (11-3)
Accepting a fight with Alves on two weeks notice is hardly a task many welterweights would be willing to tackle. However, Koscheck stepped up on short notice and put on a fantastic fight with the “Pitbull” at UFC 90. While he dropped a unanimous verdict to Alves, Koscheck’s strong showing bodes well, especially with a slated bout against Yoshiyuki Yoshida on Dec. 10.

5. Diego Sanchez (19-2)
Due to a rib injury, Sanchez was forced to pull out of his scheduled Oct. 25 bout with Alves. The Brazilian’s win over Koscheck has stamped his place as a top contender, and Sanchez will be forced to battle his way back up the ladder.

6. Jake Shields (22-4-1)
After months of the mixed martial arts world bemoaning his lack of challenges within EliteXC, the promotion’s death has put its former welterweight champion on the market, where he should attract a host of suitors.

7. Matt Hughes (42-7)
Already in the twilight of his career, Hughes was exploited by another young, up-and-coming welterweight in Alves at UFC 85. Although some have called for the longtime welterweight king to retire, a grudge match with Matt Serra is likely next up for Hughes, who continues to recuperate from a knee injury.

8. Matt Serra (9-5)
The slipper dropped for Serra, who was destroyed in his rematch with St. Pierre in April. However, he might not be done in big bouts, as the potential for a clash with Hughes seems high in the near future.

9. Karo Parisyan (18-5)
After going public about his personal battles with panic attacks in months prior, Parisyan was forced out of his highly anticipated clash with Yoshida the day before UFC 88 in September. The next step for Parisyan is anyone’s guess, but hopefully he makes it to the Octagon intact.

10. Carlos Condit (23-4)
In another great WEC main event, Condit survived a life-and-death affair with an incredibly game Hiromitsu Miura and took a fourth-round stoppage in their taxing welterweight title bout in August. While Condit’s struggles may have tempered the enthusiasm for him to head to the UFC, welterweight challenges within the WEC seem all but exhausted for the 24-year-old New Mexico native.