Fighters.com's August Heavyweight Rankings

From Russia with gloves, “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko(28-1) stamped his heavyweight dominance on “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia’s (24-5) head in Anaheim, east of Los Angeles, 19 July.

His dismantling of “Big” Tim in 36 seconds earned him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, jumping from sixth and dumping Sylvia from third to seventh.

The “W” strips naked UFC President Dana White’s proclamation that all other promotions are the minor leagues, at least at north of 205-pounds.

In fact, Emelianenko’s victory makes clear that the Octagon hasn’t been the proving grounds for the world’s top heavyweights for quite some time.

The UFC Champ, second-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), took a thrashing from Sylvia in February before tapping the two-time UFC titlist in a guillotine.

Nogueira loses his Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship, falling into the top contender spot, but a top contender whose register already records two UD losses to the new champ four years ago.

Nog’ is set to clash with un-ranked former UFC Champ Frank Mir (11-3) after Mir tapped rook’ Brock Lesnar (1-1), which tells you all you need to know about the UFC heavyweight class.

But, Emelianenko’s new promoter, Affliction, is playing the name game too.

Emelianenko will fight fourth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5) in October after Arlovski knocked out up-and-comer “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-6) on the same Affliction debut card.

Fighters.com considers “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett(23-5) Affliction’s top contender after MMA’s otoko viciously knocked “Rock” Pedro Rizzo(16-8) cold and leap-frogged Arlovski to place third in August’s rankings.

Rizzo may not be the fighter of UFC highlight reels; but, Barnett stood with the still-dangerous striker to earn the KO.

But, Affliction opted for the highly recognizable and heavily hirsute mug of Arlovski over Barnett, whom, though legendary across the Pacific, is only just re-acquainting his babyface with the mainstream North American audience.

Fighters.com considers fifth-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) the top contender to the UFC title; but, the Brazilian lingers as Nogueira v Mir remains an unscheduled inevitability.

Sixth-ranked “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) drops four spots in August due to inactivity.

Fighters.com quizzed sources at Xtreme Couture about why the originally intended October Emelianenko v Couture match-up was so quickly brushed aside by Affliction and got responses reflecting the increasingly pessimistic outlook from Couture’s camp, “There is no sense waiting for something that’s not guaranteed to ever happen.”

Eighth-ranked “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13) fights Brock Lesnar (1-1) next weekend in Minneapolis in the face of odds-makers’ slights.

“Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) found a bit of his old mojo last month with gimme’ “W” over Justin McCully (8-4-2), propelling him into the ninth ranking.

Tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) failed to meet California State Athletic Commission Standards to fight “Headhunter” Paul Buentello (26-10) in Anaheim 19 July, but no one is confirming why.

Fighters.com heard the Hepatitis rumor the day after Affliction’s premier, but hasn’t reported it because no one will confirm it.

August Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1)

Emelianenko took his right-left combo and used it to erase “doubt” from Fighters.com’s rankings when he dismantled Sylvia.  The depth of his recent opposition remains shallow; but, taking Sylvia apart quicker than anyone else earns him the Fighters.com Heavyweight Championship to defend from Arlovski in October.

2. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him the Fighters.com’s top contender spot.

3. “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (23-5)

“Babyface Assassin” is on a tear with a KO of Pedro Rizzo, UD over Jeff Monson, and submission of Hidehiko Yoshida, but no recent work at the top of the division.  Arlovski got the October nod versus Emelianenko, but Barnett should get a top ten test too.

4. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (13-5)

“Pitbull” got his bite back versus Ben Rothwell, adding the KO to a UD over Werdum and a pair or wins over lesser competition.  Arlovski will need all the bite he has left versus Emelianenko in October.

5. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, then played a samba on Brandon Vera’s head in June.  Werdum is streaking into a rematch with Noguiera for the UFC and probably Fighters.com title.

6. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6′8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

7. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-5)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are only to legends Emelianenko, Nogueira, and Couture.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will fight an even bigger name in Brock Lesnar.

9. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.