MMA Rankings > UFC Heavyweight Rankings
UFC Heavyweight Division Rankings
A review and ranking of the UFC's Heavyweight division - February 2010 Update
July 2009 saw the crowning of the first Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion in a number of years when Brock Lesnar beat Frank Mir into submission in the second round of their rematch. However Lesnar suffered a major helth problem causing the UFC to announce an Interim Heavyweight Championship bout to be determined at UFC 111 with Frank Mir facing undefeated Shane Carwin. The rankings have changed more in recent months with Cain Velasquez defeating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110 to improve to 6-0 in UFC fights and fast-rising Junior Dos Santos now 4-0 in the UFC. Also be sure to see our MMA Heavyweight rankings as we take a look at the top heavyweight fighters in the UFC and other MMA organizations across the globe.
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Brock Lesnar dominated Frank Mir to get his revenge at UFC 100 in July 2009. Will they face off again in 2010? |
1. Brock Lesnar – (4-1, 3-1 UFC) – The recovering UFC Heavyweight Champion remains at the top of this month’s rankings despite not having defended his title in over seven months. After it was announced that Lesnar will make a full recovery, it was quickly rumored that he will face either Shane Carwin or Frank Mir sometime this summer.
2. Frank Mir – (13-4, 11-4 UFC) – After losing a title bout against Lesnar at UFC 100, Mir earned a much-needed victory at UFC 107 against Cheick Kongo to stay in the title hunt. He wasted little time in his domination of Kongo, submitting him during the first part of the very 1st round. He will face Shane Carwin for the interim heavyweight title in March in the co-main event atop the UFC 111 fight card.
3. Cain Velasquez – (8-0, 6-0 UFC) – He has steadily grown to be a true threat to Lesnar for the heavyweight crown. He has finished all of his opponents except for Cheick Kongo at UFC 99 during his streak. He demolished Ben Rothwell at UFC 104 in October and then knocked out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 110 proving that he is now ready to challenge for the title. He should get that shot in the fall of 2010.
4. Shane Carwin – (11-0, 3-0 UFC) – The Colorado-native has produced eleven straight stoppages to begin his career, including his latest UFC victory over Gabriel Gonzaga. He overwhelmed the perennial Brazilian contender knocking him out early in the 1st round of their UFC 96 bout nearly one year ago. He will fight for the interim heavyweight title against Frank Mir at UFC 111 in late March.
5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira – (32-6-1, 1 NC; 3-2 UFC) – Although dropping two of his last three fights inside the octagon, Nogueira still remains a top-5 heavyweight. He was outworked by the speed and power of Cain Velasquez at UFC 110, suffering only his second stoppage loss of his career. He remains one of the best of all-time and arguably the best submission specialist in heavyweight history. He should be back in action this summer.
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6. Junior Dos Santos – (10-1, 4-0 UFC) – Ever since coming to the UFC from Brazil, dos Santos has been nearly unstoppable. He has stopped all four UFC opponents, three of which in the 1 st round. He rarely gets any respect as a true title contender, although his resume is very impressive. He owns recent victories against Fabricio Werdum, Stefan Struve, Mirko Filipovic, and Gilbert Yvel. He is confirmed to fight Gabriel Gonzaga in March at the UFC on Versus 1. 7. Gabriel Gonzaga – (11-4, 7-3 UFC) – The former number one contender is back in the winning circle after suffering a loss to Shane Carwin at UFC 96. He stopped Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 102 with an impressive 1 st round TKO in August. He will try and put his name in the contender chase with a victory in his next fight; a March clash with the surging Junior dos Santos at UFC on Versus 1. 8. Cheick Kongo – (14-6-1; 7-4 UFC) – Once a legitimate contender, Kongo has taken a recent hit after losing back-to-back fights for the first time since signing with the UFC in 2006. He had won three straight before losing to Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir in 2009. His most recent loss to Mir happened in December, so he will not be back in action until sometime in late spring or early summer. |
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9. Roy Nelson – (14-4; 1-0 UFC) – The Ultimate Fighter season 10 champ is finally in the UFC competing against the world's best. His resume includes being the IFL champ; however his biggest victory so far has to be the TUF 10 finale 1st round KO of Brendan Schaub to earn his contract. His next test comes in the form of the dangerous 6'-11" Stefan Struve at UFC on Versus 1 on March 21.
10. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic – (26-7-2, 1 NC; 3-3 UFC) – “Cro Cop” gets a lot of heat for his failed UFC career; however his losses to Gonzaga, Kongo, and dos Santos were against high-level heavyweights. He recently demolished Anthony Perosh at UFC 110 after Ben Rothwell pulled out due to being ill. If he can take out Rothwell in spectacular fashion later this year, he will get a chance at a top fighter such as Nogueira. A couple of victories over fighters of that caliber and Cro Cop will be back in the championship mix.
Look for updates on the Top Ten UFC Rankings to be up the first week of every month from here on out, only on ProFighting-fans.com and don't miss the August 2009 UFC Heavyweight Rankings.
By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Senior Staff Writer
Published February 2010
Photo used with permission from the UFC
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