MMA Pound-for-Pound Top 10: Fedor Emelianenko Moves to the Top

The last time I ranked the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in MMA, I had UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva first and Affliction heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko second. Last night Fedor changed my mind.

Even though Andrei Arlovski was actually winning the fight for the first three minutes, Fedor's one-punch knockout was so devastating that I think he deserves to be called the best fighter in MMA right now, in any weight class.

I still think it's close between Fedor and Silva, with Miguel Torres not too far behind, and it's even possible that I'll change my mind again next week if either B.J. Penn or Georges St. Pierre does something incredible when they meet at UFC 94. But for now, Fedor is at the top of my pound-for-pound list, which is below.

MMA Pound-for-Pound Top 10:
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Anderson Silva
3. Miguel Torres
4. Georges St. Pierre
5. B.J. Penn
6. Quinton Rampage Jackson
7. Lyoto Machida
8. Rashad Evans
9. Shinya Aoki
10. Mike Brown

Did You See That?

The field clears a fence during the New Season Handicap Steeplechase during the at Ludlow Racecourse on September 16, 2008 in Ludlow, England.

Emanuele Canonica of Italy helps his caddie in the rescue of a pigeon from the water around the 18th green during the first round of the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 16, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

A multiexposure image showing Britain's Andy Murray returning to Croatian Marin Cilic during a last sixteen tennis match at the Madrid Masters in Madrid on October 16, 2008. Andy Murray won 7-5, 7-6.

English football fans dressed in armours and tunics play in a friendly match against Belarus fans in Minsk on October 15, 2008 before the start of the Belarus vs. England 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier of European group 6 match.

Travis Brigley (R) of Hamburg fights with Matt Keith (L) of Ingolstadt during the DEL match between Hamburg Freezers and ERC Ingolstadt at the Color Line Arena on October 14, 2008 in Hamburg, Germany.

Russian Nikolay Davydenko returns a ball to US Robby Ginepri during a second round tennis match at the Masters in Madrid on October 15, 2008.

A golf ball which has been enveloped by the tree over many years is pictured during the pro-am for the Portugal Masters at the Oceanico Victoria Golf Course on October 15, 2008 in Vilamoura, Portugal.

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays football during his training session prior to his thrid round match tomorrow at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament at the Madrid Arena on October 15, 2008 in Madrid, Spain.

Samuel Peter from Nigeria gets a punch from Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine during their WBC heavyweight boxing world championship fight in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. Klitschko won the fight after round nine due to technical knock out.

Herbert Knosowski, AP

Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi (lower) fights with China's Hong Yan (red) during the semi-final of the 72kg class of the Women's Wrestling World Championships in Tokyo on October 13, 2008. Hong defeated Hamaguchi and will face Bulgaria's Stanka Zlateva in the final.

Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

1-25-2009 @ 9:40AM

Frederick said...

You see I come out of this fight saying to myself fedor can be beat. I do agree that he is one of the top 4(Fedor,Silva,GSP,Torres). I just have a problem saying he is definetively number 1. I still think you can put any of the 4 I mentionned and make an argument for them

1-25-2009 @ 9:50AM

Michael David Smith said...

I understand why you come out of the fight saying Fedor can be beaten, because Arlovski was winning for the first three minutes. But in a strange way, to me that almost makes what Fedor did more impressive -- Arlovski was doing exactly what he wanted to do, and yet he still couldn't make it out of the first round. Any opponent basically has to fight a perfect fight for 25 minutes to beat Fedor.

1-25-2009 @ 11:15AM

I am not taking nothing away from fedor he is great. it waas a very impresive showing to come out and find a way to beat arlovski

But I dont think fedor could take 25minutes of those shots. Andrei did rock him a couple of times.

1-26-2009 @ 9:18AM

Eric said...

I've seen the fight 3 times and Fedor wasn't "rocked" at any point. Besides it doesn't matter ... the only way to beat Fedor is to knock him completely unconscious and neither Alrovski or Sylvia came anywhere close to making that happen.

Fedor is a humble champion and the greatest fighter in the history of MMA. Luckily he doesn't care that people continue to doubt him.

1-26-2009 @ 9:51AM

Fedor is great without a doubt

All I say is in my mind there can be an argument for fedor being P4P number 1 and there can also be the same debate for silva in my mind

again I never ever ever ever ever (Just to be clear lol) dissed Fedor he is great I truly recognize is talent.

all i say is that fight did not close the debate P4P for me

2-28-2009 @ 2:07AM

tyson said...

people said that when he fought cro cop. saying fedors scared. well i dont think so. people say fedors is beatable. well i think there r people who have the cabability but fedor is fedor no matter how harder u train or think. fedor will always be a step ahead. fedor always comes in mature when fighting. thats why he is undefeated. and he loves to fight thats what makes him not scared calm and has a perfect plan. people can love to fight but fedor is beyond the love to get punch and punch. its more than that. all i can say, it's fedor love for the sport.

1-25-2009 @ 10:02AM

damnrabbit said...

yes Fedor is a great fighter but in the history mma and vale tudo fighting you guys have forgotten the greastes fighter in history....Rickson Gracie. He won every major title including the ADCC title. Now granted he never fought in the UFC, but he holds a legendary undefeated record in his long running career.

1-25-2009 @ 2:11PM

RIP R.L. Causton - YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISSED (PSN johnnynumber5) said...

Agreed. However we are talking about active/current pound per pound fighters.

If were talking all time Rickson has to be in the top 5.

1-25-2009 @ 10:05AM

oh yeah where is chuck liddell and wanderlai silva, Bas Rutten, Frank Shamrock, you guys are only looking at today not through the history of mma. Wheres Kazushi Sakuraba, Dan Henderson, Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman? this list is not complete

1-25-2009 @ 10:12AM

blessed0314 said...

Fedor # 1 heavyweight no question but best pound for pound is a whole other thing. as it stands now I'd put him 3 or 4 on that list silva,GSP and then Fedor maybe even Torres. Great yes but # 1 not just yet

1-25-2009 @ 11:24AM

alberteknight said...

Fedor is the best fighter in history period!!!! you guys know nothing about mma. So get over it!!!!

1-25-2009 @ 12:00PM

warp3mike said...

Fedor has never been anything but #1. Just ask his opponents. Ask those rated in the Top 10. Those who try to nick-pick him are idiots. He has nothing to prove to any of you. How would you match up against him? Get over yourselves.

1-25-2009 @ 1:52PM

Lol! no one is nick-picking Fedor's skill no question he's the best in the world at his class. I've seen this man in all 30 of his fights and to never be beat is something that can speak for itself (I don't count a NC as a loss) Whats in question here is if he indeed is the best pound for pound in the world.

1-25-2009 @ 2:08PM

My personal pound per pound top 10 looks a little different. It is as follows ...

1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. B.J. Penn
3. Anderson Silva
4. Gegard Mousasi
5. George St.Pierre
6. Shinya Aoki
7. Miguel Torres
8. Urijah Faber
9. Rashad Evans
10.Thiago Alves

I think that Mousasi is extremely underrated and relatively unknown to most American MMA fans who think UFC = only MMA organization with talent. I also think you have to put Ayoki and Faber in there even though they both had a recent loss. Anyone can lost at anytime in MMA so that shouldn't define their status in the top 10.

On the outside of the top 10 looking in for me were names like Mir, Couture, Calvancante, Souza, Florian, Barnett, Machida, Sanchez, Condit, Rampage, Shields and Fitch.

I think it's funny that UFC fans say Fedor is overrated. Anyone who wants to argue that Fedor is no the nulber one fighter in the world needs only to look at the list of opponents he has beaten over his career.

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Fedor-Emelianenko-1500

The list is a who's who of MMA fighters current and future hall of famer's. The most impressive thing is that he fought all of them when they were in the prime of their careers.

1-25-2009 @ 4:05PM

one of the best middleweights in the world — which is why I was hoping he'd be signed by the UFC to add some extra heat to their 185-pound division, and maybe challenge Anderson Silva for the belt one day. All that shit will have to wait, unfortunately, because it looks like Affliction got to him first. I agree he's under rated but top 10 in the world not sure just yet. Faber is in my top 10 also.

1-25-2009 @ 2:09PM

Bravo said...

GSP cuts weight to fight... Silva cuts weight to fight...Torres cuts weight to fight... Fedor is an undersized heavy-weight and if he trimmed up could probably fight at 185 (maybe a stretch) but he doesn't cut weight and fights whoever they put in front of him and his hand is somehow always raised...
that is the definition of "best pound for pound."

1-26-2009 @ 7:36AM

B. FRANK said...

WELL, I HATE TO BURST EVERYONES "FEDOR" BUBBLE, BUT HE SHOULDN'T BE RANKED #1 ON THE POUND FOR POUND LIST. ANDERSON SILVA, BJ PENN, AND GSP HAVE BEEN CONSTANLTY FIGHTING THE BEST IN THEIR RESPECTED WEIGHT CLASSES FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IF NOT THROUGH OUT THERE CAREERS, AND SO HAS FEDOR (MOST OF HIS CAREER), BUT THE POUND FOR POUND LIST SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR THOSE WHO CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?"

FEDOR HAS TWO PROBLEMS, HE'S IN A SITUATION SIMILAR TO ANDERSON SILVA AND THAT OF ROY JONES JR.(BOXER FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW).

LIKE SILVA DID AS THE MIDDLEWEIGHT KING, FEDOR HAS BASICALLY CLEANED UP THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION WHICH DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE MUCH COMPETITION LEFT IN IT. EVEN IF HE CAN COME TO TERMS WITH THE UFC (WHICH IS NOT LIKELY ANYTIME SOON), IT WOULD SEEM THERE'S STILL NOT MUCH THERE. MIR HAS ALREADY ADMITTED THAT HE COULDN'T BEAT FEDOR, BIG NOG HAS ALREADY LOST TWICE TO HIM, AND LESNAR IS JUST TOO INEXPERIENCED. HOWEVER, WE MUST REMEMBER, WE ALL THOUGHT CRO COP HAD A CAKE WALK TO THE UFC TITLE.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT IS THE SAME SITUATION THAT BOXING FANS AND COMMENTATORS WERE IN WITH ROY JONES JR. HERE'S AN EXTREMELY TALENTED BOXER WHO "NO DOUBT" BUILT A REPUTATION OF AN INVINCEABLE FORCE, BUT AFTER A FEW YEARS OF FIGHTING NOBODY'S FOR BIG PAYCHECKS IT WAS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER HE WAS STILL PFP BEST. THERE WAS STIFFER COMPETITION, AND THE MAJORITY THOUGHT HE WOULD BEAT THEM, BUT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

WE ALL ASSUME THAT FEDOR WILL WALK THROUGH THE UFC WITH RELATIVE EASE, AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS, PROBABLY WILL, BUT WE ALL THOUGHT THAT OF CRO COP AS WELL.

AS FAR AS THE NOTION THAT HE'S BEAT ALL OF THESE FORMER UFC CHAMPS IS THE REASON HE CAN DO IT AGAIN, IS JUST SO LUDICROUS. THESE FORMER CHAMPS ARE JUST THAT "FORMER" AND ARE ABLE TO FIGHT FEDOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN EITHER LOSING OR PERFORMING SUBPAR AND HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED BY THE UFC.

AND FOR THOSE THINKS HE DESERVES IT BECAUSE HE KNOCKED OUT SOMEONE WITH A GLASS JAW, SHOULDN'T BE WRITING ARTICLES (HINT, HINT, MDS). I DO RANK FEDOR AT NUMBER 3 BEHIND ANDERSON SILVA AND BJ PENN.

HOWEVER, ONES PAST CAN BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR THIS GREAT HONOR, BUT YOU CAN'T RIDE THE PAST FOREVER.

1-26-2009 @ 10:43AM

"THESE FORMER CHAMPS ARE JUST THAT "FORMER" AND ARE ABLE TO FIGHT FEDOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN EITHER LOSING OR PERFORMING SUBPAR AND HAS SINCE BEEN RELEASED BY THE UFC."

Arlovski had won his last 5 straight w/ 4 KOs (he was on a 3 fight winning streak in the UFC before he left) when Fedor dismantled him.

Josh Barnett (24-5) went 4-1 in the UFC with a KO victory of Randy Couture ... so if Fedor beats him you'll probably say that he is a subpar fighter also?

Turn off your caps lock, it makes your ignorant comments even harder to read!

1-26-2009 @ 8:59PM

Well eric, I will turn off my caps lock out of respect to anyone who wants to share there comments. I'm not going to get involved with a tit for tat back and forth lashing at someone. My comments are what I believe and I wrote them in caps so that you would read everything in its entirety. So the ignorant statement isn't called for.

If you completely read my comments, I have nothing but praise for Fedor and I do believe he's the best heavyweight in the world, PERIOD. The problem is we're talking about pound or pound best and there's no opponents out there that'll give him the chance to prove it time after time. I also said that Anderson Silva now has the same problem because he too has cleaned up his division, however he has the option to continue his pfp rating by moving up to 205 and taking on guys in an extremely stacked division. As does Penn & GSP have options.

My comment on Fedor earning the title by winning against ex-UFC champions is in relation to all the bloggers who suggest he deserves it because of beating them, as well as being able to just blow through everyone in the UFC (which I clearly stated that he probably would, but so thought that of everyone with Cro Cop).

I also wrote that these former champions are not in the UFC because of subpar "PERFROMANCES", not that they are subpar "FIGHTERS". "HUGE DIFFERENCE"!

I also chose Arlovsky as 1 of 3 guys who can beat Fedor. The other 2 are Barnett and Kongo. Barnett can do it on the his feet or on the ground and Kongo can only do it on his feet. But these just aren't the mega fights the will garner everyones attention. His fights with big Nog were huge fights and his fight with Cro Cop was the superbowl of mma fights.

As far as Arlovski and his prior 5-0 record, you don't only look at your opponent, but you opponents opponents:

1. Roy Nelson - he's a tough guy but he hasn't fought anyone big, (except Rothwell who he lost to), and being apart of an Elite XC event, they weren't gonna give Arlovski anyone he couldn't beat, he's too big of a name.
2. Ben Rothwell - again, another tough guy and i was impressed with his heart in this fight, but hasn't fought any big names on a big stage, except Tim Sylvia and Mike Whitehead which he lost to them both.
3. Jake O'Brien - untested UFC newcomer coming off a boring wrestling match with Heath Herring, don't get me wrong, a win is a win, but once Heath hit him once, he was hurt pretty badly and continued to hold on the rest of the fight.
4. Fabricio Werdum - extremely boring fight, which was part of his downfall with the UFC as far as his performances (and the two with Sylvia).
5. Marcio Cruz - UFC newcomer with a 2-1 record coming off a decision lost to Jeff Monson.
6 & 7. tko loss to sylvia and the ultra boring decision loss in the rematch.

ARE YOU ABLE TO RESPOND WITH CLASS?

1-27-2009 @ 7:28AM

That is alot of talking to answer the one question I asked! So I will ask again. If he beats Barnett, will you discredit Barnett and not give Fedor his due respect?

This is just a blogging site ... there is no reason for the self righteous attitude.

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