Editor’s Choice: MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings

Last Weekend, Benson Henderson proved he’s currently one of the top fighters on the planet, with a convincing performance against Nate Diaz at UFC on FOX 5. Henderson controlled the fight against a relentless opponent, in what was his sixth victory inside the Octagon. Interestingly enough, Henderson finished his World Extreme Cagefighting stint with a loss to Anthony Pettis, who since then struggled to find his place in the highest echelons of the UFC Lightweight division.

I positioned Ben Henderson at #6 of my pound-for-pound list. I firmly believe that Benderson has earned his ranking, and will advance into the Top 5 if he continues to perform well against top-tier fighters. The top 5 remains unshakable, with Anderson Silva, GSP, Jon Jones, Junior dos Santos, and Jose Aldo. I put JDS at number 4 simply because the quality of opponents he knocked out in his impressive run inside the Octagon speaks for itself.

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Don’t get me wrong, Jose Aldo is a fantastic fighter, but his record just lacks that “fighting the best 3 times a year” factor. Dos Santos would be extremely debatable for the #3 spot if he beats Cain Velasquez and then Alistair Overeem (who still has to go through Antonio Silva).

Newly-crowned UFC Flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson, is currently ranked at #8. Johnson was a force to be reckoned with at Bantamweight, and has now defeated Joseph Benavidez to become a champion. Johnson brings something new to the cage, and can definitely be considered as one of the greatest fighters currently competing in Mixed Martial Arts.

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Unfortunately, I had to leave Dominick Cruz out of this list due to inactivity. Gilbert Melendez is not there as well. Frankie Edgar was moved down to #9 after his loss to Ben Henderson, however, a victory over Jose Aldo could catapult Edgar back into the Top 5.

So, here we go:

 

1. Anderson Silva
2. Georges St. Pierre
3. Jon Jones
4. Junior dos Santos
5. Jose Aldo
6. Ben Henderson
7. Dan Henderson
8. Dimetrious Johnson
9. Frankie Edgar
10. Alistair Overeem