Penick's Take
PENICK: The Top 10 Heavyweights - Fedor's of course first, but where's Brock and Couture on my list?
Nov 21, 2008 - 4:48:04 AM PENICK: The Top 10 Heavyweights - Fedor's of course first, but where's Brock and Couture on my list?

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1. Fedor Emelianenko - I don't there's really any question in anyone's mind about the top spot on this list. Until someone can take this claim from him by defeating him, it's his.

2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - The interim UFC Heavyweight Champion is an amazing fighter with a great record against top guys in the sport. He's the veritable crafty veteran who can find a way to win, even in situations where it seems he's nearly out of it, i.e. the bout with Tim Sylvia at UFC 81. He's another mainstay on the list until someone takes the spot from him.

3. Andrei Arlovski - The Pitbull, when on his game, has always been at the top level of competitors in mixed martial arts. After a frustratingly lackluster finish to his UFC run, Arlovski has re-emerged as the dominating fighter of old. He'll be looking to cement that turn around in January against the #1 fighter in the world.

4. Brock Lesnar - Sure, he's only had four professional fights. Sure, he lost one of those fights to a much more experienced fighter. Despite that, Lesnar still sits at number four because he has shown a marked ability to improve his game immensely from fight to fight, culminating in his victory over Randy Couture last Saturday. The three fighters above him, and perhaps the fighter below him, are honestly the only ones I can see causing him any trouble in the entire division at the moment, and the fact is he's only going to get better. He's got this spot for what he's shown already but also for his potential to defeat anyone else on the list.

5. Josh Barnett - The Babyfaced Assassin is another fighter coming off a dominant looking win in Affliction, his against Pedro Rizzo. Barnett's got plenty of fight left in him, but I think he comes up short against any of the top four.

6. Randy Couture - Perhaps this is too high for the 45 year old man that just got soundly defeated by the young monster last weekend, but it's hard to drop the former champ further. I think he still more than likely would defeat anyone I've got listed below him, and were he to stay at heavyweight he'd give the top 5 a run for their money as well. He showed it by pushing Brock harder than Lesnar's three previous opponents, and simply put, the man can still fight.

7. Gabriel Gonzaga - By doing what he needed to do against Josh Hendricks, Gonzaga stamped his own case file as being in the running for a title shot in '09. Sure, he was beaten to hell by Couture last year, but every fighter learns from every fight they're in, and I can see Gonzaga having the ability to go up the ladder even further.

8. Tim Sylvia - While I won't ever contend to be a fan of the man, I can't justify dropping him off of this list. Yes, I know, he lost three of his last four fights, including getting destroyed by Fedor in :36 seconds (and pocketing $800,000.00 from Affliction). The fact remains, however, that those three fights he lost where to three of the top 10 fighter's in the division. Add to that the fact that he does hold two victories over #3 Arlovski still gives him enough to keep him on this list. Still not a fan, however, and more than likely I will not be excited for his next fight.

9. Fabricio Werdum - For much the same reason that Sylvia is not vaulted off this list, Werdum keeps a spot. He came into his fight against Junior Dos Santos overlooking his newcomer opponent and bearing a grudge due to being snubbed from the Heavyweight Title tournament. He seemed out of shape and not completely there for the fight, and he got caught with a nasty uppercut. He's still a fighter that can beat many of the guys on this list, however, and he still deserves a spot despite being unemployed at the moment.

10. Frank Mir - There are many fighters that could stake a claim to round out this list, but Mir gets it due to his win over Lesnar, his Title challenger status, and his former Champ status. He very well could be right off the list if he's destroyed by Nogueira, but until that happens he also deserves his spot.

Once again, if you agree, if you disagree, we'd like to get your picks too! Send them to TorchRankings@gmail.com to share your voice in our Torch Nation Rankings.