Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Light Heavyweight

1. Lyoto Machida (15-0)
Fresh off his May 23 blowout of Rashad Evans, it appeared as though Machida would soon have to start preparing for a challenge from former light heavyweight ruler Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. However, with Jackson opting for a second coaching stint on “The Ultimate Fighter,” Machida’s first title defense will come Oct. 24 against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 104.

2. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
It’s official. Despite “The Ultimate Fighter 10” getting off on a record-setting foot ratings-wise, the climax of the season will be delayed. Jackson’s slated December bout with Rashad Evans will be postponed due to “Rampage” portraying the role of B.A. Baracus in the forthcoming “The A-Team” movie.

3. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)
While Evans will get plenty of face time throughout the 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the former UFC light heavyweight champion has been left in the lurch, as fellow coach Quinton “Rampage” Jackson’s Hollywood ambitions have left him without an opponent in December.

4. Mauricio Rua (18-3)
Fortune has smiled upon Rua. After UFC 98, it looked as if “Shogun” was a fight or more away from challenging for the UFC title. Now, however, the consensus 2005 “Fighter of the Year” will have a chance to regain light heavyweight supremacy against divisional champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 104 in October.

5. Forrest Griffin (16-6)
Not long ago, Griffin was UFC light heavyweight champion and had picked up pound-for-pound quality wins over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. However, after his destruction at the hands of middleweight king Anderson Silva at UFC 101, those wins seem like a distant memory for the original “Ultimate Fighter.”

6. Thiago Silva (14-1)
Coming off of a complete blowout defeat to current divisional king Lyoto Machida in January, Silva rebounded about as well as any fighter could hope to at UFC 102. It took him just 95 seconds to find his left hook counter and pound out Keith Jardine for the most impressive win of his career.

7. Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1)
Though he was scheduled to meet Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou on Oct. 6 in the semi-finals of Dream’s farcical Super Hulk tournament, an alleged shoulder injury in training forced him to withdraw. However, he is now expected to defend his newly won Strikeforce light heavyweight title on Nov. 7 live on CBS.

8. Luis Arthur Cane (10-1)
Cane has emerged as one of the best young fighters in a division filled with great young talent. However, to move into title contention at 205 pounds, he will need to spoil the UFC debut of fellow Brazilian Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 106 on Nov. 21.

9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)
The other Nogueira twin will make his promotional debut at UFC 106 on Nov. 21, and it will not be easy. Nogueira’s welcome to the UFC will come courtesy of his Brazilian countryman, Luis Arthur Cane.

10. Rich Franklin (25-5)
On the cusp of light heavyweight contendership, Franklin was victimized by a first-round knockout courtesy of Vitor Belfort in the UFC 103 headliner. Though Belfort will now move to 185 pounds to campaign, the loss leaves Franklin without a clear direction in the UFC’s 205-pound division.

Other contenders: Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell, Vladimir Matyushenko, Wanderlei Silva, Renato Sobral

* Since the Sept. 19 bout between Rich Franklin and Vitor Belfort was contested at 195 pounds -- within the limits of the light heavyweight division -- it is treated as a light heavyweight bout. However, Belfort’s previous two bouts and subsequent appearances will be at middleweight, so he remains ranked at 185 pounds.