Always on the lookout for marquee challenges, the UFC’s lightweight champion will return to the welterweight division to rekindle his rivalry with Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on Jan. 31. However, when Penn returns to 155, there should be no shortage of suitors in the UFC's red-hot lightweight division.
2. Shinya Aoki (19-3, 1 NC)
While Aoki has affirmed himself as a bona fide lightweight star, Dream parent company Fighting and Entertainment Group are currently trying to persuade the Shooto world champion to return to the 168-pound division for the Dream welterweight grand prix, which kicks off in April.
3. Eddie Alvarez (15-2)
A Shinya Aoki heelhook on Dec. 31 left Alvarez with a tweaked knee, canceling his planned Jan. 23 tune-up against Naoyuki Kotani. However, the fiery Philly native is still slated for April action as part of the upstart Bellator Fighting Championships on ESPN Deporte.
4. Joachim Hansen (19-7-1)
Despite the attention given to his New Year's Eve rematch with Gesias Cavalcante, the bout was nixed at the last minute when a pre-fight medical test revealed undisclosed head injury to Hansen, which promptly canceled the bout. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery for the sport's most notorious Norwegian.
5. Gesias Cavalcante (14-2-1, 1 NC)
Cavalcante was denied the chance to avenge his July 2004 loss to Joachim Hansen when their Dec. 31 date was canceled at the last minute. Fortunately, the bout's cancellation will give "JZ" more time to rehabilitate his knee injury and get ready for 2009.
6. Sean Sherk (33-3-1)
Sean Sherk's quest toward regaining the UFC lightweight title will continue at UFC 98 on May 23, where "The Muscle Shark" will take on fellow dynamic wrestler Frank Edgar.
7. Kenny Florian (11-3)
Florian affirmed his status as the top contender to B.J. Penn's UFC lightweight crown with his complete dismantling of Joe Stevenson at UFC 91. Florian's first-round blowout victory earns him re-entry into these rankings, and more than likely the second UFC title bid of his career.
8. Satoru Kitaoka (24-8-9)
The hulking Pancrase product continued his lightweight surge, effortlessly leglocking perennial divisional standout Takanori Gomi in under two minutes. The bout gave Kitaoka the Sengoku lightweight title, and some serious attention from the MMA populace who had heard little of Kitaoka prior to his recent run.
9. Josh Thomson (16-2, 1 NC)
Strikeforce's lightweight champion was given the chance to atone for his August 2004 highlight reel KO loss to Yves Edwards in his first title defense on Nov. 21. Unfortunately, Thomson tore ligaments in his toe, which forced him out of the bout and have put him on the shelf.
10. Tatsuya Kawajiri (22-5-2)
Kawajiri turned in one of the most impressive performances of his career on New Year's Eve. While it wasn't an MMA bout, the "Crusher" absolutely stormed Japanese kickboxing icon Kozo Takeda with a brutal first-round stoppage that put the former Shooto world champion's improved striking on display.