Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

---

Welterweight

1. Georges St. Pierre (21-2)
St. Pierre has proven sterling in Montreal, where he has bashed Matt Serra and Josh Koscheck. Next for “Rush” will be an appearance in Toronto on April 30, when he will defend his welterweight crown against Jake Shields in the main event of UFC 129 in front of what will be a massive crowd at the Rogers Centre.

2. Jon Fitch (23-3-1, 1 NC)
The former Purdue Boilermaker threw everything he had at B.J. Penn in the main event of UFC 127, and despite a purely dominant final round, it was not enough to stop the Hawaiian. With judges having ruled their first encounter a majority draw -- the first stalemate for Fitch in 28 professional fights -- the UFC has booked the pair for a rematch at UFC 132 on July 2.

3. Thiago Alves (18-7)
Alves did not have much time to savor his win over John Howard at UFC 124 before his name was right back on the UFC docket. “Pitbull” will return in May, when he is scheduled to meet surging welterweight contender Rick Story in a high-stakes bout at 170 pounds.

4. Jake Shields (26-4-1)
Shields made the jump from Strikeforce to the UFC because he felt it was the best way for him to prove his mettle against the world’s best fighters. He will get the ultimate chance to do so on April 30, when he challenges Georges St. Pierre for the UFC welterweight crown at UFC 129 in front of tens of thousands of fans at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

5. Josh Koscheck (15-5)
Koscheck’s crushing Dec. 11 defeat to Georges St. Pierre was not just figurative; it was literal. Following surgery to repair a smashed orbital bone, Koscheck will spend at least six months on the shelf before returning to action, potentially stepping back into the Octagon sometime this summer.

6. B.J. Penn (16-7-2)
Penn fought to a draw for just the second time in his career on Feb. 27, when he took tough welterweight stalwart Jon Fitch the distance at UFC 127. It seems as though “The Prodigy” will hang around at 170 pounds for at least a little while longer, as he has been booked for a return bout with Fitch at UFC 132 on July 2.

7. Carlos Condit (26-5)
After reigniting his career with a sizzling knockout of Dan Hardy in October, the “Natural Born Killer” was set to collide with fellow banger Chris Lytle. However, Condit was forced from the UFC 127 matchup after suffering a knee injury in training. The Greg Jackson-trained fighter is now rumored to return at UFC 131 against undefeated “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim.

8. Nick Diaz (24-7, 1 NC)
Diaz’s Jan. 29 victory against Evangelista Santos was, as usual, thrilling. While “Cyborg” cut into the legs of Diaz, the Strikeforce welterweight champion blasted back with punches, until a slick armbar ended the fight in round two. The Stockton, Calif., native will look to defend his title for a third time on April 9 against British slugger Paul Daley.

9. Paul Daley (27-9-2)
The explosive properties of “Semtex” were once again displayed on Feb. 26, as the British bomber needed less than two minutes to detonate Deep champ Yuya Shirai in the main event of BAMMA 5. The brash 28-year-old will face perhaps the toughest test of his career in his next bout: a Strikeforce welterweight title shot against Nick Diaz on April 9.

10. Diego Sanchez (23-4)
No longer known as “The Nightmare,” Sanchez continued his welterweight dream on March 3, taking a unanimous decision over Martin Kampmann in the main event of UFC Live 3. It was Sanchez’s second straight win at 170 pounds and second straight pocketing of a UFC “Fight of the Night” bonus check.

Other contenders: Ben Askren, Jake Ellenberger, Dan Hardy, Martin Kampmann, Mike Pyle.

With his victory over previously seventh-ranked Martin Kampmann, Diego Sanchez enters as a ranked welterweight; Kampmann drops to the contender's list with Sanchez's inclusion. Also, with his knockout of Yuya Shirai, Paul Daley has bumped previously 10th-ranked Dan Hardy to the contender's list.

Continue Reading » MMA Lightweight Rankings