Sherdog.com’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10
Jon Jones’ first-round stoppage win over Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 on April 27 showcased some of the characteristics that keep him situated near the top of these rankings month after month: a blend of skill and aggression, finesse and brutality.
Of course, Jones’ sterling résumé doesn’t hurt, either. The Greg Jackson-trained light heavyweight ace has been unstoppable in the last three years, winning nine straight fights and finishing world-class talents like Lyoto Machida, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Vitor Belfort in decisive fashion. While Jones’ victory over Sonnen came at a cost -- a gruesomely fractured big toe on Jones’ left foot -- it also furthered his reputation as a thrilling fighter to watch and set the stage for some big bouts upon his return.
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1. Anderson Silva (33-4)
There is not much left, if anything at all, for Silva to accomplish at middleweight. He’s the most dominant champion the division has ever seen and has mopped the floor with virtually every challenger sent his way. When a fighter is this good, it’s hard to find worthy opponents, but the UFC seems to think it has one in Chris Weidman, who will attempt to dethrone the 38-year-old Brazilian come July 6 at UFC 162. How do the middleweights match up? While Weidman is an accomplished wrestler and unbeaten in MMA, he has fewer fights (nine) than Silva has consecutive title defenses (10).
2. Georges St. Pierre (24-2)
St. Pierre kept his chokehold on the 170-pound class by dominating Nick Diaz in a five-round rout at UFC 158, adding the brash Californian to a list of victims which includes Carlos Condit, Jake Shields, Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn and Matt Hughes. Still only four months removed from an 18-month hiatus due to ACL reconstruction, GSP said after the bout that he’s looking to take a break. Whenever he returns, St. Pierre will have to deal with another tough challenger in Johny Hendricks.
3. Jon Jones (18-1)
Facing an undersized opponent he was expected to handle with ease, Jones still impressed with his April 27 demolition of Chael Sonnen. The first-round TKO tied “Bones” with Tito Ortiz for a record fifth defense of the UFC light heavyweight title and, more importantly, paved the way for even bigger and more competitive bouts. When the 25-year-old mends from a nasty toe injury, he’ll return to an increasingly crowded 205-pound division which includes the likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Gegard Mousasi and, potentially, Daniel Cormier.
4. Jose Aldo (22-1)
In his first title defense since January 2012, Aldo held off hard-charging former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in the UFC 156 headliner. Shortly thereafter, 155-pound contender Anthony Pettis informed UFC President Dana White that he would like to drop a weight class to face the Brazilian champion. After initially balking at the match, Aldo and his team have agreed to square off with Pettis at UFC 163 on Aug. 3. The deal comes with an added incentive: if he is victorious, Aldo will receive an immediate title shot at 155 pounds.
5. Benson Henderson (19-2)
After a dominant victory over Nate Diaz in December, “Smooth” returned to his habit of winning closely contested decisions at UFC on Fox 7. Paired with former Strikeforce titlist Gilbert Melendez, Henderson held off his foe to earn a razor-thin split verdict. There will be no immediate rematch for “El Nino,” however, as Henderson will next defend his crown against the winner of the UFC 160 matchup between Gray Maynard and T.J. Grant. While Henderson has yet to finish an opponent in seven Octagon appearances, his resume -- which also includes wins over Frankie Edgar (twice), Jim Miller and Clay Guida -- remains one of the strongest in the sport today.
6. Cain Velasquez (11-1)
Velasquez has been awaiting his next opponent since he avenged his only defeat with a dominant five-round verdict over Junior dos Santos at UFC 155. The course of the heavyweight division took a dramatic detour on Feb. 2, however, when Antonio Silva knocked out No. 1-contender-in-waiting Alistair Overeem at UFC 156. With no obvious title challenger on the horizon, Velasquez will now face “Bigfoot” for the second time in a year on May 25. Their initial meeting was far from competitive, as the American Kickboxing Academy product used a violent ground-and-pound assault to decorate the Octagon floor with Silva’s blood at UFC 146.
7. Gilbert Melendez (21-3)
At UFC on Fox 7, Melendez proved that he belonged among the divisional and pound-for-pound elite by giving reigning UFC 155-pound champion Benson Henderson all he could handle in the headliner. It was not enough to get the nod from two of the three cageside judges, however, as the Skrap Pack member’s pace slowed slightly down the stretch en route to losing a controversial split decision. The narrow nature of the defeat means that “El Nino” won’t be too far removed from title consideration. Expect a bout against another big name when the Californian returns to the Octagon.
8. Demetrious Johnson (17-2-1)
As we begin to wonder what various pound-for-pound greats might look like fighting a weight class above the one they dominate, Johnson is becoming one of the few truly successful fighters to actually fulfill the “drop a weight class and dominate” expectation. Johnson remained unbeaten at flyweight and established himself as a champion with staying power at UFC on Fox 6. In front of a national television audience, “Mighty Mouse” survived the knockout power of John Dodson early, then had plenty left in reserve for the championship rounds to close out a unanimous decision victory in his first 125-pound title defense. Johnson’s second title defense will also take place on network television, as he takes on surging contender John Moraga at UFC on Fox 8.
9. Joseph Benavidez (18-3)
For years, while he toiled and overachieved at 135 pounds, MMA fans and pundits believed Benavidez had the potential to be the best flyweight fighter in the world. With the 125-pound class now installed in the UFC, the 28-year-old Team Alpha Male representative is doing his best to prove them right. Despite falling to Demetrious Johnson in a close September five-rounder for the UFC flyweight belt, Benavidez is already back in title contention after outworking former divisional ruler Ian McCall in a unanimous decision at UFC 156 and knocking out Shooto veteran Darren Uyenoyama at UFC on Fox 7.
10. Renan Barao (30-1)
Barao successfully defended the UFC interim bantamweight strap against 22-year-old prospect Michael McDonald at UFC on Fuel TV 7 in February. With a resume that includes triumphs over Brad Pickett, Scott Jorgensen, Urijah Faber and the aforementioned “Mayday,” Barao has earned his place atop the division, even if his title comes with a “temporary” label. The date for a desired showdown with Dominick Cruz remains unknown, as the reigning 135-pound king has yet to establish a timetable for his return from multiple knee surgeries. In the meantime, Barao has a date with former WEC champ Eddie Wineland in the main event of UFC 161.
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