| There are fighters who are good, fighters who | | | | Penn. |
| are great and fighters who you'd bet on no | | | | The UFC welterweight division is full of talent and |
| matter who their opponents are. Who are the | | | | full of matches which could go either way. For |
| absolute best fighters in the UFC? The fighters | | | | instance Matt Serra poses a problem for many |
| who define their weight classes and perhaps could | | | | UFC welterweights, but for others I think he is |
| compete at a weight class higher. | | | | outmatched in size and strength. There is one guy |
| The UFC has five weight classes. Each weight | | | | in the UFC welterweight division who I believe |
| class, with the exception of heavyweights spans | | | | stands head and shoulders above the rest, |
| 15 lbs and each class has their own sets of tried | | | | Georges St Pierre can match any of the other |
| and true stars and outstanding performers. | | | | welterweights in size, strength, speed, stand up |
| The lightweight class goes from 155lbs to 170 lbs | | | | abilities and wrestling. He is likely the most well |
| and features such great fighters as Sean Sherk, | | | | rounded fighter in all of mixed martial arts. Even |
| Spencer Fisher, Frank Edgar, BJ Penn, Joe | | | | with Georges physical advantages you need to |
| Stevenson, Hermes Franca and Kenny Florian. | | | | look at Matt Hughes as well. Hughes has a victory |
| Welterweights go from 170lbs to 185 lbs and has | | | | over St Pierre, but St Pierre avenged that loss |
| such notables as Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Diego | | | | with a dominant TKO stoppage of Hughes. If |
| Sanchez, Jon Fitch, Karo Parisyan, Josh Koscheck | | | | there was one welterweight in the UFC that I |
| and Georges St Pierre. | | | | would put money on every time, it is Georges St |
| Middleweights are between 170lbs and 185lbs. Top | | | | Pierre. |
| level UFC middleweight fighters include Anderson | | | | Of all the divisions in the UFC, the middleweight |
| Silva, Rich Franklin, Evan Tanner, Dan Henderson | | | | division is the easiest to pick out a dominant |
| (sometimes), Yushin Okami and Jason MacDonald. | | | | fighter. Anderson Silva has dominated just about |
| The UFC light heavyweight division is perhaps the | | | | every match up he's been in since joining the UFC |
| most talent deep of all the divisions in the UFC | | | | middleweight division mid way through 2006. Silva |
| and covers 185lbs to 205lbs. The light | | | | has taken out 5 top UFC middleweight fighters |
| heavyweight division has fighters such as Chuck | | | | and could be king of that division for a long time. |
| Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Keith Jardine, Shogun Rua, | | | | In fact, the only guy who I see giving Anderson |
| Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, Wanderlei Silva | | | | Silva trouble is his next opponent. Silva will take on |
| and Houston Alexander. | | | | Pride 185lb champion Dan Henderson in what |
| Heavyweight is the heaviest of all divisions in the | | | | should be an outstanding match up at 185lbs, still |
| UFC (there is no super heavyweight division). The | | | | you've got to make Silva the odds on favorite |
| UFC heavyweight division with it's recent | | | | given his performances over the last year and a |
| resignation of Randy Couture has a bit of an | | | | half. |
| identity crisis, but features fighters like Brock | | | | I do not have a pick in the UFC light heavyweight |
| Lesnar, Frank Mir, Mirko Cro Cop, Tim Sylvia, | | | | division. Sure, Quinton Jackson has looked great in |
| Brandon Vera and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. | | | | his matches against Chuck Liddell and Dan |
| Out of these five divisions, I could only find four | | | | Henderson, but still I wouldn't pick Quinton against |
| fighters that I would bet on no matter who they | | | | say Wanderlei Silva. I believe Wanderlei Silva would |
| were fighting (within their own divisions), but even | | | | have trouble with his former Chute Box |
| having said that there is always one guy who you | | | | team-mate, Shogun Rua, or maybe even against |
| think might, just might take them down. | | | | Chuck Liddell, a fight which takes place on |
| As far as I'm concerned, the king of all | | | | December 29th. I cannot find a single light |
| lightweights in the UFC isn't even the current title | | | | heavyweight fighter in the UFC who I believe can |
| holder, in fact he's never held the UFC lightweight | | | | defeat all top contenders, that's the true mark of |
| title. BJ Penn is best known to new UFC fans as a | | | | a talent laden division. |
| former coach on the Ultimate Fighter TV series | | | | Since Randy Couture has left the UFC |
| and for holding a win over Jens Pulver. Long time | | | | heavyweight division I do see a top dog emerging. |
| fans will remember the younger BJ Penn who | | | | That top dog is Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Big Nog |
| completely dominated competition in the UFC | | | | has defeated Cro Cop, Barnett and just about |
| lightweight division before being defeated by | | | | every fighter (except Fedor) that Pride has put in |
| Pulver and then leaving the UFC. Penn returned to | | | | front of him. I expect Nogueira to do the same |
| the UFC as a welterweight and defeated then | | | | against all of the existing UFC heavyweights. |
| welterweight champion Matt Hughes by | | | | Fighters like Lesnar aren't ready for him, fighters |
| submission. In a re-match event, Penn dominated | | | | like Sylvia and Cro Cop aren't well rounded enough |
| Hughes early on, but was eventually defeated by | | | | to compete with Nogueira on the ground. I could |
| ref stoppage. It was later determined that BJ | | | | see Gabriel Gonzaga giving Big Nog a good match |
| Penn had suffered a broken rib in that match up. | | | | after about another year of experience. |
| BJ also had a very good showing against another | | | | Five divisions, four sure picks to win any match |
| top UFC welterweight, Georges St Pierre. In that | | | | up within their divisions. The UFC is stacked with |
| fight BJ hurt St Pierre early on, but eventually lost | | | | talent and there are some truly outstanding |
| a very close split decision. If there was one | | | | fighters-athletes who make watching mixed |
| lightweight in the UFC who I would bet on every | | | | martial arts a real joy. Penn, St Pierre, Anderson |
| time, it would be BJ Penn. Honorable mention in | | | | Silva and Nogueira are all stand out fighters in their |
| this category goes to Sean Sherk, who I would | | | | respective UFC divisions and I expect each of |
| bet on every time, except when he fights BJ | | | | them to be title holders some time during 2008. |