Editor’s Choice: MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings

Last Weekend, Benson Henderson proved he’s currently one of the top fighters on the planet, with a convincing performance against Nate Diaz at UFC on FOX 5. Henderson controlled the fight against a relentless opponent, in what was his sixth victory inside the Octagon. Interestingly enough, Henderson finished his World Extreme Cagefighting stint with a loss to Anthony Pettis, who since then struggled to find his place in the highest echelons of the UFC Lightweight division.

I positioned Ben Henderson at #6 of my pound-for-pound list. I firmly believe that Benderson has earned his ranking, and will advance into the Top 5 if he continues to perform well against top-tier fighters. The top 5 remains unshakable, with Anderson Silva, GSP, Jon Jones, Junior dos Santos, and Jose Aldo. I put JDS at number 4 simply because the quality of opponents he knocked out in his impressive run inside the Octagon speaks for itself.

Don’t get me wrong, Jose Aldo is a fantastic fighter, but his record just lacks that “fighting the best 3 times a year” factor. Dos Santos would be extremely debatable for the #3 spot if he beats Cain Velasquez and then Alistair Overeem (who still has to go through Antonio Silva).

Newly-crowned UFC Flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson, is currently ranked at #8. Johnson was a force to be reckoned with at Bantamweight, and has now defeated Joseph Benavidez to become a champion. Johnson brings something new to the cage, and can definitely be considered as one of the greatest fighters currently competing in Mixed Martial Arts.

Unfortunately, I had to leave Dominick Cruz out of this list due to inactivity. Gilbert Melendez is not there as well. Frankie Edgar was moved down to #9 after his loss to Ben Henderson, however, a victory over Jose Aldo could catapult Edgar back into the Top 5.

So, here we go: