Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Welterweight

1. Georges St. Pierre (20-2)
With Josh Koscheck’s May 8 win over Paul Daley, St. Pierre’s next title defense was set. But before he meets Koscheck in a rematch of their August 2007 encounter, the two welterweights will square off as opposing coaches on the 12th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” with a very convenient and apparent good guy-bad guy dynamic.

2. Jon Fitch (22-3, 1 NC)
Owner of a stellar 12-1 mark inside one of the UFC’s deepest divisions, Fitch will meet American Top Team’s Thiago Alves in a long-awaited rematch at UFC 117 on Aug. 7 in Oakland, Calif. The bout has already been postponed twice. Keep your fingers crossed.

3. Thiago Alves (16-6)
Moved from UFC 115 in June, Alves’ anticipated rematch with fellow former welterweight title challenger Jon Fitch will instead take place at UFC 117 in August. UFC President Dana White assured the MMA world that the delay was to ensure Alves was 100 percent healthy. An MRI in March revealed a brain irregularity in the Brazilian and postponed his bout with Fitch at UFC 111.

4. Dan Hardy (23-7, 1 NC)
His lopsided loss to Georges St. Pierre in March is now a distant memory. “The Outlaw” will get back into the saddle this fall, as the Octagon heads back to England for UFC 120 on Oct. 16 in London. There, Hardy will take on fellow welterweight contender Carlos Condit in what should be a high-action affair.

5. Josh Koscheck (15-4)
With high stakes up for grabs -- a UFC welterweight title shot and a coaching stint opposite Georges St. Pierre on “The Ultimate Fighter 12” -- Koscheck dominated Paul Daley for 15 minutes on the floor en route to a unanimous decision victory at UFC 113. After blocking a post-fight sucker punch from Daley and taunting the Montreal crowd, Koscheck cemented himself as one of MMA’s premiere heels and set in place the groundwork for the build-up to his rematch with St. Pierre.

6. Martin Kampmann (17-3)
In June, Kampmann put on perhaps the most impressive performance of his career, sweeping the cards in a one-sided decision win over Paulo Thiago. Now, Denmark’s top MMA export will get the tall task of welcoming former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields to the Octagon at UFC 121 on Oct. 23.

7. Paulo Thiago (13-2)
Following a tough, one-sided decision loss to Martin Kampmann at UFC 115 in June, Thiago will have the chance to end 2010 on a high note. The Brazilian will take on Diego Sanchez at UFC 121 on Oct. 23 in Anaheim.

8. Paul Daley (24-9-2)
It was tougher than some expected, but “Semtex” finished off Daniel Acacio in destructive fashion Down Under at Impact FC 2 on July 18, as he forced the Pride vet to bow out after a vicious elbow. It was the first win for Daley since May’s notorious sucker punch against Josh Koscheck, which earned him a pink slip from the UFC.

9. Nick Diaz (22-7, 1 ND)
Diaz did not make it easy on himself -- he seldom does -- but after overcoming early offense from Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, he took home a victory over the Japanese veteran with a first-round armbar on May 29. Now the question becomes who Strikeforce will pair the Cesar Gracie product with in his first welterweight title defense.

10. Mike Swick (14-4)
Coming off a disappointing decision loss to Dan Hardy in November, Swick’s bout with Paulo Thiago at UFC 109 left him in even worse shape. He was choked unconscious in the second round and pushed further back in the UFC welterweight title picture.

Other contenders: Ben Askren, Carlos Condit, John Hathaway, Jay Hieron, Dan Hornbuckle.