It’s been a long road back to the title for Evans, who was originally scheduled to fight for the belt after defeating Quinton Jackson back in May 2010. However, due to injuries suffered by him and then champion Mauricio Rua, “Suga” has had to defeat Tito Ortiz and Davis before being able to secure another shot at the gold. Now he returns to Atlanta, where his road to superstardom began when he knocked out UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell with a highlight reel overhand at UFC 88.

When Evans went down with an injury, it was Jones who stepped up to face Rua in March 2011. “Bones” dominated “Shogun” en route to a third round stoppage and became the youngest fighter ever to hold UFC gold. Jones defended his title twice in 2011, stopping former champions “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida by submission and cementing his status as one of the best fighters in the sport.

Ever since Jones took the place of Evans and capture the title, the two have engaged war of words. Both men trained together under the guidance of Greg Jackson, but Rashad left the camp shortly after Jones became champion, feeling disrespected by the new 205 pound king. The two men will finally settle their differences later this year in a five round fight that is sure to produce fireworks.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

“If you go in there and you just think that you’re experienced and you’re gonna use that alone to take the young buck out, you might find yourself sitting down and being upset because if he’s got that raw talent and he’s hungry, that could get him the win,” explained Evans in an interview with the UFC’s website.

“You gotta be hungry and try to match that intensity…I know Phil is preparing for the fight of his life and he’s got everything to gain in this situation. This is his coming out party,” the TUF winner continued. “So I really got to go in there and beat him mentally first. I’ve got to think like I’m fighting me. I’ve got to tap into that feeling I had when I fought my big fight against Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz or ‘Rampage’ (Quinton Jackson), which was ‘This is my moment to shine.’ If I go in there thinking I’ve got something to keep away from him, its not gonna be a good fight for me. I’m going in and I’m gonna hunt for him. I’m trying to take something he’s got.”

The 16-1-1 Evans, who expressed his interest in being remembered forever based on his accomplishments in the Octagon, closed the topic out with a revealing glimpse into his work ethic and approach to MMA, saying, “I never want to get content. I never want to think that I’m at a certain spot and I’m gonna stay there, because this organization’s hard to stay in, and this is the wrong place to get complacent in. You’ve got so many guys coming up and putting in work, and everybody wants to be in my position, so I gotta be paranoid and think that if I’m not producing, if I’m not going out there and winning fights and winning impressively, I’m gonna be replaced. And I don’t like that and that’s not an easy feeling for me, so I try to do everything in my power to make sure that does not happen.”

Catch Evans-Davis tonight on FOX at 8:00 PM EST with preliminary pairings on Fuel TV/Facebook starting at 5:00 PM EST.

In the entry, cameras follow Evans around on Wednesday as he makes a number of media appearances including open workouts and a stop at a local news station in Chicago. By the end of the day seems clear Evans is wiped, showing his anxiety over his fight this weekend against Phil Davis in saying “All this talking about the fight…I just want to fight already.”

Check out the clip below and make sure to catch Davis-Evans tomorrow night at 8:00 PM EST on FOX:

Davis, who is 9-0 in his MMA career, will face his stiffest challenge in Evans, a former UFC light heavyweight champ that has held the title of #1 contender for well over a year.

“Yes, I have only nine proper MMA fights, but the inexperience thing isn’t an issue,” said Davis, during a recent press conference promoting UFC on FOX 2. “I am less experienced than every single guy I’ve faced, and I am unbeaten.”

As far as Davis is concerned, he is as experienced as any other fighter in one key area: winning. “I am experienced at winning, and that’s what really matters, and I ‘m going to experience winning again on FOX.”

The war of words between Davis and “Suga” has been interesting to say the least, as Evans is also a former college wrestling standout at Michigan State University – a Big Ten rival of Penn State’s. When the final bell sounds Saturday night in Chicago, the two may have respect for each other, but until that time, it is all hatred.

“He’s delusional. If he things he’s going to out-wrestle or intimidate me, he’s in for a shock Saturday night,” Davis said. “He’s not as good as he things he is, and I am better than he thinks I am. He thinks he’s a better wrestler than me, crazy. I would beat him 100 times out of 100. He was something like .500 in won/losses in wrestling. I was a champion; he just competed.”

See how things play out Saturday night when the show starts at 8:00 PM EST on FOX. Other bouts on the main card include Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman and Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

For Evans, this is a chance to showcase his skills in front of his second home as the event takes place in Chicago at the United Center. However, Evans has become one of the most hated UFC fighters out there in terms of crowd support, as the former Michigan State University standout wrestler continually hears boos from those in attendance and very well may again even in front of his hometown fans. While that might bother some, it doesn’t have an effect on Evans.

“Win, lose or draw, I’m going to put on a good show,” Evans said in a video blog he made documenting his life leading up to this weekend’s show. “It’s come to a point where I like being booed now. I’ve been getting booed so much, if people didn’t boo me, it’d be weird. Boo me, that means you love me.”

Check out the video below and make sure to check out Evans-Davis this weekend when the card starts on FOX at 8:00 PM EST:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Though not officially announced by the UFC, the match-up is expected to serve as the main event on January 28 when the organization returns to FOX for their second live event on the network.

News of the pairing was first reported by ESPN where multiple sources were cited.

Evans will undoubtedly be competing for a title-shot after watching fate deal him a bad hand over the past few months in terms of timing and injuries. “Suga” ‘Shad has seen three championship clashes laid to waste due to injury, twice relating to his own health and once to that of divisional king Jon Jones. Evans is currently on a three-fight winning streak with victories over Thiago Silva, Quinton Jackson, and most recently Tito Ortiz.

The 2012 tussle will mark the biggest fight of the 9-0 Davis’ career after proving he belonged inside the Octagon against elite opposition with a win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFN 24. A decorated wrestler, the uber-athletic Davis has aldo found past success against notable opposition such as Tim Boetsch, Alexander Gustaffson, and Brian Stann.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Cerrone, who will meet Nate Diaz in the co-main event of UFC 141 on December 30 from Las Vegas, Nevada, has continued to catch the eye of former training partner and ex-UFC light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans.

Evans was formerly with Greg Jackson’s MMA training center in New Mexico before leaving for his new team in Florida. However, “Suga” has maintained a watchful eye on the up-and-coming “Cowboy.”

“I definitely think Cerrone can win the title. I love to watch the way he’s grown in the sport,” said Evans in a recent interview with ESPN. “To watch his growth is ridiculous. I sit and watch how good he’s got and I get chills. He’d practice all day long. He’d practice, eat, take a nap, then practice some more.”

Cerrone has stopped four opponents inside the Octagon since joining the UFC earlier this year after the promotion brought in members of the WEC. Among his victims include submission wins over Dennis Siver, Paul Kelly, and Chris Horodecki.

From Evans’ standpoint, he remembers how little knowledge Cerrone has when it came to MMA after arriving at Jackson’s, saying, “He had virtually no wrestling at all – zero wrestling. And this ground was so-so. He was all stand-up. The work he puts in is paying off.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Rashad Evans

To Evans, the entire scenario looked as if Jones was just trying to get out of their fight, so he called out “Bones” on the matter and the two had a nice, pleasant exchange (sarcasm implied). Now, with Evans recovering from a hand injury and not having enough time to prepare for Jones, the champion is calling out “Suga” for not taking the title fight at UFC 140. Instead, Jones will meet Lyoto Machida, who took the crown from Evans last year.

“(UFC President) Dana White basically needed someone to save (UFC) 140. I didn’t necessarily want to fight at 140, but because it was Rashad, I said, ‘You know what? I would take the fight in nine weeks. I’m already in shape. I already know what I want to do,’” said Jones, in an interview with MMAFighting. “Rashad, predicting that I would say no, he kind of kicked himself in the butt because I said yes, he turns around and says, ‘Oh, I didn’t expect Jon to say yes. I don’t want to fight him that soon.’ So, in reality, he’s kind of the one who’s ducking the fight. I feel like he’s ducking the fight.”

Jones mentioned in several reports following his win over Jackson that he was looking to take the rest of the year off from fighting to spend time with his family and allow some minor injuries to heal up. But, the chance to get Evans in the cage was enough for him to put those decisions on hold. Now, he must prepare for “The Dragon” in a match-up that is sure to present problems.

“I just got a new car, I want to drive that around. I want to hang out with my family and relax and sleep in my own bed for once,” Jones said. “Dana White called me and said Rashad wants this fight. I gave him the fight he wanted and then he pulled out.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of the bout was first reported by MMAFighting.com.

At UFC 133, Evans injured his hand in a victory over Tito Ortiz. After finishing “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” in the second round of their bout, Evans had to have pins inserted into his right hand and has been in a cast since the bout. He is scheduled to see the doctor on Wednesday and hopes to be cleared for competition. The former light heavyweight champion has had a string of bad luck when it comes to the 205 strap ever since losing the title to Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. Scheduled to get a title shot at UFC 128, Evans had to pull out of the fight with Mauricio Rua due to a knee injury. Jones replaced Evans in that fight. The bout between the former training partners was originally set to go down at UFC 133, but Jones “faked a hand injury” according to Evans, leaving Rashad to fight Tito and Jones to defend his title against Quinton Jackson a month later.

Jones submitted Jackson in the fourth round of their title fight on September 25, and the December 10 turnaround might be too quick for the 24-year-old to handle. Also standing in the way is the fact that Jones was suspended for six months following UFC 135 and needs to be cleared by a doctor before he can step foot back in the octagon. Following his victory over Jackson, “Bones” refused to talk about Evans saying, “he’s ruined my moment twice now” in reference to Evans entering the octagon after Jones’ victories over “Shogun” and “Rampage.”

UPDATE: It appears that the fight, while still scheduled to happen, won’t be taking place at UFC 140. Dana White took to twitter and let everyone know, “Jones vs. Evans is not the main event. Evans is hurt.”

UFC 140 is scheduled for December 10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Also on the card is a heavyweight rematch between former champions Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*

Ortiz and Evans were on hand today for a conference call with media and Five Ounces of Pain was on the line. Read ahead to see the numerous interesting soundbytes and nuggets of information the talented 205ers offered up…

Tito Ortiz:

- Refers to East Coast fans as “die hard”
- “I’m gonna fight with my heart and soul and do what I do.”
- Was “on top of the world” after beating Bader and initially declined the Evans fight because he missed his family, was enjoying being around them
- Reconsidered the match-up after giving it more thought in terms of how healthy he felt and what an incredible opportunity it was to help Dana White / “I wanted to show what a businessman I was and I stepped up.”
- Was never in jeopardy of pulling out after his recent fender bender, that the only thing that scared him was the fact his son was in the car at the time
- Says Evans has matured a lot and improved tremendously in the cage since the first time they fought
- Mentions numerous times how much better he feels in terms of health now in comparison to the past
- Loves fighting in Philly as a “huge Rocky fan”
- Doesn’t concern himself with “win-win” or “lose-lose” situations; that he’s a fighter, it’s his job to fight, and he’s going to do his job at UFC 133
- “I’m ready for a war. I’m ready for the best Rashad has ever been.”
- “My advantage is my heart. I’m prepared for anything and everything. I’m going in focused, mentally positive, and knowing that my hands will be raised.”
- Plans to retire before 40 but will keep fighting until then with a goal in mind of getting another title around his waist again
- Looks at his career as though he’s paved the way for guys like Evans who know how to sell fights to media and throw down in the cage
- Is thankful for the commitment Dana White and the Fertitta Brothers have shown towards the UFC
- “Jon Jones is great. I hung out with him at the UFC Summit and he’s a cool guy. He’s a big threat. That’s why he’s the world champion.”
- Was 100% confident in his ability to beat Bader regardless of the odds, felt the TUF winner didn’t want to fight him / “I didn’t know I was gonna knock him down and submit him but I knew I was gonna stop him.”
- Never planned to be a MMA fighter / Intended to be a HS wrestling coach
- “Frank Shamrock is a great fighter and a great champion.” / Says he’s a lot better than Ken Shamrock, that “he’s the one who has got skills”
- Says the Bader fight feels like it was a year ago
- Was thinking “Finally! Thank God! All the hard work paid off!” after beating Bader / “My heart was so touched just knowing I was still one of the guys on top.”
- Is learning to adapt to the new generation of fighters

Rashad Evans:

- Very anxious to get back in the cage / “Being out for 14 months was hard for me to do. I had no idea I would be out this long but things happen.”
- Expects to see a very good, energized Ortiz
- Credits Ortiz with improved striking over his past few fights but isn’t worried / “For the most part what I need to worry about is my own execution. As long as I execute it doesn’t matter what Tito Ortiz does.”
- Wants to take his time, be patient, and not rush so he can re-acclimate himself to the ring after such a long layoff
- Calls this bout “one of those fights you want to get back”
- Says training has been great and he “couldn’t be happier” with his new camp. “Coming from Greg Jackson’s camp I was not thinking there was another situation in line with that one and was pleased to find out things here are good.” / The gym has “great energy, great training practices, and is fun to be in.”
- Doesn’t believe there is a reason for him to ever go back to Jackson’s MMA
- Hasn’t ever been to Philadelphia but also loves “Rocky” and also a fan of Philly fighters like Bernard Hopkins / “It’s great to fight in a city that has great fighting history.” / The energy he gets from fans that knowledgeable lifts him up
- Being in a new camp has allowed him to not only experience new techniques than he did at Jackson’s but also gives him more one-on-one time with trainers
- “To be part of the Ultimate Fighter was truly a great experience” and says it essentially made his career
- Looked up to guys like Ortiz and Liddell when he was first getting into MMA while in college
- “This sport has grown a lot but it isn’t done yet.”
- Doesn’t want to talk about the LHW champ / “I don’t like Jon Jones. There’s really nothing more I can say about him.”
- Having as much time off as he has allowed him to get his body healthy and shake some nagging injuries beyond the knee issue
- Fourteen months out of the cage has made him hungry / “I’ve been having dreams about it – I just want to get back in there and fight!”
- “There’s nothing like having that fight, having that win, and then going back to regular life like nothing happened.” / Refers to the “out of body” experience of listening to people talk to you about your performance / “It’s just something I can’t wait to get back and have again.”

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Dana White confirmed the fight on his twitter feed.

Ortiz was rumored to be the replacement for Davis just after news broke last night that he was out of the fight but turned it down stating that he didn’t feel the timing was right and that he wasn’t sure his body could peak again so soon after just fighting less than two weeks ago. Once Ortiz’ name was out of the race, UFC turned to Lyoto Machida to step in and face Evans but Machida turned down the bout as well, citing that he wouldn’t have enough time to prepare for the bout.

It appears that Dana and company made it worth Tito’s time as he’s done an about face since last night, accepting the fight and saving the UFC 133 main event. Ortiz will be returning to action on August 6, 35 days after submitting Ryan Bader on July 2.

The opponent likely made no difference for Evans, who was just eager to get back in the cage after being out of action since May 2010, when he defeated Quinton Jackson. Evans had the chance to fight last fall but declined in order to wait for his promised title fight and then when he was scheduled to face then UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua in March, Evans had to bow out of the fight with an injury. Now Evans looks to get back in the title picture with a win in August.

*PHOTO CREDIT – UFC*

According to a multiple reports, undefeated 205er Phil Davis has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout with Rashad Evans at UFC 133 after suffering an undisclosed knee injury in training. MMAFighting was the first to relay news of the pending change to the August 6 lineup where it was also stated the UFC is expected to announce a replacement in the next few days.

In a related story, Brazilian publication Tatame has cited Lyoto Machida’s wife as informing them her husband was offered a rematch with Evans but had not decided on whether or not he would accept it given the turnaround time. The two former title-holders first fought in 2009 at UFC 98 where Machida knocked Evans out in the second round to win the UFC light heavyweight belt.

UPDATE: It has since been reported she’s come forward to say her husband has declined the short-notice fight.

Regardless of who Evans is paired against in Philadelphia, it appears the 15-1 Ultimate Fighter season-winner will now receive his third scheduled opponent after injuries claimed his first two foes, Davis and current champion Jon Jones. Adding another layer of difficulty to the situation, the bout also marks the first in-ring appearance for “Sugar” ‘Shad since beating Quinton Jackson more than a year ago at UFC 114.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to the UFC, “Bones” has been scratched from a scheduled defense of his belt against former teammate Rashad Evans at UFC 133 in Philadelphia due to nagging hand injury worsened in his title-winning performance against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March. Specifically, as was explained in a press release from Jones’ management team, the affliction relates to “torn tissue in his right hand in the area between his thumb and forefinger”. No timetable has been set for his return to action.

Stepping in for the champ at the August 6 event against Evans will be undefeated contender Phil Davis. Davis honed his craft at Penn State during a storied run as a Nittany Lion wrestler meaning UFC 133 will serve as a semi-homecoming, not to mention a “Big 10” rivalry of sorts given Evans’ affiliation with Michigan State.

“This is an injury that’s been recurring since I was a college wrestler, it doesn’t affect my punching or grappling, but I am taking the time and the proper measures to correct this now, so that it doesn’t happen again,” Jones explained in an official statement. “I look forward to getting back to training and to my first title defense. As for Rashad, let’s see what happens with Davis. I will be watching that fight with great interest.”

“Mr. Wonderful” is 9-0 thus far in his MMA career including impressive wins over Brian Stann, Tim Boetsch, and most recently Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFN 24 last month. His All-American credentials should also come into play in August given Evans’ standard style of getting opponents to the mat and grinding them down.

“Sugar” ‘Shad has been sidelined since earning a title-shot with a decision win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson on Memorial Day Weekend 2010, then seeing his opportunity go to Jones after injuring his knee while training for the bout against Rua. The UFC’s former 205-pound champion is 15-1-1 overall with victories over Thiago Silva, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin.

In addition to Davis vs. Evans, UFC 133 will also feature Vitor Belfort taking on Yoshishiro Akiyama and Rich Franklin mixing it up with the aforementioned Nogueira brother.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

According to Paradise Warrior Retreat, the event will take place from May 6-8 in New York, New York at Phil Nurse’s gym (The Wat). Nurse will also be part of the seminar as will Tri-Star MMA’s Firas Zahabi who is perhaps best known for his work with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

While there is little doubt the trio of headliners will all maintain professionalism throughout the weekend, an environment ripe with tension seems likely barring a behind-the-scenes resolution in the coming weeks between the sides. Evans recently went online to label his former training partner Jones as a “Judas” while openly discussing his displeasure with how Jackson had handled business lately.

Evans’ points of contention stem from comment Jones made regarding an openness to a fight with him while never having discussed the matter prior to making the comment (or in its wake). He has also pointed the finger at Jackson for bringing “Bones” on board in the first place against his wishes and contributing to the current situation.

The former light heavyweight champion took to Twitter over the weekend to tell his side of the story, writing, “I will not use Greg ever again. I really haven’t used him in a while anyways,” while also explaining he had only trained with Jackson five times total in preparation for his last two fights (point-based wins over Thiago Silva and Quinton Jackson).

The permanence of the move was backed by further statements from Evans who pointed the finger squarely at Jackson as the primary reason behind his departure from Albuquerque for a yet-to-be-named camp.

“Greg brought this situation about. He brought Jones on board a while back against my wishes are here we are today. I decided to leave (Jackson’s MMA) because I felt like he didn’t have my best interest anymore. Greg is not the same coach he used to be.”

Evans did not elaborate on how Jackson had changed or reveal any specific sources of resentment. No potential landing areas were mentioned either in terms of where he’ll prepare for a future title-date with Jones.

Under Jackson’s tutelage “Sugar” ‘Shad compiled a 10-1-1 record in the Octagon including wins over Silva, “Rampage” Jackson, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin. He is 15-1-1 overall in his career with five TKOs to his credit.

“We’ve got to see who comes out of this fight, whether they come out unscathed. If the guys are ready to roll again with no injuries Rashad is definitely next in line,” White explained on a recent episode of ESPN’s MMALive.

The news appears to back Evans’ mutual openness to a bout with Jones, his training partner, as far as the possibility of an inner-squad showdown for the belt at some point later this year if “Bones” defeats Rua tomorrow night at UFC 128.

The 15-1-1 Evans had previously been set to face Rua with Jones stepping in as a late replacement after “Sugar” ‘Shad injured his knee while training for the bout. Word had also surfaced of a possible rematch with rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson with the spot ultimately going to Matt Hamill meaning Evans’ schedule is still open for the next few months.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 winner hasn’t fought since outpointing Jackson last May with a similar result in a prior contest against Thiago Silva at UFC 108. Evans has emerged victorious in five of his last six fights including success against Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell with the lone exception being Lyoto Machida’s title-procuring performance in mid-2009.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

The plan to pair Evans and Jackson for a second time was reported by MMAWeekly. However, if Silva is indeed being forced out of the fight it appears to be news to him, as he has since been quoted by Tatame as saying his bout with Jackson is still on as far as he knows.

“Sugar” ‘Shad was originally set to take on Rua before a knee injury resulted in him being replaced by Jon Jones. However, he is expected to be ready to go again by May when UFC 130 will take place, meaning it is possible UFC could create a top contenders’ clash at the event by potentially putting him in the Octagon with Jackson.

The pairing of top-ranked 205ers was initially reported by Canadian news outlet SportsNet. The show will mark the UFC’s third trip to the arena, including an earlier card headlined by Evans taking on fellow Ultimate Fighter season-winner Michael Bisping. Though no number has been officially announced for the date it is believed the card will be UFC 129 based on other planned events.

The bout will mark Rua’s first defense of the belt since winning it by way of first-round knockout against Lyoto Machida in May, then subsequently being sidelined in order to repair ligament damage in his left knee. The renowned Brazilian is 3-2 in the UFC, but 19-4 overall in his career including wins over Chuck Liddell, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem (both by way of knockout).

The 15-1-1 Evans will enter the title-bout coming off a pair of decision victories in 2010 with “Rampage” and Thiago Silva on the losing end of the judges’ scorecards and has only been beaten a single time in his seventeen-fight career. In addition to both respected competitors, “Suga” ‘Shad has experienced in-ring success in the past against Liddell, Stephan Bonnar, and of course Griffin who he ultimately won the light heavyweight championship from at UFC 92 in December 2008.

The action unfolding in Newark should be intriguing to say the least based on the fighters’ opposing styles. Evans is known primarily as a wrestler who prefers to control action while occasionally offering precise, powerful punches. Eight of his fifteen wins have been the result of a decision and he also has a draw on his record. Comparably, Rua brings an arsenal into the ring featuring an assortment of dynamic strikes born of his Muay Thai base with sixteen of his nineteen total wins coming via TKO.

That being said, you should never consider my rankings gospel. When two finely-tuned individuals step into a cage and let loose the difference between consciousness and looking up at the ceiling is a matter of milliseconds no matter who is ranked where. The individuality inherently involved in a subjective endeavor like ranking fighters, many of whom could easily be argued as deserving different spots based on personal criteria, is not only recognized on Five Ounces’ end but also encouraged in the form of offering your own lists in the “Comments” section below.

1. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4)

When healthy there is no better light heavyweight than Rua, though in fairness his overall durability deserves questioning based on a number of injury-related issues he’s had in his career.

2. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (31-8)

Jackson is as tough a draw as can be had at 205-pounds. He hasn’t been finished in more than five years, and both of his decision-losses in that period were extremely close results that could have gone either way. Though some may argue Machida deserved the judges’ favor at UFC 123 I felt Jackson did enough over the first two rounds in comparison to “The Dragon” to earn the win, and based on it in addition to his other past performances I think his body of work merits the “runner up” slot in these rankings.

3. Lyoto Machida (16-2)

If Machida had been able to pull out a clear-cut win over “Rampage” last weekend I think there would have been grounds for debate in terms of him potentially leap-frogging Rua. Compare their activity since 2007 and you’ll see what I mean. However, the dynamic Brazilian lost (mainly due to his slow-starting style) and went from sixteen straight wins to a two-fight slide.

4. Rashad Evans (15-1-1)

Evans’ wins may not always be as pretty as his custom-made suits, but he gets the job done with heavy hands, excellent footwork, and a rock-solid wrestling base. However, he’s been somewhat inactive over the past few years (five total fights) and nearly stumbled late in his bouts against “Rampage” and Thiago Silva after coming off a nasty knockout to Machida.

5. Jon Jones (11-1)

Jones is a downward-elbow away from being 12-0, so it’s hard to find fault in him for the DQ loss to Matt Hamill a year ago. At 23, he’s mature for his age and has yet to show any real weaknesses in his game. He is not only the future at light heavyweight, but also very much the present, and with the dominating victories he’s racked up thus far in his career it seems to be a given he’ll fight for a UFC title sooner than later.

6. Forrest Griffin (17-6)

The affable, original TUF champ has been out of action since November 2009 so he’s only holding on to his ranking by a thread. However, when he isn’t sidelined with an injury, Griffin has found a way to will himself to victory against the cream of MMA’s crop. He’s large for a LHW, has good hands and equally decent wrestling, and also possesses an underrated set of jiu-jitsu skills. While his year-long absence from the ring could be cause to remove him completely from this list it would only be a formality since he’s scheduled to fight in February 2011 against Rich Franklin.

7. Gegard Mousasi (30-3-1)

The next three athletes on this list are almost 7A, 7B, and 7C for me. However, Mousasi gets the official nod at “7” because he has ten more total bouts than Bader/Cavalcante combined. He’s beaten a number of talented opponents in various weight-classes and is 17-1 since August 2006. If he had 1-2 bigger wins at 205-pounds he’d be at “6” with Griffin sliding down a notch.

8. Ryan Bader (12-0)

Undefeated in twelve fights, Bader has had strong showings against ranked LHWs and rarely found himself in a compromising position at any point in his career. His overall package needs refining but has absolutely the raw skills to keep climbing the divisional ladder while ironing his weaknesses out.

9. Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (10-2)

If it wasn’t for Cavalcante’s TKO loss to Mike Kyle in June 2009 he’d likely be a few spots higher than he currently is. The Strikeforce champ has great hands for a BJJ guy, but still needs to show his skills against a higher level of adversary before sniffing a “Top 5” nod.

10. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-4)

“Little Nog” had won seven-straight before losing a close decision to Bader at UFC 119. With past wins over Dan Henderson and Alistair Overeem, as well as his more-recent success in the ring, Nogueira is definitely still a “Top 10” LHW regardless of the defeat.

11. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (7-1)

In Lawal’s case I’m admittedly ranking him more on potential rather than what he’s actually accomplished in the cage. He’s extremely talented, but still fairly new to MMA and needs a bit of polishing. If he can put together a few injury-free years and keep working on his game I can see his natural ability and incredible mind for the sport taking him all the way to the top of this list.

12. Anderson Silva (27-4)

If Silva had another win or two at light heavyweight he would easily be part of my “Top 10”. However, until he makes a more-permanent jump to the division I have a hard time putting him amongst the best (though I don’t doubt he’d easily climb there with the move).

13. Thiago Silva (14-2)

Though Silva has fallen in two of his last three bouts, the losses came to #3 and #4 on this list. Beyond that he’s finished thirteen of the fourteen other foes he’s faced in his career. Unfortunately, he’s also fought injured a number of times and is only now getting close to being healthy after suffering a back injury. Perhaps it goes without saying, but without a doubt his upcoming scrap with Brandon Vera is definitely be one of the most-important fights in his career as far as determining his future in MMA.

15. Rich Franklin (28-5)

Franklin has only fought a few times at 205 but he’s looked good in nearly all of of his professional showings with the only stumbles coming against MMA’s elite (Silva, Machida, Vitor Belfort, and a controversial split-decision to Dan Henderson). Regardless of how bad his losses were to the Brazilian group on that list, I’d pick “Ace” over the majority of the sport’s 205ers based on what he’s done so far in the division and his overall offerings in the ring.

15. Matt Hamill (10-2)

This spot is a toss-up in a lot of ways for me, as there are definitely a few other LHWs who are nearly if not equally deserving of the “Top 15” distinction. Ah, subjectivity! However, Hamill stands out to me based on his heart, chin, and combination of wrestling/power. He can grind most opponents down to a pulp to procure a decision or knock them out, whether standing or in top position. His win over Tito Ortiz was impressive in the sense he out-wrestled the former light heavyweight champ and looked sharp on his feet as well. Clearly Ortiz is not be what he used to be, but “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” is still a game competitor and Hamill’s performance against him deserves to be respected.

Honorable Mentions

Dan Henderson (25-8): “Hendo” has wins over a handful of respected 205ers, including PRIDE-era Wanderlei Silva and Belfort, as well as middleweights and even heavyweights including Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira from a decade ago. The double-divisional champion’s wrestling credentials speak for themselves and he also packs enough power to have inspired a catalog of humorous, digitally altered shots of Michael Bisping’s separation from consciousness at UFC 100 (his eleventh win by way of strikes).
Renato “Babalu” Sobral (36-8): Though most of his biggest victories come more than five years ago, Sobral is an apt competitor who has solid stand-up and, with eighteen career submission wins, an obvious arsenal on the ground. He’s also one of the two men to have legitimately finished the top name on this list (a third-round Guillotine Choke of Rua coming in the second tier of a one-night tournament in 2003 after having already gone fifteen minutes against seasoned veteran Trevor Prangley).
Vladimir Matyushenko (25-5): Matyushenko, who has won twelve of his last fourteen bouts, is still seeking a career-defining win to show his decision victory over “Little Nog” eight years ago wasn’t the pinnacle of his journey in MMA. However, there’s no doubting “The Janitor” knows how to clean up in the cage from a success standpoint. He’s beaten a number of tough opponents while never having been submitted a single time in thirty total fights. The soon-to-be-40-year old also stopped rising prospect Alexandre Ferreira’s consecutive first-frame win streak at seven (with ten in his last eleven) after two minutes of action when they fought a few weeks ago at UFC 122, so clearly Matyushenko still has some gas left in his tank even after the loss he suffered to Jones last August.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

News of potential event was confirmed by multiple sources and first reported by MMAWeekly.

The UFC’s previous venture into Abu Dhabi was memorable on a number of levels, as it provided the backdrop for both Frank Edgar’s shocking championship win over BJ Penn, as well as Anderson Silva’s baffling, albeit dominating, performance against submission-specialist Demian Maia.

Rua has been out of action since winning the light heavyweight belt against Lyoto Machida in the first round of their headlining bout at UFC 113 due to knee surgery, but has expressed his intent to return to the Octagon in Spring of next year. Evans earned his shot at the title after winning back-to-back fights against Thiago Silva and former title-holder Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.