In a year during which the featherweight division has played a pivotal role, perhaps it is fitting that the division's hottest prospect will close out 2009 as its top-ranked competitor.

At WEC 44, Jose Aldo took his game to yet another level in his fourth fight of the year. The native of Manaus, Brazil, dominated champion Mike Thomas Brown from beginning to end, punching him out in the second round to take the WEC featherweight title. Aldo also earned status as the sport's top 145-pounder and quite possibly "Fighter of the Year" honors in the eyes of the MMA public.

While Aldo reached a new level in the game, UFC 106 was marked by returns to form. Forrest Griffin, who stood atop the light heavyweight division after toppling Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, took a well-appointed split decision over Tito Ortiz in their rematch and threw a bit of dirt over the memories of his knockout losses to Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva. Josh Koscheck did likewise in his bout with up-and-comer Anthony Johnson, choking out "Rumble" in the second round to get back into the UFC welterweight title picture after his disaster against Paulo Thiago in February.

However, UFC 106’s most stellar performance went to the other Nogueira twin, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who crushed Luis Arthur Cane in his Octagon debut. Nogueira's boxing handiwork earned him a cool $70,000 for "Knockout of the Night" and also puts him firmly in the UFC light heavyweight title mix.