Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Lightweight

1. Frankie Edgar (12-1)
It was the most controversial MMA moment of 2010 so far, but “The Answer” walked out with a unanimous decision victory and the lightweight title in his fight with B.J. Penn at UFC 112. However, the Toms River, N.J., native may have to replicate his feat this summer, as the wheels are in motion for a rematch with Penn.

2. B.J. Penn (15-6-1)
Screw job? Sinus infection? Whatever case Penn backers and “The Prodigy” himself make for his April 10 defeat to Frankie Edgar, it does appear the Hawaiian will get a chance to regain the lightweight mantle in a summer rematch, which might set the record straight.

3. Gilbert Melendez (18-2)
The Strikeforce lightweight champion notched the biggest win of his career in Nashville, Tenn., as he dominated Dream titleholder Shinya Aoki for all 25 minutes of their bout on network television and entrenched himself as one of the sport’s elite at 155 pounds.

4. Shinya Aoki (23-5, 1 NC)
Dream’s lightweight king said that if he failed to defeat Gilbert Melendez in the Strikeforce cage on April 17, Japanese MMA would become “a colony of the USA.” In that case, consider it annexed. Aoki had no answer for “El Nino” and was dominated from bell-to-bell in their 25-minute affair.

5. Eddie Alvarez (19-2)
Bellator has kicked off its second lightweight tournament to find a challenger for Alvarez, its 155-pound champion. However, in the meantime, the Philadelphian will meet UFC veteran Josh Neer in a 160-pound catchweight affair in May.

6. Kenny Florian (13-4)
Takanori Gomi was already Shooto world champion when Florian made his professional MMA debut, but it was “Ken Flo” who looked like the real veteran in their March 31 encounter. Florian dominated the former Pride star with his jab before polishing him off in the third round with a rear-naked choke, solidifying his status in the lightweight division.

7. Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-5-2)
It was not a barnburner, but Kawajiri’s New Year’s Eve performance against a tough and underrated Kazunori Yokota was thorough and dominant. However, the real fight for the “Crusher” continues to be a potential showdown with Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki.

8. Gray Maynard (9-0, 1 NC)
Maynard won his Jan. 11 bout with Nate Diaz, but the controversial split decision to punctuate a lackluster fight was not enough to earn him the favor of fans and UFC brass. That means “The Bully” will continue to wait for a crack at the UFC lightweight crown.

9. Sean Sherk (33-4-1)
Sherk’s injury woes persist. After pulling out of multiple fights in the last few months, another undisclosed injury forced him to withdraw from a bout with Clay Guida at UFC on Versus 1 on March 21.

10. Mizuto Hirota (12-4-1)
Hirota expects to be back at full capacity soon following his New Year’s Eve arm-breaking debacle against Shinya Aoki. He eyes a July return, but due to his injury, Hirota opted to return the Sengoku lightweight title he won last August but never got a chance to defend.

Other contenders: Gesias Cavalcante, Tyson Griffin, Benson Henderson, Jim Miller, Diego Sanchez.