1. B.J. Penn (13-4-1)
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.

2. Eddie Alvarez (15-1)
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.

3. Joachim Hansen (19-7-1)
“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!!”

4. Shinya Aoki (18-3, 1 NC)
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.

5. Gesias Cavalcante (14-2-1, 1 NC)
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!!”

6. Sean Sherk (33-3-1)
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.

7. Kenny Florian (11-3)
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.

8. Josh Thomson (16-2, 1 NC)
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.

9. Sergei Golyaev (11-6)
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.

10. Takanori Gomi (29-4, 1 NC)
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.