Top 5 MMA Pound-For-Pound Heavyweights

MMA has become a global phenomenon in recent years, with an endless number of promotions beginning to take flight, and divisions being established amongst their rankings.

The heavyweight class has been one of the most competitive over that time, with different champions rising in different countries throughout the world, only to fall to the next big thing.

Ranking the top heavyweight fighters regardless of where they fight can be a difficult task, particularly when they haven’t faced the same competition throughout. However, based on status, record, and quality of opponents that they have faced, we have compiled a list of the top five heavyweight fighters in the world today. 

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5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC)

Despite losing two of his last three fights, Nogueira remains widely respected, and given that he has beaten a list including Randy Couture, Werdum, Tim Sylvia, and Heath Herring, it is easy to understand why. 

4. Fabricio Werdum (Strikeforce)

His win over Emelianenko was his third straight, helping him improve to 14-4-1. With wins over Antonio Silva, Alistair Overeem, and Emelianenko, Werdum has to be considered one of the top three in the sport. 

3. Fedor Emelianenko (Strikeforce)

Regarded in some circles as being the best there is right now, that label will not be given to him by this publication until he starts getting in the octagon with some better competition. Despite his 32-2 record, Emelianenko was submitted in just the first round by challenger Fabricio Werdum, and has yet to fight many of the top names in the sport. 

2. Shane Carwin (UFC)

One of the most dominant fighters to ever step in to the octagon, Shane “The Engineer” Carwin knocked out each of the first 12 opponents he faced before submitting to Lesnar at UFC: 116, a fight in which he dominated for the entire opening round before simply running out of gas. What is even more impressive, is that those 12 wins were all tallied in the first round, over names including Frank Mir, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Neil Wain. 

1. Brock Lesnar (UFC Heavyweight Champion)

Despite losing to Frank Mir in his UFC debut back in February of 2008, fans were given warning of what was to come in the future for Brock Lesnar based on the way he dominated that fight early on. Experience and patience was all that was needed for the 32-year old, who has won all five contests he has taken part in since, including getting revenge against Mir with a second round total knock out victory two years later. In between his battles with Mir, Lesnar beat Heath Herring by unanimous decision, then took the UFC Heavyweight Championship from the legendary Randy Couture.

Despite being away from the octagon for nearly a year while battling an illness that landed him in hospital, and getting brutalized by Shane Carwin in the ugliest first round of his career, Lesnar found a way to persevere and beat Carwin by submission to retain his title at UFC: 116 this past weekend. The win proved just how far he has come as a fighter, and at only 32, there remains room for improvement.