Rankings compiled by Richard Wade.

Lightweight is currently the only division where there is not absolute consensus about who is #1. #1 B.J. Penn is well ahead of the next most-highly ranked fighter, but only gets 97% of the possible points. There are a number of factors in operation here. 

First and foremost, Penn didn't just lose to #1 welterweight Georges St. Pierre, he lost badly. And then he complained and complained over "greasegate" -- not something that endears you to the fans or the fighting pundits.

Secondly, lightweight is the one division where the Japanese scene is still a big factor. This goes back to the three year period where the UFC put their lightweight divsion on hiatus. PRIDE was blowing it out with mega-tournaments and a steady diet of epi matches throughout that same period. The UFC also failed to acquire any of the top PRIDE lightweights (other than Marcus Aurelio) when they bought the troubled promotion. 

On the other hand, the extremely muddy outcome of 2008's DREAM Grand Prix meant that the Japanese vote is split. # 3 Eddie Alvarez beat #5 Joachim Hansen but lost to #4 Shinya Aoki, who in turn lost to Hansen.

B.J Penn will get his chance to clarify the picture against #2 Kenny Florian at UFC 101. If he dominates Florian the way he dominated #8 Sean Sherk, Joe Stevenson and Jens Pulver, there will be much less room to question his place at the top.

A Florian win will only muddy the waters in the short term.  

Eddie Alvarez managed to cruise through the first Bellator tournament which means he won't be available to face #13 Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante at DREAM.11. 

#4 Shinya Aoki will take on #21 Vitor Ribeiro at DREAM.10 on July 20th. Aoki is coming off a crushing loss to #11 welterweight Hayato "Mach" Sakurai at the DREAM.8 welterweight tournament opening round. Ribeiro TKO'd Katsuhiko Nagata on that same card in his first fight since 2007. 

No word on what's next for #5 Joachim Hansen. Frankly I'm worried about "Hellboy." He pulled out of a New Year's Eve match with JZ Calvancante due to a head injury and has hardly been heard of since. I hope he's healthy soon and ready to fight. 

#6 Tatsuya Kawajiri is riding high after getting a decision over JZ at DREAM.9. For Kawajiri, that was a huge career booster since he's lost his previous fights to top lightweights: #15 Takanori Gomi, #20 Gilbert Melendez and #3 Eddie Alvarez. "The Crusher" will be wasting his time fighting in K-1 against Masato in July and there is the possibility he will fight for the DREAM title after that.

#7 Frank Edgar is rising off his decision win over #8 Sean Sherk. Still waiting to hear what's next for both fighters. Personally, I'd like to see Edgar get #12 Diego Sanchez, but I expect Diego to get an immediate title shot instead.  I'd also like to see Sherk take on #19 Clay Guida. 

There's no word on who #10 Gray Maynard will face next. He could very well find himself opposite Sanchez in a title eliminator match, or he could be in line for the Fitch treatment, facing a long succession of tough but lesser known opponents until there is just no way to keep denying him a title shot.