Happy Thanksgiving _ Topp MMA Ranking - Best Pound For Pound Fighter

10. Jon Fitch


Points: 23

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class:Welterweight

Hometown: San Jose, Calif.

Record: 23-3, 1 no-contest (won past five)

Last month’s ranking: unranked

Most recent result: Def. Thiago Alves, unanimous decision, Aug. 7

Analysis:Would a finish here and there instead of one decision win after another help perception of Fitch? Sure. But there’s no denying his results.









Shields



9. Jake Shields

Points: 35

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class: Welterweight (never lost Strikeforce middleweight title)

Hometown: San Francisco

Record: 26-4-1 (has won past 15)

Last month’s ranking: 9

Most recent result: Def. Martin Kampmann, split decision, Oct. 23

Analysis: Didn’t help himself with a listless performance in his UFC debut.









Emelianenko

8. Fedor Emelianenko

Points: 51

Affiliation: Strikeforce/M-1

Weight class: Heavyweight

Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia

Record: 31-2, one no-contest (lost last one)

Last month’s ranking: T-6

Most recent result: Lost to Fabricio Werdum, R1 submission, June 26

Analysis: Emelianenko is a year removed from his most recent victory and has no next fight in sight.











Velasquez

7. Cain Velasquez

Points: 64

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class: Heavyweight (UFC heavyweight champion)

Hometown: Salinas, Calif.

Record: 9-0 (won past nine)

Last month’s ranking: unranked

Most recent result: def. Brock Lesnar, R1 TKO, Oct. 23

Analysis: Has passed every test with flying colors. Next up: Junior dos Santos and his nasty striking.











Cruz

6. Dominick Cruz

Points: 73

Affiliation: WEC

Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)

Hometown: San Diego

Record: 16-1 (has won past seven)

Last month’s ranking: T-6

Most recent result: Def. Joseph Benavidez, split decision, Aug. 18

Analysis:Has to get past the underrated Scott Jorgensen on Dec. 16 before he can officially become the first UFC 135-pound champ.









Edgar



5. Frank Edgar

Points: 111

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)

Hometown: Toms River, N.J.

Record: 13-1 (has won past five)

Last month’s ranking: 5

Most recent result: Def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, Aug. 28

Analysis: Has the chance to avenge the only blemish on his record when he meets Gray Maynard on New Year’s evening.







Rua



4. Mauricio Rua

Points: 118

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)

Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil

Record: 19-4 (won previous fight)

Last month’s ranking: 4

Most recent result: Def. Lyoto Machida, R1 TKO, May 8

Analysis: Most recent rumors have his return from knee surgery pegged for a Match Abu Dhabi date with Rashad Evans.











Aldo



3. Jose Aldo

Points: 156

Affiliation: WEC

Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)

Hometown: Rio de Janeiro

Record: 17-1 (has won past 10)

Last month’s ranking: 3

Most recent result: Def. Manny Gamburyan, R2 TKO, Sept. 20

Analysis:Had to pull out of Jan. 1 fight with Josh Grispi due to a compressed vertebrae.









Silva



2. Anderson Silva

Points: 186 (9 first-place votes)

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)

Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil

Record: 27-4 (has won past 12)

Last month’s ranking: 2

Most recent result: Def. Chael Sonnen, R5 submission, Aug. 7

Analysis:Super Bowl weekend showdown with Vitor Belfort looms.









St. Pierre



1. Georges St. Pierre

Points: 191 (11 first-place votes)

Affiliation: UFC

Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)

Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec

Record: 20-2 (has won past seven)

Last month’s ranking: 1

Most recent result: Def. Dan Hardy, unanimous decision, March 27

Analysis: Some fighters look to avenge losses. St. Pierre’s bar is set so high, he’ll be looking to avenge the guy who last won a round against him three years ago in Josh Koscheck.



Thoughts ???