MMA Top 10 Heavyweights: Brett Rogers In, Andrei Arlovski Out

Is Brett Rogers really one of the 10 best heavyweights in mixed martial arts? It still sounds crazy to say it, but really: After he destroyed Andrei Arlovski in just 22 seconds, running his record to a perfect 10-0 with nine first-round stoppages, how can I deny him?

So in my latest rankings of the Top 10 heavyweights in MMA, I've got Rogers on the list for the first time, and Arlovski off the list for the first time. I've also got great news for fans who like to see heavyweights: This summer is stacked, with Cheick Kongo vs. Cain Velasquez at UFC 99 on June 13, Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar at UFC 100 on July 11, Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett at Affliction Trilogy on August 1, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Randy Couture at UFC 102 on August 29 and maybe Rogers vs. Alistair Overeem at the Strikeforce event on August 15.

Top 10 heavyweights in MMA:
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Frank Mir
3. Josh Barnett
4. Brock Lesnar
5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
6. Randy Couture
7. Shane Carwin
8. Alistair Overeem
9. Cheick Kongo
10. Brett Rogers

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-08-2009 @ 6:23PM

mike said...

Just think how awesome it would be if we could turn those four huge heavyweight fights this summer into the first round of an eight-man heavyweight Grand Prix.

First round:
Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Randy Couture
Brett Rogers vs. Alistair Overeem

Second round (my picks)
Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor Emelianenko
Randy Couture vs. Alistair Overeem

Final (my picks)
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Randy Couture

Too bad the UFC, Affliction and Strikeforce can't all get together.

6-08-2009 @ 6:39PM

richardbikle said...

i like nogeria, but i'm afraid the guy's spent. the 2/3/4 could mix up in any order the way i see it, but i'm going to go with Lesnar as #2, just because he's such a beast and can over power Mir and maybe Barnett too. Barnett isn't that good off the bottom, and Mir's going to take a beating. I don't know about Bret Rogers. He's got power but his technique looked pretty bad. could he beat a Werdum, Cro Cop or Gonzaga.
Until they've actually had some fights together, you almost have to group them.

6-08-2009 @ 6:50PM

Michael David Smith said...

You might be right about Nogueira. I have a tough time knowing where to place Nogueira and Couture. Whoever loses that fight might need to hang up the gloves, but for now I think they still both belong.

With regard to Rogers, I feel like he's continuing to improve, although he hasn't been tested yet by anyone with the ground skills of a Werdum or a Gonzaga. His fight with Overeem will tell us a lot, if Strikeforce is able to put that one together.

6-08-2009 @ 7:35PM

sstitan2 said...

rogers if horrible. Andrei should have swept the floor with that fat out of shape thug. It was a fluke in a rematch arlovski would wreck that dumb Mr. T wannabe. and Fedor is a punk he isnt facing anyone good he needs to come on over to the ufc and get wrecked if Andrei wouldnt have got silly he would have knock fedor out the ring. Andrei needs to be back in the mix.

6-08-2009 @ 8:59PM

Michael David, a little critique directed at you - since we take the time to read your articles, maybe you could participate a little more, down here.. humm?

you know everytime you're ready to count Randy out, he takes someone out.
No place for tim Sylvia in the top ten?

6-08-2009 @ 9:06PM

psychlonik said...

Arlovski should have never been so widely held as Number 2 in the first place. You do not do poorly in the UFC after dropping 2 out of 3 to Sylvia, get cut, beat Rothwell and Nelson, then get knocked out by Fedor and become the #2 Heavyweight. No way in hell. I don't know what your rankings were before the Strikeforce event MDS so this isn't directed at you specifically, just so many sites trying to say this. It's almost as if he's number 2 just because he squared off against Fedor, nevermind the fact he lost.

That said sstitan2, Arlovski would lose again. In fact, the entire Top 10 list when he was ranked as #2 would probably have beaten him as well. Whether based on recent accolades or fighting potential, Arlovski had NO business being that high. Top 10? Maybe.... #2? LOL.

6-08-2009 @ 10:51PM

he was straight owning FAKEdor until his flying knee i dont think he is a number 2 heavyweight now and he does have a glass jaw but he is definalty a top 10 and his loss to rogers was a complete fluke

6-08-2009 @ 10:54PM

Watch that fight again and watch carefully. It's been established that nearly all of Arlovski's punches missed Fedor entirely by a small distance.

6-09-2009 @ 12:37AM

hsiunnu said...

MDS, I can't say anything definitive about Rogers per se, but I do know that if you do some in-depth research about Team Bison you'll find that he has some of the best groundfighting trainers around in MMA. Just because Rogers hasn't had to go there yet doesn't mean he isn't full of surprises--and confidence in that training may be why he dares to be so aggressive with his striking!

6-09-2009 @ 9:42AM

retrojoke said...

I believe all of Brett Roger's fights have been Knock outs(& a submission ko). Hes had about 10 fights. Arlovski getting Ko'ed was no fluke. I believe the more technical the fighter, the easier Roger's will knock them out. Wanderlei does the same thing against boxers and Iq fighters.

This is the kind of agression needed to make guys like Anderson Silva and Machida Dissapear, permanently.

6-09-2009 @ 1:57PM

regurgoJOKE,

Silva and Machida are both excellent counter fighters, aggressive brawlers are tailor made for them. Youre wrong again

You dumbaz, Wanderlei is a very skilled, technical muay thai fighter. He's nothing like Rogers.

6-09-2009 @ 3:17PM

Hmm? What are you talking about? I specifically typed that they both are known to knock out technical fighters.

Wanderlei is a Technical Muay Thai fighter huh? You are now a complete idiot. Brandon Vera is a technical Muay Thai fighter. Wanderlei is an agressive Muay Thai fighter-- As posted on his wesbite, conferences, interviews, wikipedia, and as common sense would tell you.

Jesus Richard, its like the more you try to be right the dumber you get. You are wrong about anything factual.

Heres some advice, get some vagisil.

6-09-2009 @ 3:32PM

yea, just like you said you've been to 6 different web sites proclaiming the 4 oz gloves are responsible for broken hands, which couldnt be more wrong. how would you know, its obvious you've never straped on any leather.
you said that rogers and wanderlei do the same thing - wanderlei has technique, which would make him a technical fighter. Rogers shows little practiced technique.
you can quote me on being wrong, just find it and post it up. i'll wait to see. i know, maybe you could post up your guarenteed results for the last ufc too.... it shows what you know.

thanks for your home remedy, i'm sure that works for you.

6-14-2009 @ 1:46PM

mikrusher said...

The Top HWs as I see it:

1) Fedor Emelianenko
2) Josh Barnett
3) Frank Mir (I predict a drop in ranking)
4) Brock Lesnar (I predict a rise in ranking)
5) Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera
6) Alistair Overeem
7) Antonio Silva
8) Randy Couture
9) Brett Rogers
10) Ben Rothwell
11) Aleksander Emelianenko
12) Cain Velasquez
14) Shane Carwin
15) Andrei Arlovski
16) Gabriel Gonzaga
17) Jeff Monson
18) Sergei Kharitonov
19) Cheick Kongo
20) Paul Buentello