By Nic Mamone 
I chose most of the fighters based on recent fights/records and notable accomplishments. It is important to take into consideration that “rankings” are mostly the opinions of the writer posting them, and could easily be different in anyone else’s eyes. I made my list as honest as I could, regardless of whether they are my “favorite fighters” or not. That being said, here’s my list:
12. Nick Diaz (25-7-0-1): Nick Diaz is riding a 10-fight win streak, and is by far the best welterweight outside of the UFC. He has defeated every single one of his opponents with ease since he was released from the UFC back in 2006. Diaz has been on a mission since leaving the UFC — he has dominated fighters in and out of his weight class. He has stopped strikers and subbed grapplers.
11. Gray Maynard (10-0-1): Gray Maynard is one of the best lightweights in the sport, and is the last man to defeat the UFC lightweight champion Frank Edgar. Maynard holds wins over many top lightweights, and is undefeated at the moment. Maynard is a strong and huge lightweight. He is known to control people and take them out of their element. Maynard can also knock people out, and his only setback was to himself.
10. Jon Fitch (23-3-1-1): Jon Fitch is known for being the 2nd best welterweight in the sport. Fitch has gone a impressive 13-1-1 in the UFC, and has outclassed almost every opponent he has faced. Jon Fitch most recently went to a draw with BJ Penn, but before that his only setback was losing a unanimous decision to the champion Georges St. Pierre. Fitch to some is considered a “boring” fighter, and is constantly bashed for “laying” on his opponents, but even though he is known for that, he still executes his game plan and controls fighters.
9. Junior Dos Santos (13-1-0): Junior Dos Santos is the #1 contender to the UFC heavyweight title [and MMA Ratings top ranked HW], and will be fighting for the championship soon. Dos Santos has defeated every opponent he has faced in the UFC by out striking them and beating them decisively; Dos Santos has shown he could be the best heavyweight “striker” in the sport at the moment. Dos Santos has not lost a fight or round since coming to the UFC, and has gained more popularity with his recent coaching job on TUF.
8. Cain Velasquez (9-0-0): Cain Velasquez is the #1 ranked heavyweight fighter in most rankings [but not MMA Ratings’] and the UFC heavyweight champion. Cain has not lost a bout yet. Velasquez has grown with every fight, going from a ‘wrestler’ to a ‘striker’ in a short period of time. Cain has yet to defend his belt, but has shown his championship skills with impressive wins throughout.
7. Jon Jones (13-1-0): Jon Jones is the UFC light heavyweight champion and the “best light heavyweight” in many peoples eyes. He has a very dominating style, and has yet to really “lose.” Jones stands out due to how dominant he has been in his previous bouts. Bones’ only blemish was a disqualification due to ‘illegal elbows’ in a fight that he was on his way to winning.
6. Gilbert Melendez (19-2-0): Gilbert Melendez is the best lightweight outside of the UFC; he has run through every opponent he faced. He is the Strikeforce lightweight champion and is ranked top 3 in most lightweight rankings. Melendez has a fast-paced style, and adapts to each opponent, capitalizing on their weaknesses, and decisively winning each fight since he became champion. Melendez has made a strong claim to the lightweight division’s top spot, and is on track to fight in the UFC.
5. Dominick Cruz (18-1-0): Dominick Cruz is the #1 ranked bantamweight fighter in most rankings and the current UFC champion at 135lbs. Cruz has a impressive style, landing punches and kicks from unusual angles, getting takedowns on fighters who were expected to beat him on the ground, and displaying insane footwork and cardio. Cruz has recently avenged his only loss, making him virtually undefeated.
4. Jose Aldo (19-1-0): Jose Aldo is the top featherweight in MMA and is the UFC champion at 145lbs. Aldo has dominated his opponent in every fight he has been in, and has yet to lose in the WEC or UFC. He has a brutal striking style, and knockout power in every limb. Aldo is known to be a fast-paced brutal fighter; he has ended 14 out of his 19 fights. Aldo has been stopped once in his career, but since then he has gone 12-0-0.
3. Frankie Edgar (13-1-1): Frank Edgar is the current UFC lightweight champion, and ranked #1 in most lightweight rankings [but not MMA Ratings’]. Edgar has been subject to questions about his style and size, but proved it his doubters wrong when he defeated BJ Penn for the belt, plus another time, proving the first was no fluke. Edgar has yet to avenge his only loss to Gray Maynard, but his most recent fight with Maynard showed he is always game, and has a style to match most lightweights.
2. Georges St. Pierre (22-2-0): Georges St.Pierre is the current UFC welterweight champion, the #1 ranked welterweight in pretty much all rankings, and the #1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter in some rankings. He has dominated every fight he has been in since winning back the welterweight championship. St.Pierre has a been criticized for his recent inability or unwillingness to finish fights, but has gone out there and proved why he is champion by beating top-ranked fighters using their own game plans, and doing it so decisively.
1. Anderson Silva (30-4-0): Anderson Silva is the current UFC middleweight champion, #1 ranked middleweight, and the top ranked pound-for-pound fighter. Silva has walked through every opponent he has faced up until Chael Sonnen, who was 2:30 away from being the new middleweight champion when Silva showed why he is the best pound for pound fighter, ending the fight via submission with a little over a minute left in the fight. Silva has ended fights everywhere and in any fashion — he has shown he can beat wrestlers on the ground and strikers standing. Silva has made multiple fighters look silly, and has even went up a weight class and made a top light heavyweight fighter look like an amateur fighter.
My pound-for-pound rankings are based on what each fighter has done in his career, and achieved in his respective weight class. Fighters who have dominated almost every opponent they have faced, and who have shown why they are the best in their weight classes, should be praised as pound-for-pound fighters. I believe pound-for-pound rankings should be based on the fighters’ fights and performances — how they won their fights, and who they fought. Most people have champions on pound for pound rankings and base it on being champion, but ranking them is the part where people seem to have complications. My rankings are simple: to be on the pound for pound list, you have to have defeated the best in your weight class or promotion, and have done so decisively.
