Two of the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts were in the cage Saturday night at WEC 47. They just weren't the two we thought they were beforehand.Prior to WEC 47, a lot of people had bantamweights Brian Bowles and Miguel Torres in their top 10 pound-for-pound lists. (Bowles was No. 7 on my list and Torres fell just outside the top 10.) But after Dominick Cruz beat Bowles and Joseph Benavidez beat Torres, the two WEC 47 winners are both on my list of the Top 10 fighters in mixed martial arts, which is below.
(Editor's note: The individual fighter's ranking the last time we did pound-for-pound are in parentheses.)
1. Fedor Emelianenko (1): His inactivity is making his grip on the top spot more tenuous. He's supposedly fighting Fabricio Werdum on May 15, but there's no official announcement yet.
2. Anderson Silva (2): If Silva dominates Demian Maia at UFC 110 while Fedor remains inactive, I wouldn't rule out a switch at the top.
3. Georges St. Pierre (3): His March 27 fight against Dan Hardy is the biggest fight of a big month for MMA.
4. B.J. Penn (4): Hard to envision him losing to Frank Edgar at UFC 110.
5. Lyoto Machida (5): The Dragon and Shogun Rua will have a spectacular rematch on May 8.
6. Jose Aldo (6): World Extreme Cagefighting spent much of WEC 47 hyping Aldo's upcoming title defense against Urijah Faber. It's the main event of the WEC's first pay-per-view show on April 24, and therefore the most significant fight in the promotion's history.
7. Shogun Rua (8): His battle with Machida will be a rare opportunity to see a rematch between two Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters, in their primes.
8. Dominick Cruz (NR): I think we've all been underrating Cruz because all of his WEC victories prior to his fight with Bowles were by decision, and everyone likes fighters who finish fights. But now that he's the bantamweight champion of the world, I think it's a good time to re-assess his career. He's 15-1, and the only loss came at featherweight against Faber. In his own weight class, he's the best there is.
9. Rashad Evans (9): Finally gets his shot at Rampage Jackson in May.
10. Joseph Benavidez (NR): This will be the most controversial of my choices, as few people have ever listed Benavidez as a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter. But Benavidez dominated Torres, his only loss is to Cruz, and -- most importantly -- he's beating guys who are bigger than him. The truth is, Benavidez should be fighting at flyweight (125 pounds), but he's fighting at bantamweight because the WEC doesn't have a flyweight class. For the way he's beating bigger men, Benavidez belongs.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
This is exactly the kind of bs that gets my day started on the wrong foot. Youb know what.
I hate rankings. I hate these stupid bs ass rankings you have to be kidding me. This has to be some kind of a bad joke. Like a bad dream when you wake up and its like, oh haha. That was just a dream.
Give me a god damb break how the hell are you gonna tell me that rashad evans and joseph benevidaz whatever, and dominick cruz after one big fight is a better pound for pound fighter than nick diaz, gegard mousasi, eddie alvarez, frank mir, I can think of 10-20 other fighters who if it were a pound for pound fight would take a b*tch like rashad punkass evans and wipe the floor with his face. Rampage deserves to be on a top 10 p4p list. C'mon man, see this is why I really really just can't stand the rankings in mma its such a joke. Whoever wins their last big fight is all of a sudden the best fighter in the sport. Go to yahoo and see their p4p list and get ready to laugh your ass off. And the fact that they still have a ufc tab where it should say mma.
Thanks for the swell morning news. For real, give me a break!!
Seriously dude! Preach it brotha man! I called it to man. I said that they will put Dominick Cruz on the next top 10 P4P list like they did for Bowles. Benavidez is the worst pick in the history of top 10 P4P lists. That would be like putting a top 10 basketball players list and having it read like this (I'm taking his rankings and translating it into the basketball equivelant)
1. Lebron (Fedor)
2. Kobe (Silva)
3. Carmelo (GSP)
4. Dwayne Wade (Penn)
5. Dwight Howard (Machida)
6. Kevin Durant (Aldo)
7. Joe Johnson (Shogun)
8. Danny Granger (Cruz)
9. Richard Jefferson (Evans)
10. Stephen Curry (Benavidez)
The last 3 guys just don't belong on the list of the ten best players in the NBA. They're good players, all stars and all rookies but not three of the best players in the league just like those other 3 aren't three of best fighters.
BJ isn't fighting at 110 its at 112
nor is the spider at 110... wow you guys are flawless
It never fails that one hit WEC wonders get put on the top 10 P4P list then get dropped like flies when they lose only to be replaced by the clowns that beat them. I even predicted this would happen! What a joke. Benavidez just lost to Cruz prior to beating the highly suspect and overrated Torres and now he is one of the 10 best fighters int he world independent of weight? GIVE ME A BREAK. Cruz wins a few fights and all of a sudden he is one of the 10 best fighters in the world independent of weight? This is just pure lunacy and the worst P4P list I've ever seen. You guys put Faber, Brown, Torres and Bowles up there when they didn't belong and dropped them when they lost a few fights later. How is it just because a guy beats a guy on your list that it makes him one of the 10 best fighters in the world? I would love to hear an honest justification for having 3 WEC fighters ranked as some of the 10 best fighters in the world. I'm almost speechless.
How is Benavidez or Cruz more deserving than Aoki, Shields, Diaz, Alvarez & Mousasi? Is it because they aren't in a Zuffa owned promotion that they get less respect in the rankings? How is Rashad Evans worthy of being on the list? How about you give Jon Fitch some credit for winning against elite competition instead of the one hit WEC wonders. Simply put: This is one of the worst lists I've ever seen in my life. Put Cain Velasquez on the list ahead of Benavidez or Cruz. Jose Aldo has proven he belongs on the top 10 list because he destroyed everyone he fought, these other guys haven't done that and as such are nowhere close to being within the 10 best fighters in the world. Jon Jones has a better P4P case than those two.
THE REAL TOP 10 P4P LIST SHOULD BE:
1. Fedor (The Ace of Spades)
2. Silva (The Ace of Diamonds)
3. GSP (The Ace of Hearts)
4. Penn (The Ace of Clubs)
5. Shogun (he beat Machida and even Dana White admitted it as such he is higher on the rankings)
6. Machida (Instantly vaults in the top 4 again with dominant win over Shogun)
7. Mousasi (competed and won at MW, LHW & HW - thats the definition of P4P)
8. Aldo (The only WEC who has earned a ranking at the moment - best fighter in WEC history)
9. Aoki (Best LW in the world not named BJ Penn deserves to be on the list)
10. Fitch or Shields (The two most under appreciated fighters in MMA simply because they win ugly)
The winner of Shields vs Henderson and Aoki vs Melendez deserve to be on the next P4P list if Cruz gets on for beating Bowles . . . ALl Bowles and Benavidez have done is beat Miguel Torres who got his record by fighting regional shows in Indiana and Chicago.
I usually agree with MDS or only slightly disagree but this list is outrageous and just shows the short sidedness and what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality. Just because a guy wins a fight against a guy who used to be on the list doesn't mean he takes their spot on the list.
Answer me this questions MDS: Why are you keeping Aoki and Mousasi off the top 10 P4P list? Mousasi has competed and won at MW, LHW & HW against top flight competition. Aoki is the best LW in the world not named BJ Penn.
I mean all of that with much respect, but if I acted like this was a legitimate list I wouldn't be doing my job as a loyal reader and commenter of this site.
craaazy!!!
pretty scary when we agree.
yeah, having those wec is not very credible.
the top 4 is easy....after that....either rua or machida, but to me, not both. remember i am of the opinion that there fight was the worst title fight in history. so whomever one might think is the better of the two, should be there, not both.
then mousasi, then my favorite nick diaz.
here is how i see it,
1- fedor
2- silva
3- gsp
4- penn
5- machida
6- mousasi
7- diaz
8- hendo
9- lesner
10- shields
now, as far as aldo goes, yeah maybe, but let's see him beat faber and how.
but, as johnny the tiger says, how can you judge a guy if his opponents really are not that good, and are just fighting each other.
seriously, what if faber wins? do we then, put mike brown there?
and yeah, i do think brock does belong, his wrestling and power are just so dominant. although, i can understand if people don't see it that way because he only has 5 fights. and it will be interesting to see how he looks coming back from his illness.
Evans top 10 p4p?! How about adding who he has beaten that shows he deserves to be on that list. Might as well add Kimbo to the Mix. The list started well and slowly died out.
This is exactly the kind of bs that gets my day started on the wrong foot. Youb know what.
I hate rankings. I hate these stupid bs ass rankings you have to be kidding me. This has to be some kind of a bad joke. Like a bad dream when you wake up and its like, oh haha. That was just a dream.
Give me a god damb break how the hell are you gonna tell me that rashad evans and joseph benevidaz whatever, and dominick cruz after one big fight is a better pound for pound fighter than nick diaz, gegard mousasi, eddie alvarez, frank mir, I can think of 10-20 other fighters who if it were a pound for pound fight would take a b*tch like rashad punkass evans and wipe the floor with his face. Rampage deserves to be on a top 10 p4p list. C'mon man, see this is why I really really just can't stand the rankings in mma its such a joke. Whoever wins their last big fight is all of a sudden the best fighter in the sport. Go to yahoo and see their p4p list and get ready to laugh your ass off. And the fact that they still have a ufc tab where it should say mma.
Thanks for the swell morning news. For real, give me a break!!
yeah rashad evans isn't very good
there good sure, but never heard of them before this fight. that says more about the quility of fighters in wec. but there's top 10 now huh ? this pound for pound thing is a bigger joke every time i hear it. win a couple loss a couple ,they'll get his 15 minutes and thats it. cruz's movement should tell ya that was a low level fight, ufc quility fighters would kick his head off jump'n in like that. like the crazy stuff high school kids do in wrestling to comfuse other am's. there is a reason you havnt seem that style...most dont think so but the wec isnt going to be around long, Faber cant same'm either if if he was good enough period
no wec fighter should be a overall top 10..WEC is the minor's people. but aldo wins 1 fight and he's listed with fador , penn ,gsp. un f'n believed. brown only exposed faber's lack off talent. hes a favorite lots like to see win but he not so good that any1 who beats him is automaticly the the best ever. Apples and oranges people but for real- untill all mma fighters can fight eachother its all bs , but till then it'll give you folks something to write about
call it top 10 hottest fighter this week cuz thats what i keep hearing. its the guys who last and dont raise n fall in 2-3 years who are the true top 10. any name can win 1 big fight. stay on top 4,5,6years and you'll earn such an honor. half of these lists posted dont deserve it, they might some day (even the champs) gsp ,silva, penn yes the rest not yet. machita need to defends the belt a couple time's undefeated or not. brock- he'll make his and be gone as fast as he got a title shot, sooner the better
yea top 10 names at best. fedor , gsp , a.silva , machita , penn , showgun , jackson , hendo , chuck , couture................untill they have done what these fighters have done in and for MMA - PLEASE stop comparing ever flash in a pan guy who come along !
wow..... bad
i do have to agree cruz and benavidez made the list way to easy, they have to prove they can dominate as champs to make the list. At this rate next month after the wec ppv the pfp list will be.
1.fedor
2.silva
3.gsp
4.donald cerrone
5.faber
6.cruz
7.benivedez
8.aldo
9.penn
10.machida
this is retarded, someone needs to explain what pound for pound means...it means a fighter can be emulated proportionally into any weight class and dominate based on skill, talent or whatever gives them the edge. here an example lets say we emulated both benavidez and nick diaz into LW 155lb division. So benavidez will gain about 1 1/2 inches and diaz would lose about 2inch in height(they are being emulated so they maintain body proportion at 155.)
Nick diaz would dominate because he is much better skilled, experienced, and use to fighting top competition. This is an example how benavidez doesnt belong on this list, if he can be emulated in ANY weight division he would be average or b+ fighter.
even worst.......
MDS you should be ashamed for putting out this complete B.S. list? It's a joke and if you know anything about MMA (And I think you do) you would've come up with something much more reasonable.
What the hell has Zuffa added you to the payroll along with Chiapetta and Helwani.
i get benivedez and cruz but i dont have a clue why you put rashard up there at least benivedez beat torres and cruz be bowels who beat torres but even they dont deserve to be up there
Oh Jesus none of those wec fighters deserve to be on their except Aldo. Give me one reason why they should be on it over Diaz, fitch, aoki etc.
1}FEDOR
2]ANDERSON SILVA
3}GSP
4]PENN
5}MACHIDA
6]SHOGUN
7}HENDERSON
8]SHEILDS
9}ALDO
10]AOKI