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Compiling the rankings of twenty top mixed martial arts web sites, the USA TODAY / SB Nation Consensus MMA Rankings present the top 25 fighters in MMA for the seven major weight classes. These world MMA rankings are the most accurate reflection of how the top fighters in MMA across all promotions like UFC, WEC, Affliction and DREAM are viewed by the experts who cover the sport.

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted February 24, 2010

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1 Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 96 UFC 2
3 Frank Mir 90 UFC 3
4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 85 UFC 4
5 Cain Velasquez 79 UFC 6
6 Junior dos Santos 76 UFC 5
7 Shane Carwin 72 UFC 8
8 Brett Rogers 69 Strikeforce 7
9 Alistair Overeem 61 K-1/DREAM/Strikeforce 10
10 Fabricio Werdum 57 Strikeforce 10
11 Andrei Arlovski 50 ??? 12
12 Josh Barnett 49 WVR 9
13 Gabriel Gonzaga 31 UFC 13
14 Randy Couture 27 UFC 17
15 Ray Mercer 27 Adrenaline 20
16 Aleksander Emelianenko 27 ProFC 22
17 Antonio Silva 26 WVR/Strikeforce 15
18 Pedro Rizzo 26 Free Agent 23
19 Muhammed Lawal 26 Strikeforce 25
20 Mirko Filipovic 26 UFC 27
21 Sergei Kharitonov 26 DREAM 19
22 Jeff Monson 25 Free Agent 14
23 Ben Rothwell 25 UFC 15
24 Tim Sylvia 25 Adrenaline 18
25 Cheick Kongo 25 UFC 28
11

Analysis by Kid Nate

The biggest news in the heavyweight division this month is definitely the eclipsing of #4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira by #5 Cain Velasquez at UFC 110.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted January 29, 2010

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1 Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 96 UFC 2
3 Frank Mir 90 UFC 4
4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 88 UFC 3
5 Junior dos Santos 77 UFC 5
6 Cain Velasquez 74 UFC 6
7 Brett Rogers 69 Strikeforce 9
8 Shane Carwin 66 UFC 8
9 Josh Barnett 61 WVR 7
10 Alistair Overeem 56 K-1/DREAM/Strikeforce 10
10 Fabricio Werdum 56 Strikeforce 11
12 Andrei Arlovski 46 ??? 12
13 Gabriel Gonzaga 26 UFC 13
14 Jeff Monson 24 Free Agent 14
15 Antonio Silva 22 WVR/Strikeforce 16
15 Ben Rothwell 22 UFC 19
17 Randy Couture 21 UFC 17
18 Tim Sylvia 20 Adrenaline 15
19 Sergei Kharitonov 20 DREAM 33
20 Ray Mercer 20 Adrenaline 23
21 Semmy Schilt 19 K-1 23
22 Aleksander Emelianenko 19 ProFC 26
23 Pedro Rizzo 19 Free Agent 20
23 Stefan Struve 19 UFC NR
25 Roy Nelson 18 UFC 25
25 Muhammed Lawal 18 Strikeforce 29
49

Analysis by Kid Nate

The biggest story by far in the heavyweight ranks over the last 90 days has been the health of UFC Heavyweight champion #2 Brock Lesnar.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted December 17, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1 Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 96 UFC 2
3 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 89 UFC 3
4 Frank Mir 87 UFC 4
5 Junior dos Santos 75 UFC 5
6 Cain Velasquez 69 UFC 7
7 Josh Barnett 67 WVR 6
8 Shane Carwin 67 UFC 9
9 Brett Rogers 66 Strikeforce 8
10 Alistair Overeem 58 DREAM/Strikeforce 11
11 Fabricio Werdum 54 Strikeforce 10
12 Andrei Arlovski 40 ??? 13
13 Gabriel Gonzaga 25 UFC 16
14 Jeff Monson 24 Strikeforce 14
15 Tim Sylvia 23 Adrenaline 15
16 Antonio Silva 22 WVR/Strikeforce 18
17 Randy Couture 22 UFC 12
18 Cheick Kongo 21 UFC 17
19 Ben Rothwell 20 UFC 21
20 Pedro Rizzo 19 Free Agent 19
21 Marcio Cruz 19 Art of Fighting 19
22 Gilbert Yvel 18 UFC 22
23 Ray Mercer 17 Adrenaline 22
23 Semmy Schilt 17 K-1 22
25 Roy Nelson 17 UFC 25
49

Analysis by Kid Nate

One thing that hasn't changed in the heavyweight division in the last year is #1 Fedor Emelianenko's lock on the top spot. Over the last twelve months, his convincing wins over #12 Andre Arlvoski (was #3 one year ago) and #9 Brett Rogers (was unranked a year ago) have only solidified that position.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted November 19, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1 Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 96 UFC 2
3 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 88 UFC 3
4 Frank Mir 86 UFC 4
5 Junior dos Santos 74 UFC 7
6 Josh Barnett 74 WVR 5
7 Cain Velasquez 67 UFC 11
8 Brett Rogers 65 Strikeforce 8
9 Shane Carwin 62 UFC 6
10 Fabricio Werdum 50 Strikeforce 13
11 Alistair Overeem 50 DREAM/Strikeforce 11
12 Randy Couture 49 UFC 9
13 Andrei Arlovski 44 ??? 10
14 Jeff Monson 27 Free Agent 14
15 Tim Sylvia 26 Adrenaline 18
16 Gabriel Gonzaga 24 UFC 15
17 Cheick Kongo 23 UFC 16
18 Antonio Silva 22 WVR/Strikeforce 22
19 Pedro Rizzo 21 Free Agent 19
19 Marcio Cruz 21 Art of Fighting 23
21 Ben Rothwell 21 UFC 17
22 Gilbert Yvel 20 Fight Force International 24
22 Ray Mercer 20 Adrenaline 26
22 Semmy Schilt 20 K-1 24
25 Aleksander Emelianenko 19 ProFC 20
25 Roy Nelson 19 UFC 21
64

Analysis by Kid Nate

November was supposed to be the most epic month in heavyweight MMA since August. Both #1 Fedor Emelianenko and #2 Brock Lesnar were set to fight. But just as in August, fate intervened and only one of the two titans of the division actually competed.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted October 29, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 96 UFC 2
3 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 88 UFC 3
4 Frank Mir 87 UFC 4
5 Josh Barnett 71 WVR 5
6 Shane Carwin 71 UFC 7
7 Junior dos Santos 70 UFC 6
8 Brett Rogers 67 Strikeforce 8
9 Randy Couture 65 UFC 8
10 Andrei Arlovski 51 ??? 10
11 Alistair Overeem 49 DREAM/Strikeforce 12
11 Cain Velasquez 49 UFC 11
13 Fabricio Werdum 41 Strikeforce 13
14 Jeff Monson 26 Free Agent 14
15 Gabriel Gonzaga 25 UFC 15
16 Cheick Kongo 22 UFC 16
17 Ben Rothwell 22 UFC 19
18 Tim Sylvia 21 Adrenaline 16
19 Pedro Rizzo 20 Free Agent 18
20 Aleksander Emelianenko 19 ProFC 20
21 Roy Nelson 19 UFC 21
22 Antonio Silva 18 WVR 22
23 Marcio Cruz 18 Art of Fighting 23
24 Gilbert Yvel 17 Fight Force International 24
24 Semmy Schilt 17 K-1 24
29

Analysis by Kid Nate

November is the big month for heavyweights. Ok, well it's not quite as big as it was going to be until yesterday, but it's still big.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted October 1, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 96 UFC 2
3 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 89 UFC 4
4 Frank Mir 86 UFC 3
5 Josh Barnett 75 WVR 6
6 Junior dos Santos 69 UFC 14
7 Shane Carwin 68 UFC 7
8 Randy Couture 65 UFC 5
8 Brett Rogers 65 Strikeforce 9
10 Andrei Arlovski 59 Strikeforce 8
11 Cain Velasquez 49 UFC 11
12 Alistair Overeem 44 DREAM/Strikeforce 10
13 Fabricio Werdum 38 Strikeforce 12
14 Jeff Monson 29 Free Agent 13
15 Gabriel Gonzaga 24 UFC 18
16 Tim Sylvia 23 Adrenaline 16
16 Cheick Kongo 23 UFC 17
18 Pedro Rizzo 21 Free Agent
29
19 Ben Rothwell 21 UFC 19
20 Aleksander Emelianenko 19 ProFC 21
21 Roy Nelson 19 UFC 20
22 Antonio Silva 18 WVR 21
23 Marcio Cruz 18 Art of Fighting 25
24 Gilbert Yvel 17 Fight Force International 28
24 Mirko Filipovic 17 UFC 15
24 Semmy Schilt 17 K-1 26
45

Analysis by Kid Nate

After a pretty packed summer for heavyweight action, the best on tap in the near future is tonight's Kimbo Slice vs #21 Roy Nelson on The Ultimate Fighter.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted August 27, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1 Global/Strikeforce 1
2 Brock Lesnar 95 UFC 2
3 Frank Mir 87 UFC 4
4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 85 UFC 5
5 Randy Couture 80 UFC 6
6 Josh Barnett 79 Affliction* 3
7 Shane Carwin 66 UFC 7
8 Andrei Arlovski 62 Strikeforce 9
9 Brett Rogers 62 Strikeforce 8
10 Alistair Overeem 59 Strikeforce/DREAM 10
11 Cain Velasquez 41 UFC 11
12 Fabricio Werdum 34 Strikeforce 14
13 Jeff Monson 34 Free Agent 12
14 Junior dos Santos 31 UFC 13
15 Mirko Filipovic 27 UFC 15
16 Tim Sylvia 23 Adrenaline 16
17 Cheick Kongo 23 UFC 17
18 Gabriel Gonzaga 21 UFC 21
19 Ben Rothwell 20 UFC 18
20 Roy Nelson 19 UFC 19
21 Antonio Silva 18 WVR 22
21 Aleksander Emelianenko 18 ProFC 22
23 Heath Herring 17 UFC 24
24 Paul Buentello 17 UFC 24
25 Marcio Cruz 17 Art of Fighting 26
79

Analysis by Kid Nate

It was just announced that #1 Fedor Emelianenko will face #9 Brett Rogers this fall for Strikeforce. Not the dream Fedor vs Lesnar match we were all hoping for, but probably as good as we're going to get.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted July 29, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 M-1 Global 1
2 Brock Lesnar 94 UFC 5
3 Josh Barnett 92 ??? 2
4 Frank Mir 86 UFC 3
5 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 83 UFC 4
6 Randy Couture 79 UFC 6
7 Shane Carwin 64 UFC 7
8 Brett Rogers 63 Strikeforce 8
9 Andrei Arlovski 58 Strikeforce 9
10 Alistair Overeem 56 Strikeforce 10
11 Cain Velasquez 43 UFC 11
12 Jeff Monson 37 Free Agent 12
13 Junior dos Santos 32 UFC 17
14 Fabricio Werdum 31 Strikeforce 14
15 Mirko Filipovic 28 UFC 13
16 Tim Sylvia 26 Adrenaline 15
17 Cheick Kongo 22 UFC 16
18 Ben Rothwell 21 UFC 19
19 Roy Nelson 20 UFC 24
20 Gegard Mousasi 19 Strikeforce 22
21 Gabriel Gonzaga 18 UFC 21
22 Antonio Silva 18 WVR 18
22 Aleksander Emelianenko 18 ProFC 19
24 Paul Buentello 17 ??? 24
24 Heath Herring 17 UFC 28
45

Analysis by Kid Nate

Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men... A month ago I confidently asserted that "the next 70 days will see some of the biggest heavyweight fights in MMA history. If everything goes according to plan..." Famous last words.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted June 24, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last 
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 Affliction 1
2 Josh Barnett 94 Affliction 2
3 Frank Mir 90 UFC 3
4 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 85 UFC 5
5 Brock Lesnar 80 UFC 6
6 Randy Couture 77 UFC 7
7 Shane Carwin 64 UFC 9
8 Brett Rogers 60 Strikeforce 26
9 Andrei Arlovski 60 Strikeforce 4
10 Alistair Overeem 59 DREAM/Strikeforce 10
11 Cain Velasquez 41 UFC 19
12 Jeff Monson 34 DREAM 15
13 Mirko Filipovic 34 DREAM 14
14 Fabricio Werdum 30 Strikeforce 11
15 Tim Sylvia 29 Adrenaline 8
16 Cheick Kongo 26 UFC 12
17 Junior dos Santos 25 UFC 13
18 Antonio Silva 23 WVR 17
19 Ben Rothwell 22 Adrenaline 18
19 Aleksander Emelianenko 22 Fighting Mixed Combative 23
21 Gabriel Gonzaga 20 UFC 16
22 Gegard Mousasi 19 DREAM 24
23 Chris Tuchscherer 18 UFC NR
24 Roy Nelson 17 UFC 20
24 Paul Buentello 17 Affliction 21
66

Analysis by Kid Nate

Buckle your seatbelts fight fans, the next 70 days will see some of the biggest heavyweight fights in MMA history. If everything goes according to plan, there will be clarity in the division for the first time since the collapse of PRIDE.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted May 28, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last
1 Fedor Emelianenko 100 Affliction 1
2 Josh Barnett 92 Affliction 2
3 Frank Mir 90 UFC
4
4 Andrei Arlovski 88 Strikeforce 3
5 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 83 UFC 5
6 Brock Lesnar 78 UFC 6
7 Randy Couture 75 UFC 7
8 Tim Sylvia 58 Adrenaline 8
9 Shane Carwin 58 UFC 10
10 Alistair Overeem 53 DREAM/Strikeforce 9
11 Fabricio Werdum 40 Strikeforce 11
12 Cheick Kongo 35 UFC 12
13 Junior dos Santos 33 UFC 13
14 Mirko Filipovic 31 UFC 15
15 Jeff Monson 30 DREAM 14
16 Gabriel Gonzaga 26 UFC 16
17 Antonio Silva 24 WVR 17
18 Ben Rothwell 23 Adrenaline 18
19 Cain Velasquez 21 UFC 20
20 Roy Nelson 18 Free Agent
21
21 Paul Buentello 18 Affliction 23
21 Sergei Kharitonov 17 DREAM 21
23 Aleksander Emelianenko 17 Free Agent 19
24 Gegard Mousasi 16 DREAM NR
25 Marcio Cruz
16 WVR NR
21

Analysis by Kid Nate

The heavyweight division has endured months of stasis but big changes will be coming to the division this summer.

Disagree? Read more & discuss at Bloody Elbow »

About the Rankings

compiled by Kid Nate and Richard Wade of Bloody Elbow

Bloody ElbowBased on the premise that all MMA rankings are subjective but that it’s still useful and informative to know who the online MMA community as a whole ranks as the best fighters in MMA, we collect and average the rankings of the top MMA websites to produce our consensus rankings. Show more »

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