Bloody Elbow, for MMA and UFC news

#6 Junior Dos Santos didn't get any bump from beating #19 Roy Nelson at UFC 117. But he earned a title shot against the winner of #1 Brock Lesnar vs #4 Cain Velasquez at October's UFC 121.

Wow. What a historic month in MMA. We knew going in that it would be a big month given that the #1 and #2 heavyweights would both be fighting, but no one quite expected the way things turned out.

This is the calm before the storm. This weekend will see long reigning #1 Fedor Emelianenko face #9 Fabricio Werdum on Strikeforce; Fedor vs Werdum Showtime. Then the following weekend we'll see #2 Brock Lesnar face #3 Shane Carwin in a UFC heavyweight title unification bout at UFC 116 on July 3rd.

In less than a month we'll get to see the world's top two heavyweights -- #1 Fedor Emelianenko and #2 Brock Lesnar -- in action for the first time in 2010. Fedor will face #9 Fabricio Werdum at Strikeforce's June 26th event. Brock will face #3 Shane Carwin on July 3rd at UFC 116.

There's a certain unreality to the very top of the division these days with #1 Fedor Emelianenko skipping out on Strikeforce's second CBS show due to his management wanting....something.

With #1 Fedor Emelianenko's next fight date forever receding just beyond the horizon like a mirage in the desert, fans of top flight heavyweight action are turning increasingly to the UFC.

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.

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.

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Josh Barnett (24-5) tops the list as the best free agent fighter in the heavyweight division. In terms of actual mixed martial arts skill, Barnett is the cream of the crop among free agents.

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.