Top 10 Heavyweight Rankings

Top 10 Heavyweight Rankings

nullWe have worked our way back around to the heavyweights in the rankings list.

The division has been pretty quiet for the last two months, but June will provide some big shakeups with UFC 131 and the second half of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

So, without further ado, here is the list.

1. Cain Velasquez (9-0): The UFC Heavyweight Champion continues to await his next opponent while recovering from shoulder surgery. Newly married, Velasquez will find out whether Junior dos Santos or Shane Carwin is next at UFC 131.

2. Junior dos Santos (12-1): Junior appears to be the top contender in the UFC heavyweight division, but he has to prove it next weekend against Shane Carwin. Originally set to face Brock Lesnar, dos Santos will now face one of the toughest strikers in the division in Carwin. The fight should be explosive and end with a brutal KO.

3. Shane Carwin (12-1): Carwin had hit a bit of a funk after having back surgery following his loss to Lesnar last summer, but now he finds himself with a little bit of luck. With Lesnar injured, Carwin now immediately jumps into the title picture with a win over dos Santos at UFC 131.

4. Brock Lesnar (5-2): Lesnar’s fighting future is in question after suffering from his second bout of diverticulitis. With two major surgeries over the last few years, you have to wonder what kind of toll it will take on one of the most athletic heavyweights in MMA.

5. Alistair Overeem (34-11): The Strikeforce Heavyweight champion is set to take on Fabricio Werdum, whom he lost to in the past, this month in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Overeem has ballooned up since that first fight and is still arguably the top striker in the division. Overeem can continue to push his claim to being the top heavyweight in the world by running through Werdum.

6. Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1): Werdum has yet to fight since submitting Fedor Emelianenko last June. Now, he takes on Overeem this month looking to cement his status as the top heavyweight in Strikeforce. The submission specialist will have to withstand Overeem’s overwhelming striking to get the win.

7. Frank Mir (15-5): Mir picked up a decision win over Roy Nelson at UFC 130 last Saturday. While Mir didn’t get a finish, he easily controlled the fight for 15 minutes and displayed solid striking, wrestling, and even mixed in a beautiful judo throw. Mir is still a top contender in the UFC and may be in line to face Lesnar when he returns for a rubber match.

8. Antonio Silva (16-2): Bigfoot is coming off his dominant win over Fedor in February and will now face off with either Overeem or Werdum in the Grand Prix semifinals. Already having lost to Werdum, Silva has since improved his overall skills and become more of a dominant giant that people hoped he would become.

9. Fedor Emelianenko (31-3): After back-to-back losses, Fedor will now face Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champ, Dan Henderson, in a bout at heavyweight. Fedor’s style hasn’t translated into wins recently and against a technical wrestler and powerful striker like Henderson, it will be interesting to see if Emelianenko can avoid another loss and stay relevant in MMA.

10. Josh Barnett (29-5) – Barnett makes his return to fighting in the states this month when he takes on Brett Rogers in the Strikeforce Grand Prix. Barnett has won his last six fights and still has a great all-around package. An exciting fighter, Barnett should bring some fireworks to his fight with Rogers.

  

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