top 10 MMA fighter rankings

10. Nick Diaz
Points: 19
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Stockton, Calif.
Record: 26-7, 1 no-contest (won past 11)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. B.J. Penn, unanimous decision, Oct. 29
Analysis:When he has his head on relatively straight, there are few finer fighters in the world than Diaz.

Fitch

9. Jon Fitch
Points: 39
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Record: 23-3-1, 1 no-contest (draw in previous fight)
Last month’s ranking: T-8
Most recent result: Majority draw vs. B.J. Penn, Feb. 21
Analysis: Have to ask the obligatory question posed to every top fighter coming off an injury: Will he suffer from Octagon rust when he returns? Fitch meets Johny Hendricks on Dec. 30.

Melendez

8. Gilbert Melendez
Points: 41
Affiliation: Strikeforce (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: San Francisco
Record: 19-2 (won past five)
Last month’s ranking: T-8
Most recent result: Def. Tatsuya Kawajiri, R1 TKO, April 9
Analysis:On the heels of Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson’s stellar performances in back-to-back months, Melendez will need to put on a show against Jorge Masvidal to keep up heat for a potential UFC title shot.

Dos Santos

7. Junior dos Santos
Points: 63
Affiliation: UFC (heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Salvador, Brazil
Record: 14-1 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: Unranked
Most recent result: Def. Cain Velasquez, R1 KO, Nov. 12
Analysis:Not much left to be said that hasn’t been said already in the wake of his win over Velasquez.

Cruz

6. Dominick Cruz
Points: 117
Affiliation: UFC (bantamweight champion)
Weight class: Bantamweight
Hometown: San Diego
Record: 18-1 (won past eight)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Most recent result: Def. Demetrious Johnson, unanimous decision, Oct. 1
Analysis:Waiting on the winner of the UFC 139 bout between Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles.

Aldo

5. Jose Aldo
Points: 136
Affiliation: UFC (featherweight champion)
Weight class: Featherweight
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro
Record: 20-1 (won past 13)
Last month’s ranking: 5
Most recent result: Def. Kenny Florian, unanimous decision, Oct. 8
Analysis: Expected to meet unbeaten Chad Mendes in his next title defense, which gives him the chance to silence the slowly growing chorus of doubters.

Edgar

4. Frankie Edgar
Points: 140
Affiliation: UFC (lightweight champion)
Weight class: Lightweight
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
Record: 14-1-1 (won past one)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: Def. Gray Maynard, R4 KO, Oct. 8
Analysis:His February title defense against Ben Henderson already is one of the most eagerly anticipated bouts of next year.

Jones

3. Jon Jones
Points: 152
Affiliation: UFC (light heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Endicott, N.Y.
Record: 14-1 (won previous five)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: Def. Quinton Jackson, R4 submission, Sept. 24
Analysis: Looks to make it three straight wins over men who have held the light heavyweight title when he meets Lyoto Machida on Dec. 10.

St. Pierre

2. Georges St. Pierre
Points: 189
Affiliation: UFC (welterweight champion)
Weight class: Welterweight
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 22-2 (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: Def. Jake Shields, unanimous decision, April 30
Analysis:Delayed bout with Diaz is sure to be worth the wait.

Silva

1. Anderson Silva
Points: 210 (21 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC (middleweight champion)
Weight class: Middleweight
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 29-4 (won past 14)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: Def. Yushin Okami, R2 TKO, Aug. 27
Analysis: Has the chance to show Chael Sonnen that Sonnen’s near-win last year was a fluke.

• Votes for others: Rashad Evans, 13; Gray Maynard, 12; Mauricio Rua, 10; Dan Henderson, 6; Lyoto Machida, 4; Cain Velasquez, Chael Sonnen, Ben Henderson, 2.
This month’s voting panel: Denny Burkholder, CBSSports.com; Elias Cepeda, Fight! Magazine; Mike Chiappetta MMAFighting.com and Fight! Magazine; Steve Cofield, Cagewriter and ESPN Radio 1100 Las Vegas; Neil Davidson The Canadian Press; Dave Doyle Yahoo! Sports; CTV Sportsnet;Ben Fowlkes, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAFighting.com; Josh Gross, ESPN.com; Ariel Helwani, Versus.com and MMAFighting.com; Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports; Damon Martin, MMAWeekly.com; Todd Martin, freelance; Franklin McNeil, ESPN.com; Steven Marrocco, SportsIllustrated.com and MMAjunkie.com; Dave Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports and The Wrestling Observer; John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com; Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com; Michael David Smith, MMAFighting.com; Mike Straka, Tapout TV; Dann Stupp, MMAjunkie.com and The Dayton Daily News;Jeff Wagenheim, SI.com.