Sherdog.com’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10

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Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum both carried title belts into UFC 188, but it was Werdum who left as the undisputed best heavyweight in the world -- and, possibly, of all time.

While the G.O.A.T. debate remains to be settled, it is an indisputable fact that Werdum now holds submission victories over three of the finest fighters the heavyweight division has ever seen: Velasquez, Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Perhaps the most impressive factor in Werdum’s rise to the top is that the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace is no longer a one-dimensional grappler. In recent years, “Vai Cavalo” has rounded out his game to the point where his heavy hands and knees are nearly as fearsome as his black-belt level ground game. The man who roughed up Velasquez on June 13 bore little resemblance to the fighter who refused to engage on the feet with Alistair Overeem four years prior.

With his title-unifying performance and sterling 6-0 run since rejoining the UFC in 2012, Werdum enters the ranks of Sherdog.com’s pound-for-pound elite in the No. 8 spot. Previously fifth-ranked Velasquez -- who was sidelined for 20 months prior to his meeting with Werdum -- falls outside of the top 10.

Related: Sherdog Divisional Rankings

1. Jon Jones (21-1)

The UFC’s 205-pound king continues to find ways to beat all those placed before him. At UFC 182, it was Daniel Cormier who clashed with Jones after a protracted battle of words in what was expected to be the hardest fight of the Jackson-Wink MMA fighter’s title reign. Though “DC” did not go down quietly, Jones neutralized the wrestler’s takedown attempts and used his freakish reach to punish Cormier with strikes, both at range and in the clinch. Having secured a five-round unanimous decision -- with all three judges giving Jones four rounds to Cormier’s one -- “Bones” stood as the most decorated light heavyweight champ in UFC history, with eight consecutive title defenses. However, Jones has since been indefinitely suspended and stripped of his title as a result of an arrest on a felony hit-and-run charge.

2. Jose Aldo (25-1)

Aldo was unable to score a second knockout of Chad Mendes in their UFC 179 rematch, but the end result was perhaps even more satisfying and more indicative of Aldo’s status as a pound-for-pound great. The featherweight ruler battled through more than a little adversity across his 25 minutes with Mendes, surviving an uppercut-induced knockdown to kick things into another gear and outclass the Team Alpha Male standout on the feet down the stretch. After seven straight title defenses, Aldo looks to be headed for the biggest fight of his career, as “Scarface” will attempt to derail the hype train of Irish standout Conor McGregor at UFC 189 in July.

3. Demetrious Johnson (22-2-1)

Johnson vanquished yet another challenger at UFC 186, this time taking out overmatched prospect Kyoji Horiguchi. The flyweight ace styled on Horiguchi for the better part of five rounds with relentless takedowns and top control before securing a nasty armbar in the final moments of the fight. The victory was Johnson’s eighth straight and sixth in defense of his title at 125 pounds, where he has yet to lose a bout. His ledger in that span includes wins over Joseph Benavidez (twice) and Ian McCall, as well as John Dodson, a rematch with whom seems likely to materialize as Johnson continues to eliminate contenders.

4. Chris Weidman (13-0)

Kept away from the cage for nearly a year with multiple injuries, Weidman made a rousing return at UFC 187 by defending his middleweight belt with a first-round finish of Vitor Belfort. The brief bout saw Weidman absorb the hardest shots that Belfort had to offer before flooring “The Phenom” with an effortless takedown and pounding his way to a stoppage from full mount. In his two-year reign atop the 185-pound division, Weidman has become a Brazilian killer. He snatched the belt from longtime champ Anderson Silva and then beat him again before successfully defending the strap against Belfort and Lyoto Machida. Now perfect through 13 professional bouts, the 30-year-old New Yorker has gone to the judges’ scorecards only once in his last five outings.

5. Anderson Silva (34-6)

Silva may be the greatest fighter in MMA history, but things are not looking up for “The Spider” at the moment. After breaking his left leg in horrific fashion in a December 2013 rematch with Chris Weidman, it was unclear whether the 40-year-old would ever fight again. Thirteen months later, Silva was back in the cage, earning a five-round unanimous decision over upsized welterweight Nick Diaz in the main event of UFC 183. As it turns out, Silva’s incredible recovery was apparently aided by performance-enhancing drugs. Currently serving a temporary suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission for failing a pre-fight drug test, Silva is expected to receive a longer punishment at the commission’s next hearing.

6. Rafael dos Anjos (24-7)

At UFC 185, dos Anjos proved that good things come to those who wait when he earned the UFC lightweight title after more than seven years with the organization. For 25 minutes, the well-rounded Brazilian put on a near-perfect performance, dominating the dynamic Anthony Pettis like none before. Dos Anjos has won nine of his last 10 bouts, including a knockout of durable ex-champ Benson Henderson and a decision win against currently streaking contender Donald Cerrone. The shark-infested waters at 155 pounds are never short of challengers champing at the belt -- though dos Anjos would doubtless like to settle the score with the only man to beat him in the past three years: Khabib Nurmagomedov.

7. Daniel Cormier (16-1)

In the main event of UFC 187, Cormier assumed the mantle vacated by nemesis Jon Jones, claiming the UFC’s light heavyweight title with a systematic dismantling of Anthony Johnson. After being knocked to the ground by “Rumble” in the opening moments of the bout, Cormier put his world-class wrestling to work and overwhelmed Johnson on the ground, bloodying and battering the larger man before cinching the win via third-round rear-naked choke. Hardware aside, the 36-year-old’s record boasts some impressive names, with victories over former heavyweight champs like Josh Barnett and Frank Mir, plus heavy hitters such as Johnson and Dan Henderson. Fortunately for Cormier, his title win came only four victories into his 205-pound career, which means there remains a wealth of potential matchups for him in the near future.

8. Fabricio Werdum (20-5-1)

For years, Werdum was regarded as the best heavyweight grappler in MMA. After UFC 188, the 37-year-old Brazilian is being recognized as the best heavyweight in MMA, period. Werdum took it to Cain Velasquez in their June 13 meeting, rocking the returning champion with punches and knees before securing a third-round guillotine choke which unified their titles, leaving “Vai Cavalo” as the undisputed king of the big men. Currently on a 6-0 run inside the Octagon, Werdum boasts one of the best résumés in heavyweight history. His dethroning of Velasquez joins a list of achievements which includes submissions wins over divisional icons Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

9. Anthony Pettis (18-3)

It was a rare sight at UFC 185, where “Showtime” was not only unable to win but really unable to implement any part of his diverse skill set thanks to stifling pressure from challenger Rafael dos Anjos. Pettis tasted defeat for the first time since 2011 and lost his UFC lightweight title in the process, as dos Anjos scored a clean sweep on the judges’ scorecards. Prior to the March 14 loss, Pettis spent three years scoring highlight-reel finish after highlight-reel finish against the cream of the 155-pound crop: Benson Henderson, Donald Cerrone and Gilbert Melendez all fell to the Roufusport fighter in one of the most impressive recent runs the division has seen.

10. Robbie Lawler (25-10, 1 NC)

Despite lagging in the middle rounds of his UFC 181 rematch with Johny Hendricks, Lawler charged hard down the home stretch and did enough to earn a split decision, along with the UFC welterweight title. Little was expected of Lawler when he re-entered the Octagon in 2013, having gone 3-5 during his stint with Strikeforce. However, the Pat Miletich protégé has blossomed in his second UFC run, knocking off contenders like Matt Brown and up-and-comers like Rory MacDonald on his way to the belt. Lawler will make his first title defense at UFC 189 in a rematch with MacDonald, who has gone on a three-fight tear since their first meeting.