Heavyweights (up to 265lbs.)
1 Brock Lesnar
5-1-0 UFC
Since November ’08, he’s stopped Carwin, Mir, and Couture. No heavyweight has better wins in that timeframe.
2 Fabricio Werdum
14-4-1 Strikeforce
He beat the greatest heavyweight of all time. Wins over Bigfoot Silva and Gonzaga aren’t too shabby, either.
3 Fedor Emelianenko
31-2-0 Strikeforce
Though he finally suffered a legitimate defeat, “The Last Emperor’s” fall is cushioned by wins over Sylvia, Arlovski, and Rogers.
4 Cain Velasquez
8-0-0 UFC
Will his cardio allow him to get the better of Lesnar where Carwin could not?
5 Shane Carwin
12-1-0 UFC
Expect Carwin to go back to ending fights in the first round with gusto.
6 Junior dos Santos
11-1-0 UFC
Fun with MMA math: He beat the guy who beat Fedor. Next up: Roy Nelson. The winner will likely receive a UFC heavyweight title shot.
7 Alistair Overeem
33-11-0 Strikeforce
His only notable heavyweight victories since 2006 have been in Strikeforce (Rogers, Buentello), but his knockouts are dazzling.
8 Frank Mir
13-5-0 UFC
Mir probably can’t compete with the top contenders in the division, but he may be the best of the rest.
9 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
32-6-1 UFC
He flashed back to his former glory by beating Couture, but not much else has gone his way since beating Sylvia for the interim UFC title in 2008.
10 Antonio Silva
14-2-0 Strikeforce
May have put the final nail in the coffin of Arlovski’s hopes of once again contending for a title.
11 Josh Barnett
25-5-0 FA
His dependence on performance enhancing drugs will relegate him to a career outside of the US for the foreseeable future.
12 Roy Nelson
15-4-0 UFC
Though his inclusion highlights the weakness of the division more than his accomplishments, a win over dos Santos would silence his critics for good.
On the brink: Brett Rogers (Strikeforce, 10-2), Mike Russow (UFC, 13-1-0, 1 NC), Cheick Kongo (UFC, 15-6-1)