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1. Frankie Edgar (13-1)
At UFC 118, lightning struck for the second time and even brighter than before. After winning an unpopular unanimous decision over B.J. Penn in Abu Dhabi in April, Edgar showed sterling improvement in his Aug. 28 rematch with "The Prodigy." He won all five rounds on all three judges’ scorecards to turn in the best performance of his career.
2. Gilbert Melendez (18-2)
The Strikeforce lightweight champion notched the most significant win of his career April 17 in Nashville, Tenn. He dominated Dream titleholder Shinya Aoki for all 25 minutes of their bout on network television and entrenched himself as one of the sport’s elite at 155 pounds.
3. B.J. Penn (15-7-1)
In one of the most lackluster fights of his career, the mercurial Penn stood around for much of the 25 minutes in the cage with Frankie Edgar on Aug. 28. Though most felt Penn deserved the nod in their April bout, Edgar dominated "The Prodigy" for the balance of their rematch and left no doubt who the true UFC lightweight champion is.
4. Gray Maynard (10-0, 1 NC)
Despite being tabbed as the underdog entering his Aug. 28 UFC lightweight title eliminator with Kenny Florian, Maynard didn't look one bit the part. He put Florian on the mat repeatedly en route to a tidy unanimous decision win. The victory lines Maynard up as the next man to challenge Frankie Edgar, whom he has beaten before, for the UFC crown.
5. Shinya Aoki (24-5, 1 NC)
Skepticism swirled around Aoki’s status as an elite lightweight after his April drubbing at the hands of Gilbert Melendez. However, the thrilling grappler picked up yet another brilliant victory on July 10, leg locking Tatsuya Kawajiri in less than two minutes to retain his Dream lightweight title in impressive fashion.
6. Eddie Alvarez (20-2)
When Bellator's second lightweight tournament wrapped, Alvarez was expected to take on bracket winner Pat Curran on Oct. 21. However, with an injury forcing Curran out of the bout, the first title shot against Alvarez has been afforded to UFC veteran Roger Huerta instead.
7. Kenny Florian (13-5)
In hot pursuit of a third UFC lightweight title shot, Florian couldn't best unbeaten Gray Maynard in their Aug. 28 title eliminator. After dropping a unanimous verdict to "The Bully," Florian will be forced to work his way up the UFC lightweight ladder once again.
8. Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2)
Many tabbed Kawajiri to be the next Dream champion, figuring he had exactly the right skill set to replicate what Gilbert Melendez did to Shinya Aoki in April. However, on July 10, Kawajiri spent most of the night fending off foot locks, until finally tapping out to Aoki less than two minutes into the first round.
9. Evan Dunham (11-0)
In June, Dunham really opened eyes with his well-appointed decision over Tyson Griffin. The 28-year-old's next test will be another stiff one, as he'll meet former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk at UFC 119 on Sept. 15 in a fight that could move him closer to a title shot of his own.
10. Benson Henderson (12-1)
The second WEC lightweight title defense for "Smooth" will happen in front of a partisan crowd in Glendale, Ariz. However, hometown crowd or not, Henderson will have his hands full when he meets once-beaten dynamo Anthony Pettis in a possible "Fight of the Year" contender.
At UFC 118, lightning struck for the second time and even brighter than before. After winning an unpopular unanimous decision over B.J. Penn in Abu Dhabi in April, Edgar showed sterling improvement in his Aug. 28 rematch with "The Prodigy." He won all five rounds on all three judges’ scorecards to turn in the best performance of his career.
2. Gilbert Melendez (18-2)
The Strikeforce lightweight champion notched the most significant win of his career April 17 in Nashville, Tenn. He dominated Dream titleholder Shinya Aoki for all 25 minutes of their bout on network television and entrenched himself as one of the sport’s elite at 155 pounds.
3. B.J. Penn (15-7-1)
In one of the most lackluster fights of his career, the mercurial Penn stood around for much of the 25 minutes in the cage with Frankie Edgar on Aug. 28. Though most felt Penn deserved the nod in their April bout, Edgar dominated "The Prodigy" for the balance of their rematch and left no doubt who the true UFC lightweight champion is.
4. Gray Maynard (10-0, 1 NC)
Despite being tabbed as the underdog entering his Aug. 28 UFC lightweight title eliminator with Kenny Florian, Maynard didn't look one bit the part. He put Florian on the mat repeatedly en route to a tidy unanimous decision win. The victory lines Maynard up as the next man to challenge Frankie Edgar, whom he has beaten before, for the UFC crown.
5. Shinya Aoki (24-5, 1 NC)
Skepticism swirled around Aoki’s status as an elite lightweight after his April drubbing at the hands of Gilbert Melendez. However, the thrilling grappler picked up yet another brilliant victory on July 10, leg locking Tatsuya Kawajiri in less than two minutes to retain his Dream lightweight title in impressive fashion.
6. Eddie Alvarez (20-2)
When Bellator's second lightweight tournament wrapped, Alvarez was expected to take on bracket winner Pat Curran on Oct. 21. However, with an injury forcing Curran out of the bout, the first title shot against Alvarez has been afforded to UFC veteran Roger Huerta instead.
7. Kenny Florian (13-5)
In hot pursuit of a third UFC lightweight title shot, Florian couldn't best unbeaten Gray Maynard in their Aug. 28 title eliminator. After dropping a unanimous verdict to "The Bully," Florian will be forced to work his way up the UFC lightweight ladder once again.
8. Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2)
Many tabbed Kawajiri to be the next Dream champion, figuring he had exactly the right skill set to replicate what Gilbert Melendez did to Shinya Aoki in April. However, on July 10, Kawajiri spent most of the night fending off foot locks, until finally tapping out to Aoki less than two minutes into the first round.
9. Evan Dunham (11-0)
In June, Dunham really opened eyes with his well-appointed decision over Tyson Griffin. The 28-year-old's next test will be another stiff one, as he'll meet former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk at UFC 119 on Sept. 15 in a fight that could move him closer to a title shot of his own.
10. Benson Henderson (12-1)
The second WEC lightweight title defense for "Smooth" will happen in front of a partisan crowd in Glendale, Ariz. However, hometown crowd or not, Henderson will have his hands full when he meets once-beaten dynamo Anthony Pettis in a possible "Fight of the Year" contender.
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