Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Heavyweight

1. Cain Velasquez (9-0)
The hope was that Velasquez would make the first defense of his UFC heavyweight title in April or May against Junior dos Santos. However, rehab did not mend his torn rotator cuff, and surgery became a necessity. Therefore, the first defense of the new champion will likely come this fall, perhaps at an October event in Houston.

2. Brock Lesnar (5-2)
Recluse? What recluse? The infamously standoffish Lesnar is now front and center on the 13th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” where he coaches against Junior dos Santos. The season will set up a high-stakes heavyweight clash between the two at UFC 131 on June 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

3. Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1)
Werdum is no longer the only man to have bested Fedor Emelianenko fair and square, but the Brazilian’s shocking June 2010 triangle armbar win over “The Last Emperor” remains a momentous achievement. On the mend from elbow surgery since that time, “Vai Cavalo” now awaits his Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix quarterfinal with Alistair Overeem on June 18 in Dallas. Werdum submitted Overeem in 2006.

4. Junior dos Santos (12-1)
Rather than wait for UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez to heal from his rotator cuff injury, “Cigano” opted to stay active. Dos Santos is coaching opposite Brock Lesnar on Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” culminating in a clash between the two heavyweights at UFC 131 on June 11.

5. Shane Carwin (12-1)
After suffering the first loss of his career to Brock Lesnar in July, Carwin was forced to withdraw from a January bout with Roy Nelson in order to undergo neck surgery. Now healed, the former UFC interim heavyweight champ is set to return from his 11-month hiatus against grappling champion and Octagon newcomer Jon Olav Einemo at UFC 131 on June 11.

6. Frank Mir (14-5)
After a rumored fight with hot heavyweight prospect Brendan Schaub fell through, Mir has signed on to meet former International Fight League champion Roy Nelson at UFC 130 on May 28. The pair has a history, as Nelson previously defeated Mir in a grappling match at a North American Grappling Association event.

7. Antonio Silva (16-2)
When he burst on the scene in 2005, many hypothesized that Silva was the man to topple Fedor Emelianenko. The stakes changed, but on Feb. 12 in New Jersey, that is exactly what happened. “Pezao” pounded the legendary Russian, forcing a doctor stoppage after the second frame and punching his ticket to the semifinals of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix.

8. Fedor Emelianenko (31-3, 1 NC)
“The Last Emperor” has dialed back the retirement talk brought on by his Feb. 12 doctor stoppage loss to Antonio Silva and is now likely to compete in July, according to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. While nothing has been confirmed, rumors have indicated that the Russian great could be on a collision course with Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Dan Henderson.

9. Alistair Overeem (34-11, 1 NC)
Having sufficiently terrorized the Japanese scene in both Deep and K-1 -- where he won gold in the world’s most prestigious kickboxing tournament last year -- “The Demolition Man” has set his sights on defending his Strikeforce crown in 2011. Overeem has looked invincible of late, with his last eight MMA wins coming inside the first round, many in less than two minutes. Looking to halt the Dutchman’s streak in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix quarterfinals will be Fabricio Werdum, who forced Overeem to tap to a kimura in their 2006 Pride Fighting Championships meeting.

10. Roy Nelson (15-5)
While “Big Country” suffered a decision loss at the hands of Junior dos Santos in his last outing, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 winner’s previous two Octagon appearances saw him knock out a pair of the promotion’s top heavyweight prospects: Stefan Struve and Brendan Schaub. His contractual hurdles now apparently cleared, Nelson is set to meet former champion Frank Mir at UFC 130 on May 28.

Other contenders: Josh Barnett, Sergei Kharitonov, Cole Konrad, Ben Rothwell, Brendan Schaub.

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