Wrong!
When you look back at some of the best fights in the UFC this year, look no further than the lightweight division.
In no time at all, the UFC lightweight division has become deeper than any weight class in any promotion in the sport. As the old saying goes, "opinions are [you know what]..." That said, here's a good look at my ass.
NOTE: These rankings are for UFC fighters only. Notable exceptions from this list include: Takanori Gomi, Gilbert Melendez, Gesias Calvancanti, Shinya Aoki, and Tatsuya Kawajiri, Mitsuhiro Ishida, and Joachim Hansen.
1. Sean Sherk - He was stripped of the belt, but is still the linear champ of the UFC LW division. His next fight will (or at least should) be in Spring 2008 in a title shot against the winner of Penn vs. Stevenson which takes place in January. He gets the top spot because he’s the linear champ of the division. Unfortunately, he loses this spot as soon as the final bell rings after the Penn/Stevenson fight
2. BJ Penn – Sure, before choking out Jens Pulver at the Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale, Penn hadn’t fought at LW for nearly three years. Doesn’t matter. BJ Penn is still at the top of the LW ladder and will most likely be the LW champ after UFC 80.
3. Joe Stevenson – Besides losing a fight against Josh Neer at Ultimate Fight Night 4 while competing as a welterweight, Joe Stevenson hasn’t lost a fight since November 2002 (he was 20), and hasn’t been stopped since February 2000 (at age 17). He’ll give Penn a tough fight, and beats everyone else on this list.
4. Frankie Edgar – Edgar came out of nowhere in 2007 by going 3-0 in the UFC. Along the way, he defeated Tyson Griffin in of the best fights of the year and completely dominated Spencer Fisher – who always seems to be just one elusive win away from a title shot. Another win for Edgar and may be ready to get a crack at the title once the winner of Penn/Stevenson faces Sherk. However, Edgar is young in the sport and shouldn’t be rushed into a title fight.
5. Kenny Florian – Forget season one of TUF. That’s not the same Florian. It hasn’t been for a long time. Ken-Flo has improved his game faster than any fighter on this list. In addition to his exceptional ground skills, he developing into a very good striker. He survived with Sherk on top of him for five rounds, and has stopped every other lightweight he’s faced in the UFC.
6. Roger Huerta – Say what you will about the level of competition he’s faced, but Huerta went 5-0 in the cage in 2007. Impressive no matter who you are. His gutsy come from behind win against Clay Guida showed the kind of heart Huerta has. The only thing left for Huerta is to start fighting the elite of the division to see where he truly ranks in the class.
7. Tyson Griffin – The only man to hold a win over WEC Featherweight Champ, Urijah Faber, Tyson Griffin is on the verge of becoming one of the top guys in the LW division. Holds a close win over Guida and Thiago Tavares
8. Clay Guida – There’s no better fighter in the UFC who’s 2-3 in the cage than Clay Guida. This guy has faced top competition in all of his fights. He lost questionable decisions against Tyson Griffin and Din Thomas. Even his split decision win over Marcus Aurelio should have been a unanimous decision win. If Guida ever catches a break in the UFC… the ocean may freeze over.
9. Spencer Fisher – Fisher is 3-3 in the UFC with wins over Cole Miller, Sam Stout, and Dan Lauzon. Unfortunately, his runs for a title shot have been shot down by a wild right hand from Hermes Franca, and a takedown clinic from Frankie Edgar.
10. Din Thomas - An injury sustained against Kenny Florian will keep Din out of action for several months just as Thomas looked poised to give his career the fabled second act. Since returning toe the UFC after Season 4 of TUF, Thomas went 3-0, before losing to Florian in September. This spot could have gone to probably 6 other fighters, who all would be deserving.
Other fighters in the hunt:
Marcus Aurelio – Holds a submission win over Gomi. Yet to make a impact in the UFC. Key word is “yet.”
Jorge Gurgel – His four fights in the UFC (he’s 2-2) have been wars, but Gurgel hasn’t been able to sustain much momentum during his UFC run
Hermes Franca – His suspension after his loss to Sherk has hurt is activity in a very active division.
Nate Diaz – The young TUF Season 5 winner is 2-0 in the cage, and will be facing Alvin Robinson soon.
Kurt Pelligrino – Franca’s Armory teammate and is 2-1 in the UFC with his only loss coming to Stevenson
Thiago Tavares –Tavares is overlooked by most fans, but he went 2-1 in the cage in 2007, which included a win over Jason Black. The only blemish on his record is his decision loss to Griffin. This spot could have gone to probably 6 other fighters, who all would be deserving.
Mac Danzig – The TUF Season 6 champ will be coming back to LW where the former KOTC LW champ will make a huge impact on the division and will most likely be in the top 10 before the end of 2008
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