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Compiling the rankings of twenty top mixed martial arts web sites, the USA TODAY / MMA 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, Strikeforce and ProElite are viewed by the experts who cover the sport.

Light Heavyweight MMA

Consensus Rankings posted May 27, 2009

Rank Fighter % Promotion Last Rank
1 Lyoto Machida 96 UFC 3
2 Rashad Evans 96 UFC 1
3 Quinton Jackson 94 UFC 2
4 Forrest Griffin 87 UFC 4
5 Mauricio Rua 84 UFC 5
6 Keith Jardine 68 UFC 6
7 Wanderlei Silva 59 UFC 7
8 Antonio Rogerio Nogueira 55 Affliction 8
9 Renato Sobral 53 Strikeforce 9
10 Luiz Cane 48 UFC 13
11 Thiago Silva 45 UFC 11
11 Chuck Liddell 45 UFC 10
13 Dan Henderson 40 UFC 12
14 Rich Franklin 30 UFC 14
15 Tito Ortiz 22 Unsigned 15
16 Vladimir Matyushenko 20 Free Agent 16
17 Matt Hamill 19 UFC 18
18 Brandon Vera 17 UFC 17
19 Goran Reljic 15 UFC 28
20 Sokoudjou 15 DREAM 20
21 Jon Jones 14 UFC 22
22 Steve Cantwell 14 UFC 19
23 Jason Brilz 14 UFC 22
24 Jared Hamman 13 Strikeforce 24
25 Muhammed Lawal 13 WVR 24
25 Rafael Cavalcante 13 Strikeforce 20
40

Analysis by Kid Nate

With the emphatic rise of new #1 Lyoto Machida, the 205lb division rankings are probably as definitive as they have been in ten years. Not since the heyday of Frank Shamrock as UFC champ has there been an undisputed champion. Throughout the runs of Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell atop the UFC Light Heavyweight division, Wanderlei Silva was in the midst of his impressive run as the PRIDE champion.

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 »

Sources

Jeremy Botter, Heavy MMA
Fight Matrix
Jordan Breen, Sherdog
Jim Genia, Full Contact Fighter
Jesse Holland, MMA Mania
Kevin Iole, Yahoo!
Eric Kamander, MMA Ratings
MMA Playground
MMA Weekly
Leland Roling, Bloody Elbow
Matthew Roth, Head Kick Legend
Wojslaw Rysiewski, MMA Rocks
Michael David Smith, MMA Fighting
Derek Suboticki, Fightlinker
Luke Thomas, SB Nation