Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
B.J. "The Prodigy" Penn
Always on the lookout for marquee challenges, the UFC’s lightweight champion will return to the welterweight division to rekindle his rivalry with
Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on Jan. 31. However, when Penn heads back to 155, there should be no shortage of suitors in the UFC’s red-hot lightweight division.
A Nov. 8 date against
Nick Diaz fell by the wayside due to EliteXC’s death. However, Alvarez should have little trouble finding fights as one of the hottest commodities in one of MMA’s hottest divisions.
“Hellboy” surprised the world by re-entering Dream’s lightweight grand prix as a reserve and smashing
Shinya Aoki in July. He’ll get a chance to acquire another major scalp before the year ends, when he rematches Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante -- from whom he took a razor-thin majority decision in July 2004 -- on Dec. 31 at K-1 “Premium Dynamite!!”
Aoki attempted to put July’s brutal loss to Hansen behind him, as he got a quick and easy submission victory over
Todd Moore at Dream 6 on Sept. 23. The bout was Aoki’s sixth bout of 2008 but likely only the penultimate, as he has boisterously begun challenging
Yoshihiro Akiyama and
Badr Hari for New Year’s Eve.
Back in 2004, a green, 21-year-old Cavalcante took entrenched lightweight star Hansen to a hotly contested majority decision. Now, on New Year's Eve, “JZ” will get the chance to avenge his first career loss when he meets his Norwegian nemesis at K-1 “Premium Dynamite!!”
The last year has not been kind to Sherk. However, in his first action since his May thumping at Penn’s hands, the Minnesotan put on his most entertaining performance in recent memory, taking a well-deserved unanimous decision over a high-caliber fighter in
Tyson Griffin.
Florian affirmed his status as the top contender for Penn’s UFC lightweight crown with his complete dismantling of
Joe Stevenson at UFC 91. Florian’s first-round blowout victory earns him re-entry into these rankings and, more than likely, the second UFC title bid of his career.
Thomson was given the chance to avenge his jaw-dropping August 2004 flying head kick knockout loss to
Yves Edwards at Strikeforce “Destruction” on Nov. 21. Unfortunately, Strikeforce’s lightweight champ was forced out of the bout after tearing ligaments in his toe.
While the verdict may be hard to stomach, the virtually unknown Golyaev seized the moment against
Takanori Gomi on Nov. 1, as he upset the perennial lightweight star via split decision at Sengoku “Sixth Battle.” Whether or not Golyaev can keep his spot on this list with more inspiring performances remains to be seen.
Gomi’s no stranger to falling victim to upsets. In 2003, an unknown Hansen dethroned the then undefeated Gomi to take his Shooto title, and, in 2006, he was shockingly dispatched by
Marcus Aurelio. Now, add to those a shocking split decision loss to Golyaev. Nonetheless, Gomi will have the chance to quickly atone for the loss, as he will meet Sengoku lightweight grand prix champion
Satoru Kitaoka on Jan. 4.
* With the additions of Florian and Golyaev, previously ninth-ranked Gilbert Melendez and 10th-ranked Tatsuya Kawajiri were edged out of the top 10.
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