| There's no better way to stick your neck out that | | | | It might surprise you that I put former K-1 fighter |
| coming up with a top 10 "anything" list. It just gets | | | | Mark Hunt in the top 10. It should surprise you that I |
| worse when you talk about combat sports like | | | | put him above Tim Silvia, but I have my reasons. |
| boxing, kickboxing or mixed martial arts. However, | | | | Last year Mark Hunt beat Mirko Cro Cop (by a very |
| here it is, my top 10 list of heavyweight MMA | | | | close decision) and he also held strong with Fedor |
| fighters on the planet. | | | | Emelianenko, even on the ground, in the most recent |
| I need to tell you that when I decided to write down | | | | Pride event. |
| my top 10 list, I didn't think it would take too long. I | | | | The 5th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world |
| believed that I could easily pick 10 fighters that were | | | | Josh Barnett is my pick for the 5th best MMA |
| heads and shoulders above the pack. It wasn't that | | | | heavyweight fighter in the world. Josh says his style |
| easy. I'm sure that there will be a lot of people who | | | | is "pro wrestling", but don't mistake his performances |
| disagree with my picks, but isn't that the point, to | | | | as fake. Barnett combines general toughness and |
| start a discussion of who's the best and who is just | | | | strength with much improved stand up and a stellar |
| there for a paycheck? | | | | ground game. His fights are always exciting and often |
| The 10th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world. | | | | bloody. Josh is a former UFC heavyweight champion |
| This was the toughest position to choose, really | | | | with victories over the likes of Randy Couture. |
| there could be 4 or 5 guys tied for this position, but I | | | | The 4th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world |
| needed to choose one and it was Mark "The | | | | A year ago I would have put Andrei Arlovski in the |
| Hammer" Coleman. Mark Coleman was one of MMA's | | | | top 3, maybe even top 2, but his losses to Tim Silvia |
| pioneers, he established ground and pound as a valid | | | | have me wondering. I don't question Andrei's skills, |
| MMA skill. In fact, Mark is still one of the most intense | | | | he's an excellent stand up fighter with a strong |
| fighters in the game. Unfortunately his submission | | | | ground game, I do question whether he is afraid of |
| skills (both offensive and defensive) have not | | | | getting hit after loosing to Tim Silvia's by knockout. |
| improved enough to be competitive with the top | | | | By the way, that is a fight he should have won, in |
| fighters in the world. | | | | my opinion Silvia got lucky (but he seems to do that |
| The 9th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world | | | | a lot). I'm looking forward to seeing what 2007 has in |
| Rashad Evans is my pick for fighter number 9. | | | | store for Andrei. |
| Rashad is still relatively new to the fight game and his | | | | The 3rd best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world |
| natural athletic ability is as good as it gets. With time | | | | Who in their right mind would argue that Mirko Cro |
| Rashad will move much closer to the head of the | | | | Cop belongs in the top 3 heavyweight fighters in the |
| pack, but for now, congratulations Rashad on your | | | | world? Now that Mirko has joined the UFC it's clear |
| success and making it to the list! | | | | that Tim Silvia's days as champion are numbered. |
| The 8th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world | | | | Mirko will hold the UFC heavyweight title in 2007, I'd |
| Brandon "The Truth" Vera is certainly one of the | | | | put money on that one. Mirko's strength is most |
| most exciting heavyweight fighters in the UFC right | | | | certainly his striking, including the best high kicks in |
| now and I was tempted to put him in the top 5. | | | | the business. Victim's of Cro Cop's left high kick is a |
| However, he needs to beat a more substantial | | | | list of MMA royalty...I wonder if he can get that kick |
| fighter than Frank Mir. While I have the utmost | | | | 6 foot 7 (Tim Silvia's height). |
| respect for Frank Mir, it's apparent to me that he's | | | | The 2rd best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world |
| not the same fighter that he was before his accident. | | | | is none other than Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Nog for |
| I believe that Brandon will be top 5 on next years list. | | | | short. Nog has faces the absolute best of MMA and |
| He's one quality win away from that (in my eyes). | | | | the only fighter who has consistently had his number |
| The 7th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world | | | | is Fedor. He has beaten Cro Cop and most recently |
| Tim Silvia is the UFC's heavyweight champion. Why is | | | | Josh Barnett. He is a talented master of submissions, |
| he only ranked #7, the only explanation I have is that | | | | has good stand up and as shown in his match against |
| I've never personally met anyone who likes to watch | | | | Bob Sapp, he is tough as nails and can take a punch. |
| Tim Silvia fight. He keeps on winning, but I'm never | | | | The best heavyweight fighter in the world is Fedor |
| impressed with his performances. Sorry Tim, that's | | | | Emelyanenko. There can be no argument, he's |
| the way it is, you sit at number seven and if you | | | | beaten every other fighter on this list (at least those |
| don't start winning fights in a more crowd pleasing | | | | who've faced him). Congrats Fedor, you're #1! |
| manner, I'm afraid you'll drop off the top 10 entirely. | | | | That's it, my list of the top 10 heavyweight fighters |
| The 6th best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world | | | | in the world. Keep watching the fights. |