Top 10 Pound for Pound MMA Fighters in the World 2/5
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
Follow the Scores Report editors on Twitter @clevelandteams and @bullzeyedotcom.
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?
this guy is a moron. the only list i’ve seen thats worse than this 1 is from sherdog. Fedor #3???? u can’t be serious. HE’S NEVER ACTUALLY LOST A FIGHT!!!
He has lost in Sambo matches, and he has lost from a TKO due to a cut. He also has not faced
Randy Couture and he was just pushed around by Arlovski until “NO Jaw” got cocky and tried a fling knee. Even then it was a lucky timed over hand right to someone with no chin. He was the best a few years ago. He still is the best heavyweight, no doubt, but thats a weak spot in MMA. No your facts.
Fedor is the man. He is top heavyweight forsure.
But be real, the 170 and 185 classes have a huge
talent pool, the heavyweight class does not.
Thats the reason for his #3. If Silva or St. Pierre lose, Fedor would move up.
Overall I think the list that you put together have always been good reflections of the current state of MMA. Fedor is a great fighter but there isn’t a deep talent pool currently in his division or at least with the organizations he is affliated with. For that reason and that reason only though I wonder why GSP isn’t #1. He has taken out some very strong fighters that all have been at the peak of their careers, in his last 3 fights:
Josh Kosseck
Jon Fitch
BJ Penn
Though I think Anderson had a tough test with Henderson, his fight at 205 with James Irvin and againist Patrick Cote weren’t as tough of a road to get through.
Anderson has not been in action, and if St. Pierre
didnt loose that slip up to Serra he’d be #1. Silva ran through Marquardt, Luter, Franklin 2x and Hendo which he didnt rule, but still a big defeat. If St. Pierre beats Alves its rough not to be #1. Fedor just needs tougher competition.
Fedor fights at his walking weight. Other fighters don’t.
Silva fight 185 walks 215.
Fedor fights 230 walks 230.
Heavyweight class 205+
So unless Silva beats Fedor he should not be ahead of Fedor. Silva wouldn’t even beat Arlovski.
Who cares if Fedor fights at his walking weight? The reason pound for pound rankings come out is because it looks to classify fighters without factoring in weight. The whole purpose is to look at a fighters skills and match those skills against other elite fighters across all weight classes. Top fighters will always do what it takes to become world champions.
In some cases that means moving down weight classes. The best fighters of all time will test their skills once they’ve established themselves as dominant fighters in one weight class and they will move to new classes.
Do you think Miguel Torres would even make this list if it were factoring in weight? In my opinion he’s one of the best fighters in the world and once the bantamweight class in the WEC gets more established fighters moving down like Jeff Curran did (hopefully Uriah Faber too) he will move up this list as long as he keeps winning. But to think that he would have anymore than an outside chance in a real fight against someone like Brock Lesnar is crazy.
Fedor is a great fighter but to say fighting at his “walking weight” makes him the best fighter in the world is an absurd argument. Any trainer knows that to cut weight so your naturally size and strength out match your opponent is a fine science. Some fighters look to do it for that reason and they end up actually losing strength and endurance so they are actually less effective in the lower weight class.
The only reason Fedor hasn’t looked closer at cutting weight to meet someone like Anderson at a catch weight and further test his skills is because he still has plenty of fighters in his own weight class to fight. Lesnar, Couture, Mir, etc… If those fights ever happen and he runs through those fighters than I think he would try to make a cut, and if he wins against the likes of an Anderson Silva at a catch weight than I don’t see anyone not putting him down as the greatest MMA fighter of all-time
Exactly,
Fedor is awesome, but he has no big time competition at heavy weight. Arlovski pushed the pace and was winning based on better striking.
He lost by a wild overhand right. Doesnt make him
the best pound for pound.
Silva and St. Pierre have more dominate and skill filled weight classes. Brandon Vera fought at heavyweight at 220, Couture too, doesnt make them the best because they dont cut.
No one is saying he isnt great, just that he doesnt have the big time competition at his weight class.
Why does somebody cut weight? To get a weight advantage in a lower class. Silva cuts weight, but 24 hours later he is 15+ pounds heavier the day of the fight.
Sure it is a technique, but it doesn’t make you the best pound for pound fighter.
Silva walks as a heavyweight. So unless he fights Fedor and wins. He should be ranked #2 at the highest.
So if Fedor cuts weight and gains it back the next day and fights in LHW then he will be the best pound for pound? That is just dumb.
So you think Tim Silvia and lesnar should be allowed to walk in at 285 or more and fight Fedor?
And Silva did fight @ 205 his natural weight.
He destroyed Irvin.
No one is saying he should cut weight, he is 235.
no one drops 30lbs, thats too much in one day.
I think at 205 too many people would give him problems. There are a lot more talented fighters at 205 than heavyweight. Just like 170 ect…
When you have 2 people who are ood verses 15 its harder to walk through 15 then 2.
That’s exactly the point I was trying to make. I brought up the issue of weight because you suggested that Fedor doesn’t cut weight which made him a better fighter. Fedor would probably beat Silva in a fight. Pound for Pound rankings look at a fighter’s dominance against their competition but doesn’t necessarily have to ask the question what would happen if the fighters on the list actually did fight. If they are not in the same weight class heavier fighters would have natural advantages. Heavyweight fighters would always top the list if that were the case.
American bull shit here promouted. LOL yankes:)
ok i would say a fight between silva and fedor would decide who is the best P4P in the world but GSP #2, come on, yes he is a great fighter but he has also lost to people like Matt sera who lets face it are not really great MMA fighters. and he has not faced as tough opponet as Tiago Alves. As for Fedor not fighting tough people thats stupid too. He went through Herring in his prime, Cro cop in his prime, Nogera 2 times UFC hall of famer Mark Coleman twice, and 2 former UFC heavyweight champs In Silvia and Arlovski and he has never techianlly lost. His only loss came from an illegal elbow in a tournment style fight so by a techinally he lost. You have to at least rank him number 2.
The best UFC=MMA P4P fighters EVER:
1. Copperfield D
2. Undertaker
3. Dana W
list circus
rio chonan
andeson silva
matt serra
gsp
list real
fedor
lyoto machida
arlovski
listen fedor is an animal but he doesn’t fight top level competitors the guys he fights are old and washed up but anderson definetly deserves to be #1 i mean come on if you really beleive st.pierre should be #1 then think if he was to fight silva he would be anniahlated anderson used to fight at 170 and if he did go back down he would kill anyone in his class as he already does in the 185 and 205 divisions
who is the stupi that make this ranking, fedor i the best fighter of all times, anderson silva, gsp are nothing. anderson silva has los three times he has submited for rio chonan puf, gsp he has lost by ko. how do you think that they are best fighter that fedor?. I dont believe it. in adition is a ranking of the mma sambo? stupid
There is only ONE fighter that has beaten:
5 different X UFC champions
Coleman
Randleman
Sylvia
Nog
Arlovski
4 kick boxing champions
Schilt
Hunt
Goodridge
HMC
6 different MMA champions
Coleman
Randleman
Sylvia
Nog
Goodridge
Arlovski
2 silver olympic medalist
Lindland
Ogawa
1 ADCC open weight champion
Arona
Honorable mention
Mirko Crocop
3 time K-1 finalist
2005 GP finalist
2006 GP winner Post Fedor fight
There is only 1 fighter that has gone 30+ fights that has
– Never lost a decision.
– Never been sub’d
– Never been knocked out
Only one fighter that has ever won 5 different mma championships.
– Wamma HW belt
– Pride HW belt
– Pride Grand Prix tournament
– Rings king of kings tournament
– Rings world class tournament
All while finishing 76% of his opponents.
A current 25 fight win streak
With 22 victories in the first round
4 victories in the first minute
12 victories in the first 2 minutes
No other fighter in all MMA has any where near the list of accomplishments.
Fedor Emelianenko
To Ricardo
Its american lifestyle. They know just UFC.
They think just what Dana W wants to think. Thank God for Pride termination. Now UFC is The Best and Ever!
they have been brain wash by dana white a former aerobics instructor. come on people take off the dana white blinders and smell the coffe FEDOR is the best p4p . anderson and gsp are good but so is AOKI and miguel torres but you wont know about it cause your aerobics instructor havent told you. DONT HATE. HAVE ANYONE NOTHICE HOW UFC FIGHTERS GET ON THEIR KNEES ASKING DANA WHITE 4 A TITLE SHOOT. DANA WHITE WILL GET IN HIS KNEES TO HAVE FEDOR JUST ONE NIGHT IN THE UFC. say NO to brain washing fact is fact theirs no room for opinion.
Lol at the bs rankings, Fedor is # 1 that’s for sure.
He is one of the smallest HW’s there is & is always giving up weight. He NEVER lost, the cut was from an ILLEGAL elbow, should have been an NC.
And the douchebag who brought up Couture, ya fighting a 46 year old man who is inactive for huge amounts of time & whose record is 16-9 will really prove something … NOT!!
Anderson has 4 losses, cuts a lot & fights at a division where he is the biggest guy with a reach advantage. He has 4 losses, none of which he avenged, by the way Cote, Irvin & Leites are not top competition.
The only guy who is worthy to give Fedor a run for the # 1 p4p spot is GSP.
Funny how Fedor doesn’t supposedly have much competition, why don’t all these LHW’s many of whom weigh as much as Fedor & are taller than him fight at HW, guess they are not good enough.
The only fights left for Fedor are Barnett, Mir, & Brock (just to end the hype).
If fedor is so good y doesn’t he fight in the ufc the #1 mma orginazation in the world with the best competition he is good and I’m tight I never get to see him fight so ofcourse everyone is going to think he’s not #1 if he’s really good he should fight in the ufc
2Ernesto is a fkkin homo
Go to shop and see the king. youre american moron.
Fedor number 3???Really!!!??? You just lost some major credibility. Even if he lost his next fight he would still be in the top 2. He’s unbeaten in 30 FIGHTS.(a no contest due to a cut isn’t a loss in my book)..LET ME REPEAT 30 FIGHTS. Number 3, really!!?? You need to do some real research instead of posting a top 10 fav’s list.
WOW…What a joke. Fedor is #1 (period). He fights the best competition available. Yeah sure, he doesn’t fight the UFC guys; but that’s because Dana, the douchbag, White won’t let any of his boys get there asses handed to them by Fedor. And for you guys saying Fedor hasn’t faced Couture, why blame Fedor? Dana wouldn’t let Couture out of his contractual obligations with the UFC; that’s the reason that fight didn’t happen.
It still cracks me up how everyone’s on the Anderson Silva bandwagon since he’s come to the UFC. Check out his record before that; it’s okay, but no where near p4p caliber. As a matter of fact, Silva really didn’t become such a dominant fighter until he got to the UFC. That begs the question: ‘did he suddenly become a super badass at the same time he joined the UFC or is the UFC inferior’? The answer is simple; the UFC is inferior. There are plenty of guys around the world who would wtfpwn most of these UFC guys and Dana protects them because he knows it. For those of you who still think Silva’s the best, check out his fight against Ryo Chonan; Silva gets his ass handed to him.
Now for GSP. He got knocked the ‘f’ out by Matt Serra. Enough said.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of a lot of these guys, and they’re definitely bad-asses but Fedor’s in a league of his own. And for what it’s worth, the best p4p doesn’t mean jack anyway. (The best p4p? What the hell does that mean anyway? It’s a stupid concept.) Fedor is the best of ALL weight classes! He’s by far the most dominant fighter in the game. As for the loss on his record, google the fight and watch it for yourself; an accidental illegal elbow in the first 15 seconds, should have been a NC.
Don’t drink the Dana White kool-aid. It’s been known to significantly reduce one’s MMA IQ and brainwash people into believing that the UFC fighters are the best in the business.
GET REAL!!! LOL
I love it – a guy can’t have an opinion anymore without someone commenting and using the term “what a joke” or the ever popular “LOL” when bashing him for it.
MMA fans are ruthless and incredibly self-righteous.
For real. It’s not like the list has Fedor at #10 or something. Plus, it was written four months ago. Anonymous should chill out.
Now Now
Fedor is Jesus havent you two been reading.
He only lost 1 fight and 1 sambo fight ever in a division so weak and lame a Pro wrestler is a champ.
Anderson silva fought in numerous organizations and two of his losses can be as easily disputed as Fedors. St. Pierre fights in the hardest weight class in any organization.
All you UFC haters need to get a clue.
Jake Shields, Diaz, Lawler until he went 185, are the only good fighters at 170.
The UFC has 8 could be champions.
Go back to Kimbo and tell us all how awesome he is too.
Fedor is ranked #1 Heavy, not #3.
And as said this list is soo old.
The top three would be
St.Pierre
Fedor
Silva/Torres/Machida tied.
Its been like 4 months and major fights have happend.
I’ll put out another top 10 soon.
But Fedor still aint #1 over all.
He is the best Heavyweight. But he doesnt face top level that Georges does.
Its simple
Fedor beats an old (NOG), a joke Silvia, and glass jaw arlovski on a lucky punch.
St. Pierre has walked through
Hughes twice, Koscheck, Fitch, Serra (lame I know),Miller, Trigg, Karo (when he was good, Sherk
and will face Alves.
Not the same level, is it Fedor’s fault no, but he could sign with UFC and Dana could deal so its not that easy.
jonh duke inside you know who is the best, fedor, well maybe you do not know anything of mma history, but you can ask or see in you tube to gsp, vera, couture, sanchez, jackson, randlemn, coleman etc. and they really knows more that you or me they say you, fedor is the best no doub
“Anderson silva fought in numerous organizations and two of his losses can be as easily disputed as Fedors”
Anderson lost by a triangle choke – that is pretty legit.
Fedor got hit and kept fighting and about 1 minute after the hit, the ref told Fedor to get his cut looked after. It was supposed to be NC like the headbutt with Nog. But this was a tournament and somebody had to fight either that day or the next.
Also Silva’s last 2 fights were pretty crappy. I couldn’t believe he wouldn’t go to the ground. GSP and Fedor aren’t scared of anybody on the ground.
New list should be
1) Fedor – He has beaten the best and UFC has never had the best heavyweights.
2) Lyoto Machida – Lyoto is undefeated and he made Rashad look like an amateur.
3) GSP – He dominates his fights standing up or on the ground
4) Silva – Give him the benefit of the doubt that he is fighting safe, because of Dana’s stupid contracts.
I agree MMA fans are very self righteous.
Fedor is probably the best judging on the opponents hes faced, i wanna see Fedor V Mir personally, providing that Mir beats Lesnar and Fedors agent and the UFC can come to some agreement.
BTW has Fedor even fought in a cage before? I cant find any footage of this if he has.
And why Machida’s not in there i dont know! lol
Stop fighting between yourselves aswell, we all MMA fans, debate dont argue!
anderson silva 4 loses 2 of them the worst loses iw ever seen if you dont beliwe me gow und wach
1-fedor
2-mashida
3-mousasi
4-gsp
5-tores
Anderson Silva lost from Dailu Takase 8-13 probably the worst fighter in mma
from Ryo Chonan lost from flying scissor heel hook other wise you kan see only in movies
n1-Fedor
who is the idiot that put rashaad evans on the top ten. he wouldnt make it on the top 100.
fedor is best.
and put randy couture on this list you retard
and btw richard keller…. rashad is an amateur
Dude your obviously not involved in anyway in MMA or you’d know Rashad Evans is a top notch fighter.
He is 18-1 and only lost to another undeafted fighter. Randy is a legend but not top ten and never was. Honestly you people are pretty damn sad.
Get over Fedor, he beats ex UFC washups.
He is a great fighter, but he is not facing the heavy competition GSP is.
Randy Couture? get the hell out of here.
16-9? top ten….Retard
Seriously, all these GSP and SILVA bashers have obviously no understanding of the rankings….
It is a ranking based on fights that have happened… Fedor has faced NO tough competition over the last 2 years!
Geroges St-Pierre is clearly the best pound for pound fighter in the world of MMA.
Anderson Silva is up for debate due to his last performances being lackluster but he sure as hell did get the job done of keeping the championship so I would rank him as #2.
Fedor I would personally rank him at #3, regardless of the fact that he is probably one of the best Heavyweights of all time it is due to the lack of competitive fights… Put him up against Lesnar and if he wins then sure he deserves to be #1.
The other seven could go to in no order: Machida, Torres, Penn, Lesnar, Faber, Evans/Jackson, Mir?….
But thats just my opinion.
pound for pound can be only one with no loses like fedor or lyoto
gsp 2 loses ko und submision very bad ones silva 4 loses 2 of them vorst in history
you agree with me
silva is 6.2 fedor 6.0
silva is big guy fighting midle waight i think if he loses few more pound he can fight miguel tores
Yeah, this top 10 list deservers to be laughed at, as well as anybody else who thinks Silva is the best p4p fighter. Fedor is undefeated, and he has faced almost all the top heavyweights in the world besides Lesnar. He has dominated almost every single fight and you think a knockout over arlovsky was luck? If fedor isn’t the number 1 then it would have to go to GSP or Machida who have also completed dominated almost every fight they have been in, putting Silva at 4th on the list at best. Rashad would have been on the bottom of the top 10 list, but since he was completely destroyed by Machida he doesnt make the top 10 list. This was a very amateur top 10 list, not created by facts, but a top 10 favorites list like somebody mentioned earlier.
how can Rashad be considered as been your forth pound for pound king, when Lyoto Machida who’s not on your list by the way, beat Rashad in two rounds without taking any kind of punishment. Lyoto is the only fighter who holds a belt in the UFC and remains undefeated. although Fedor has defeated some amazing heavyweight fighter, he once again turned down a chance to join the Ufc, in my opinion Lesnar would be two much for him.
I’ve just read the comment above my last one, which says ‘Yeah, this top 10 list deserves to be laughed at, as well as anybody else who thinks Silva is the best p4p fighter’. I sincerely agree that this list is obnoxious and wrong, but how can you degrade Anderson Silva achievements, mentioning you would place him 4th on your list. Using your method of placing facts over favoritism, I would still class Anderson as the top p4p in the world. if facts is what you seek then that what you shall get, Anderson Silva holds the current UFC record for the most consecutive wins, while simultaneously having the title of most successful striker in the history of the UFC. He made fighters such as former middle weight champion Rich Franklin and former pride champion Dan Henderson look like regular fighters. In his last bout we saw him stepping out of his weight class to take on former UFC light heavy weight champion Forest Griffin, the result was inequitable with Silva’s unique elusiveness he dominated the fight, making Griffin look far from a former champion.
You can make an argument about the top three of your list but Rashad at #4 and Miguel at #5 thats crazy. I’ve beaten Rashad in a street fight a few years ago. He cant fight. He only counter punches. And Miguel belongs as #12 because he’s #3 in his division.
After Bj’s dominant performace against both top light weight contenders Kenny Florian and Dieago Sanchez and considering his only defeat in the past few years being at the hand off GSP, where BJ was clearly out of his element of comfortability against not a more skilled but clearly heavyier opponent. I think he should be acended to fourth position on this ranking list.
MSG,
There’s a difference between reporting and opinion. John isn’t reporting anything – he’s giving his opinion. If you disagree with him (which clearly you do), try sharing your own opinion instead of wasting everyone’s time (including your own) by leaving a useless comment.
Besides, this list was done almost a year ago so John’s OPINION may have changed by now.
Alright people listen. Fedor Emelianenko is the best pound for pound mixed martial arts fighter, for all you people who say he wont step up his game and fight “the best of the best” sure yes the UFC is the most popular but that does NOT mean that they are the best of the best. oh and by the way Fedor has beaten Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arvlousky,Mark Coleman, Antonio Nogueria, Keven Randlman, and Mirko Cro-Cop,and beat them all! which in case you didn’t know are all former UFC heavyweight champions. so yeah it’s obvious that he has enough game to join the UFC, but what you don’t know… Dana White the little whiney bitch he is offered him a contract that he refused.. why? cause if he would have signed that contract he would have had to fight 9 people in 2 years which in case you didn’t know is fucking ridiculous! especially sense douche bag Brock Lesnar has only had to fight 4 people to become the UFC heavyweight champion. Fedor is 33 years old and has been known this whole decade as the unbeatable man no matter who he fights he doesn’t lose and he is still at the top of his game. I was sitting at home wasn’t even watching the fight between him and Brett Rogers but i heard Fedors knock out punch i mean shit did you see that? Randy Couture even thinks that Fedor would tear Brock Lesnar up. along with every other UFC fighter out there. seriously people stop underestimating Fedor cause either way sense i’ve been watching this whole fucking decade i can turn to the person next to me who thought Fedor was going to lose and say “hey i told you so the man doesn’t lose.”
Really? cmon GSP? if GSP was as good as every “thinks” he is he would’ve beaten people at there own game and Anderson Silva is a joke Fedor is god of fighting