Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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1. Jon Jones (13-1)
Jones became the youngest titleholder in UFC history on March 19, crushing Pride Fighting Championships veteran Mauricio “Shogun” Rua with a diverse array of strikes and positions en route to a third-round technical knockout. Things will not get any easier for the 23-year-old wunderkind, as “Bones” has already been handed his next challenger: former 205-pound champion and Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts teammate Rashad Evans.

2. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-5)
After 10 months on the shelf mending from knee surgery, “Shogun” was given the rudest possible welcome upon returning to the Octagon. On March 19, Jon Jones bashed and battered the former Pride star, relieving Rua of his UFC light heavyweight strap in the third frame after two and a half rounds of savage beating.

3. Rashad Evans (15-1-1)
Positioned as the UFC’s top 205-pound contender, Evans’ decision to wait for Mauricio “Shogun” Rua’s surgically repaired knee to heal proved a costly one. The former Michigan State Spartan sustained his own knee injury shortly before his crack at Rua’s title, and the shot was instead awarded to Evan’s Greg Jackson-trained teammate, Jon Jones. Now, with Jones atop the heap and Evans seeking to regain the belt, the former training partners will be forced to square off, and Evans will do so without the help of Jackson, from whom he split the day after Jones’ title win.

4. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (31-8)
“Rampage” was originally set to face Thiago Silva at UFC 130 in May. However, with Silva’s status still up in the air pending reported commission clearance from his last bout at UFC 125, Zuffa has erred on the side of caution. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 alum Matt Hamill has been installed as Jackson’s tentative opponent -- a move “Rampage” himself has critiqued on Twitter.

5. Lyoto Machida (16-2)
It was not long ago that many thought Machida was simply unbeatable at 205 pounds. Two losses later, Machida heads into a bout with MMA legend Randy Couture at UFC 129 on April 30 in Toronto, with many fans having completely forgotten the kind of dominance that was expected for “The Dragon.”

6. Forrest Griffin (18-6)
In his first action in 15 months, Griffin was not perfect. However, the former UFC light heavyweight champion used top control and rangy striking to earn a unanimous decision victory over former middleweight titleholder Rich Franklin at UFC 126. The performance netted a strong win and put him back in the consciousness of the MMA public.

7. Ryan Bader (12-1)
In a matchup of preeminent 205-pound prospects, Bader was definitively the lesser when he met Jon Jones at UFC 126. For the better part of two rounds, he was dominated by Jones, who forced “Darth” Bader to tap to a guillotine late in the second stanza.

8. Phil Davis (9-0)
Though decried by critics as boring, Davis’ March 26 decision win over light heavyweight stalwart Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was nothing short of impressive. The former Penn State Nittany Lion added a solid win to his still-unblemished resume and took another step toward 205-pound title contention.

9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5)
The legendarily durable “Little Nog” provided a stiff test for up-and-comer Phil Davis on March 26, but came up on the short end of a unanimous decision after three rounds. It remains to be seen what is next for the 34-year-old Brazilian, who has now lost back-to-back bouts for the first time in his nearly 10-year career.

10. Dan Henderson (27-8)
After using his devastating right hand to fell Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante and snatch the Strikeforce light heavyweight title in early March, 40-year-old “Hendo” made it known that he was seeking to make a quick turnaround. It appears the former two-division Pride champ will get his wish, as both Strikeforce and M-1 Global have expressed interest in booking a contest between Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko for July.

Other contenders: Rafael Cavalcante, Rich Franklin, Matt Hamill, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Gegard Mousasi.

With the entry of Phil Davis, previously 10th-ranked Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante falls to the contenders list.

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