Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

- Lyoto Machida retained his light-heavyweight title in a very controversial decision over Mauricio Rua at UFC 104. Luckily, there will be an immediate rematch between the two Brazilian standouts.

- DREAM’s first “White Cage” event featured another lopsided win for Alistair Overeem, another head kick knockout by Marius Zaromskis, and another back-from-the-dead victory for Kazushi Sakuraba.

- A month-long flu has forced Brock Lesnar to pull out of his title defense against Shane Carwin at UFC 106. Coincidentally, Carwin himself had been battling swine flu, but that wasn’t going to make him puss out of the fight.

- Rashad Evans became the first coach in Ultimate Fighter history to win seven fights in the round-of-16, as the imbalanced Matt “Meathead” Mitrione scored an upset over well-traveled veteran Scott Junk on Wednesday’s episode of TUF 10. Rampage responded by savagely assaulting a door.

- We took a look at some of the nastiest leg-kicks in MMA history.

- Fedor Emelianenko looked disturbingly passionate in the first leaked image from EA’s new MMA video game, and mighty dapper in his Glorious Sweater of Absolute Victory.

- Sexy UFC ring girl Natasha Wicks (aka “the blonde one”) modeled some Halloween costumes for all her drooling fans. Speaking of which, if you happen to be going out as an MMA fighter this Halloween, e-mail a picture of yourself to feedback@cagepotato.com by tomorrow night, and you can win a $100 gift card from MMA Warehouse.

One month ago I had a lot of debate as to who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

After UFC 101, my questions were answered.

Long have I felt Fedor Emelianenko was the best in the world no matter the weight class, but that honor I now give to Anderson Silva following his absolutely flawless win over Forrest Griffin.

The Silva victory combined with Emelianenko opting to sign with Strikeforce puts Silva at No.1 in my book. When making this list I am considering the fighters as they are today, not as they were five years ago. Emelianenko looked a little sloppy in his last fight and is now going to have much easier competition as a whole in Strikeforce, whereas Silva and Georges St. Pierre have fought the best and looked impressive doing so.
So, here is my list. As always, I encourage healthy discussions.

1. Anderson Silva (24-4) – Middleweight/Light Heavyweight – UFC
If you really look at, the Silva vs. Griffin fight was every bit as big as St. Pierre vs. Penn from a standpoint that you had a champion from one weight class facing a bigger fighter that was one fight removed from being the champion in that weight class as well. Silva made Griffin look like Glass Joe from Mike Tyson Punch Out and basically made Griffin quit out of embarrassment (which has caused me to stop reading Forrest’s book, as he know seems to look like a hypocrite). After that display, I truly feel that Silva could not only be Light Heavyweight champion, I have serious beliefs that he is the kind of guy that could actually beat a guy like Brock Lesnar. His accuracy and power while backing up would be a problem for Lesnar in more ways than one. Brock wouldn’t be able to get a takedown without eating a solid knee or punch that could put him down. I know many of you think I am crazy probably, but that is the way I feel.

2. Georges St. Pierre (19-2) – Welterweight – UFC
I used to think GSP could give Silva a fight, but I don’t feel so good about that now. If Silva was to move to Light Heavyweight on a permanent basis, I would like to see GSP move up to middleweight for a new set of challenges. Guys like Mike Swick and Martin Kampmann don’t seem to present much of a challenge and nobody is going to be excited to see rematches with Jon Fitch or Thiago Alves. Middleweight could present some intriguing fights and would really test GSP.

3. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1-1) – Heavyweight – Strikeforce
Well, again this is all about present day and Fedor hasn’t done anything as of late to keep his top ranking while guys like Silva and St. Pierre are beating some of the best. Fedor had no control over what happened with Affliction: Trilogy, but the option to sign with the UFC was there and he turned it down. He has to know that UFC has better overall talent and hosting an exhibition sparring match with Gegard Mousasi is not going to get me excited. I think Fedor’s career is probably the best of anyone, but in terms of best fighter in the world today, I don’t see him as No. 1.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

- Brock Lesnar, Georges St. Pierre, and Dan Henderson were dominant at UFC 100 — but Lesnar’s post-fight antics made him a villain in the eyes of many fans.

- The UFC’s new ring girl is hot, blonde, and all-natural.

- Kimbo Slice’s “Ultimate Fighter” housemates should be thankful he wasn’t allowed to bring a gun on the set.

- Fedor Emelianenko will probably never face Brock Lesnar in the UFC due to disagreements on contract terms. But that isn’t stopping some bookmakers from offering bets on the non-existant fight.

- Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg visited New York to hype the biggest women’s MMA match of all time. Sounds like a perfect time for Carano’s scumbag ex-boyfriend to release that sex tape.

- Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is not a fan of either Rashad Evans or Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal.

- PRIDE legend Igor Vovchanchyn will return to action in September, while Jose Aldo and Mike Brown will get it on for the WEC featherweight belt in November.

- Floyd Mayweather Jr. says white people invented MMA because they couldn’t compete in boxing. What a fascinating theory, Professor Money…

At one point following UFC 100 this past weekend, I felt like there are a lot of new questions about who the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is.

Georges St. Pierre certainly raised his stock with a definitive win over Thiago Alves, who was considered to be GSP’s toughest fight to date prior to UFC 100.

Brock Lesnar also deserves some consideration for his dominant performance over Frank Mir, which left many wondering who can beat him.

Here is my personalized top 10 ranking of who I feel are the top 10 overall fighters in the world. In making this list, I consider win-loss record, how convincingly the fighters have won their most recent fights, and their appeal to other fans. Well, here we go:

1. Fedor Emelianeko (30-1-1) – Heavyweight – Affliction
About a year ago, I was one of those people that claimed that Fedor was overrated and didn’t fight the best. Well, after two quick KO’s of Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski, you can’t argue that Fedor is not the best. The guy has virtually never lost, with his lone loss coming on a cut. The guy never changes his expression and never makes a mistake in his fights. Until someone beats him cleanly, Fedor will be at the top of my list.

Read the rest of this entry »

With UFC 100 a week away on July 11, I decided to look back at what got the UFC to this point. Here is my take on what I believe are the 10 most significant fights in UFC history, helping the company become what it is today.

1. Stephan Bonner vs. Forrest Griffin – Ultimate Fighter Finale 1: This fight was not only the most memorable fight to watch, but may also be the fight that really pushed the UFC into the next level of mainstream popularity. Following the debut season of The Ultimate Fighter, a show which UFC President Dana White and co-owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta funded out of their own pocket, the finale took place live on Spike TV, which was airing live fights for the first time in the history of cable television. The UFC knew it needed something big to happen to not only keep a cable television deal, but earn future advertisers, and also prolong its reality show for future seasons. Bonner vs. Griffin delivered just that. The two fought to the very end and both were so even, it was impossible to decide a clear winner for most fans. The fight at one point drew 10 million viewers, which was just what the UFC needed. The back-and-forth, non-stopped action gave the UFC an identity to fans that had never seen it before and got the ball rolling that has allowed the UFC to snowball into what it is today.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

- Bobby Lashley made Bob Sapp tap twice and Gilbert Yvel KO’d Pedro Rizzo at last week’s ‘Ultimate Chaos’ event.

- Nick Diaz and Joe Riggs may be settling an old rivalry next month. But will anybody see it?

- With UFC 100 coming up next Saturday, we counted down the 10 greatest UFC events of all time.

- Nobody seems to think Michael Bisping has a chance against Dan Henderson in their UFC 100 fight. Though if he really plans on out-wrestling Hendo, maybe he really is doomed.

- Indiana became the 39th U.S. state to begin regulating MMA. Last state to legalize the sport is a rotten egg!

- Rampage Jackson says he’ll be knocking out Rashad Evans in his hometown of Memphis in December.

- Tito Ortiz fooled us for the last time.

- We chatted with Jon Fitch about the stupidity of trash-talk and the challenges of fighting a man in a dress.

Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

- YouTube star/MMA punchline Kimbo Slice has agreed to redeem himself on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. Between his outsized presence and the rivalry between coaches Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans, TUF 10 should be utterly insane.

- The New York State Assembly voted in favor of a bill that would allow MMA to be regulated in New York. Could we be seeing UFC shows at Madison Square Garden in 2010?

- Despite being KTFO’d at UFC 98, Rashad Evans still claims that Lyoto Machida hits like a bitch.

- We put together a highlight reel of Kazushi Sakuraba’s most brutal beatings and took a look back at MMA’s most influential fighters.

- Contrary to popular belief, Andrei Arlovski never said “how’s taste my pee pee pee?”

- Joe Riggs accused Phil Baroni of steroids, while Phil Baroni claimed that it’s only lack of sex that makes him such a monster.

- “Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields” and “WEC: Brown vs. Faber II” go down this weekend. Swing by CagePotato.com Saturday night starting at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT for our liveblog of the Strikeforce show, and Sunday morning for full results from the WEC event. Get familiar with the fights by reading this heated debate and our gambling advice here and here.

Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

- Last Saturday at UFC 98, Lyoto Machida buried the last of his “boring” image by knocking out Rashad Evans in the second round and stealing his light-heavyweight title. We wondered if Machida and Anderson Silva had switched bodies, and if Machida’s recent dominance means the light-heavyweight division is no longer “stacked.”

- Instead of taking an immediate shot at Machida’s shiny new belt, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has agreed to coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Rashad Evans; Machida will make his first defense against Mauricio Rua.

- Speaking of TUF, Wednesday’s episode featured Team U.S. evening the score to 4-4 heading into the semi-finals, as the toothless Frank Lester got a callback as an alternate and outlasted Team U.K.’s “best guy.”

- You may think you’re a badass, but don’t bring that attitude into Xtreme Couture or your ass will get “greenlighted.”

- After a four-year absence, radio host/t-shirt designer/occasional fighter Frank Trigg is heading back to the Octagon. Is a reunion fight with Matt Hughes in the works?

- Gina Carano is a little doll, and we stared at MMA fighter Miesha Tate’s booty for a while.

- DREAM.9 featured the sad MMA debut of Jose Canseco, and a middleweight championship main event that ended with blood and chaos. You can watch some videos here and here.

Here’s a weekly rundown of MMA content from Ben Goldstein of CagePotato.com:

- Quinton “Rampage” Jackson scored a unanimous decision victory over Keith Jardine at last Saturday’s UFC 96. After the fight, Jackson was offered an opportunity to challenge Rashad Evans in late May for the light-heavyweight title that used to belong to him, but nagging injuries will keep him out of action until later this year. Instead, undefeated Brazilian contender Lyoto Machida will be the challenger for Evans’s first title defense.

- Charles “Mask” Lewis, co-founder of the MMA apparel/lifestyle company TapouT, died in a car accident late Tuesday night in Neport Beach after colliding with another car. The other driver survived, though he was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving.

For a photo tribute to Charles Lewis, click here to head to COMBATLIFESTYLE.COM.

- Following a positive steroid test after his last fight, MMA legend Ken Shamrock has been suspended from competition for one year and will not be able to take on Bobby Lashley later this month at the Roy Jones Jr.-promoted “March Badness” card. He will be replaced by Clay Guida’s ne’er-do-well brother Jason.

- New York Assemblymen Jonathan Bing and Rob Walker told us why MMA belongs in New York State, while grumpy old man Bob Reilly told us why it’s bad for society.

- UFC lightweight champ BJ Penn filed a formal complaint with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, claiming that Georges St. Pierre cheated during their UFC 94 fight though improper usage of Vaseline, and speculated that he may have ingested a substance that made his body slippery.

- The cast of “The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K.” was announced.

- Even legendary boxing promoter/double-murderer Don King wants a piece of the MMA action.

- At a press conference on Thursday, it was announced that former EliteXC welterweight champ Jake Shields and former EliteXC middleweight champ Robbie Lawler will face off in a non-title fight at Strikeforce’s May event. Also, Nick Diaz gave Frank Shamrock the finger.

After two huge shows from Affliction and the UFC, it’s time again for another top 10 ranking of the best pound-for-pound MMA fighters in the world. What will change, who will remain, and who has been all but eliminated from superstardom?

First, let’s look at the mega fights that occurred.

Georges St. Pierre took on BJ Penn, Fedor Emelianenko battled Andrei Arlovski, and undefeated Lyoto Machida went up against undefeated Silva. Opinions on the overall best still may differ but one thing is for sure, changes are still forthright in 2009.

Below is our ranking of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, regardless of weight class.

1. Anderson Silva- 185/205 (UFC)
Most complete fighter in the game. Unstoppable striking and black belt jiu jitsu. Silva has dominated the 185-class like no one has ever before him.

2. Georges St. Pierre – 170 (UFC/UCC)
Best athlete in MMA, a total package of talent from wrestling, striking and solid submission skills. St. Pierre could move up to 185 if not for Silva.

3. Fedor Emelianenko – Heavyweight (Affliction/Pride)
Great ground and pound, heavy hands and sambo submissions. If he faced stronger competition and he showed more dominant control he’d move up higher.

4. Rashad Evans – 205 (UFC)
Great collegiate wrestler who has vastly improved striking with big knockout power. Has a solid camp and the only knock is his conditioning.

5. Miguel Torres – 135 (WEC)
Hardcore jiu jitsu fighter, black belt with devastating power in his striking. He owns the Bantamweight division.

6. Thiago Alves – 170 (UFC)
Big time knockout power and great Muay Thai skills. On a big winning streak and is the number one challenger at 170.

7. BJ Penn – 155 (UFC)
Great flexibility and world level jiu jitsu. Great hand speed and power, belongs at 155 where he owns the weight class.

8. Quinton Jackson – 205 (UFC/Pride/WFA)
Greatly improved hands and overall skill set from his PrideFC days. Still has big slams and ability to escape submissions.

9. Dan Henderson – 185 (UFC/Pride)
Great knockout power in his right hand, Olympic caliber wrestling skills and terrific ground control over opponents.

10. Urijah Faber – 145 (WEC)
Good solid submissions, loves to throw leather and is very athletic and quick. Has owned the 145 featherweight division until a recent loss.

Dropping out of the top 10:

10. Andrei Arlovski – Heavyweight (Affliction/UFC)

Check out the previous top 10 ranking:
Top 10 Pound for Pound MMA Fighters in the World 1/20