Did you miss me? The much-anticipated, most thorough rankings in mixed martial arts returns with Fighters.com's July Heavyweight Rankings. Let's get right to it, shall we?

"Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) retains the Fighters.com heavyweight championship, which he's set to defend from ninth-ranked "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (20-5) at Affliction M-1 Global's Trilogy in Anaheim 1 August.

But, with Affliction's run thought to be at its end, Fighters.com worries that whomever wins will return to Japan to fight freaks and middleweights.
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PAC-10 champion and NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler “Darth” Ryan Bader (5-0) answered some questions this past weekend for Fighters.com about his participation in The Ultimate Fighter 8 and his upcoming bout versus BJJ world champion “Pezao” Vinicius Magalhaes (3-3). The light heavyweights will vie for the title of “The Ultimate Fighter” at the live finale 13 December in Las Vegas. Fighters.com’s top heavyweight contender “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and Frank Mir (11-3) served as coaches for the season. Fighters.com:  Is the Ryan Bader we saw on The Ultimate Fighter the real Ryan Bader?  Do you feel you were portrayed accurately? Ryan Bader:  Most definitely, I thought they did a great job portraying the fighters’ true personalities, at least, if the fighters were actually being themselves.  But I have no qualms whatsoever about how they portrayed me on the show. Fighters.com:  Do you think any of the cast was misrepresented because of the editing? Ryan Bader:  In the end I feel that everybody got their true personalities out.  Some things were over hyped.  Vinny [Magalhaes] really isn’t that much of a dick, and Eliot [Marshall (4-1)] is actually very respectful.  Junie [Allen Browning (2-0)] is a nut just as he was portrayed. ...

Fighters.com’s second-ranked light heavyweight “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-7) will face sixth-ranked “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (32-8-1), and Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin (16-4) will defend his title against “Sugar” Rashad Evans (12-0-1) in Las Vegas 27 December at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, reported Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports Thursday. Also headlining the event is an interim heavyweight title match between Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and Frank Mir (11-3). Jackson and Silva previously fought twice before in PRIDE, with Silva coming out the victor both times. Jackson last fought in July when he lost his title to Griffin in a unanimous decision. Silva is coming of a 36-second KO of “Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) in May. Griffin will be defending his title for the first time against Evans. Evans most recently upset fourth-ranked “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-6) in September by second-round KO. Nogueira and Mir are coaches in the current season of The Ultimate Fighter. ...

"The fight starts right now," proclaimed Fighters.com's top heavyweight contender "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) about his eventual UFC title defense turned fight for top UFC contendership versus Frank Mir (11-3). UFC President Dana White proclaimed the same thing to this season's 32 contestants to be coached by Nog' and Mir for the TUF 8 championship at lightweight and light heavyweight; but, before he could finish his sentence, Phillipe Nover (5-0-1) hit the deck in a fainting spell. "Fainting Phillipe" White called him; and, Nover had a tough opening challenge versus Joe Duarte (3-0). "I'm going to have to make him faint again," Duarte said before the fight. But, it was Duarte who had to tap in a Nover rear naked choke in the second round to keep from fainting. Nover opened the first round with a head kick, followed by a body kick. "He hits like a heavyweight," Nog' said. But, Duarte countered a Nover leg kick with a straight left that dropped Nover. Duarte pounced; and, Nover gave up his back and ate an elbow.  But, Nover actually pounded Duarte while Duarte had his back and attempted a rear naked choke. ...

Fighters.com's fifth-ranked heavyweight "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (11-3-1) confirmed to Tatame that he will fight "Cigano" Junior dos Santos (6-1) 25 October in Chicago, but adds, "[The UFC] should have put "Cigano", who is a newcomer in the event, to face [Brock] Lesnar, who only has one fight in UFC." Lesnar has two fights in the UFC with a 1-1 record in the Octagon. Werdum TKO'd "The Truth" Brandon Vera (9-2) in the first round in London 7 June after TKOing eighth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (9-3) in the second round in Newcastle 19 January; but, the UFC skipped over him twice to match Frank Mir (11-3) versus interim UFC titlist second-ranked "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and Brock Lesnar (2-1) versus returning UFC Heavyweight Champion sixth-ranked "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8). "Ultimate thinks about business, and Lesnar is more famous in United States," explained Werdum of the Couture versus Lesnar match-up announced just last week. ...

Fighters.com's sixth-ranked heavyweight “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) has negotiated a new multi-fight contract with the UFC which will allow him to defend his UFC title versus Brock Lesnar (2-1) in Las Vegas 15 November. “As you all know, we’ve had problems with Randy over the last few months, but we’ve got them all worked out now,” said UFC President Dana White. Couture added, “I think a lot of compromises were made on both sides, but we’re both ready to try and move forward." Couture retired...er, resigned from the UFC (depending on who you believe) in October 2007 and was sued by the promotion for breach of contract. "Sitting last year in legal fights was not something I’ve enjoyed," Couture related. White also promised to pursue Couture's dream fight versus Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (28-1). ...

Elusive Russian Sergei Kharitonov (15-3) breached Fighters.com's Heavyweight Top Ten in September without having fought for a year. Kharitonov TKO'd "Demolition Man" Alistair Overeem (28-11) in Yokohama in September 2007; but, has been more active on the rumor mill than in the ring since. He was floated as "Cro Cop" Mirko Filipovic's (23-6-2) opponent at DREAM.4 in June and lately was mentioned as a challenger for the EliteXC Heavyweight Championship versus "Bigfoot" Antonio Silva (11-1). Kharitonov found his way into neither fight and may have a short stint as a top ten big boy as fighters beneath him line-up legit matches. A spot opened for Kharitonov when "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-14) was mauled by physical phenom Brock Lesnar (2-1) in Minneapolis 9 August, shoveling Herring out of the eighth rank. ...

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. ...

Fighters.com's Middleweight Champion "Spider" Anderson Silva (21-4) and third-ranked light heavyweight "Dragon" Lyoto Machida (13-0) are training Heavyweight Champion "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's (31-4-1) The Ultimate Fighter 8 team, according to Tatame. Frank Mir (11-3), the other TUF 8 coach, has brought in Abu Dhabi Absolute Weight Champion Robert Drysdale and strength and conditioning coach Rafael Alejarra, of tenth-ranked light heavyweight "Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva's (32-8-1) snorkel training fame, according to MMA Weekly. The eighth season of SpikeTV and Zuffa's popular reality TV contest is shooting now in Las Vegas. ...

In boxing rankings, champions have mandatory defenses versus the number one challenger and voluntary defenses versus a top-fifteen challenger. Through no fault of his own of course, Fighters.com's Heavyweight Champion "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) won't meet either threshold when he defends his UFC title versus Frank Mir (11-3). So, what's Fighters.com to do?  Second-ranked "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) admitted this week to Canada's Globe and Mail, "I'm also OK with the idea that [I may not fight again].  I may get a bad [court] ruling and I can't really see myself at this point going back and fighting two more times for the UFC if that's what the state says I have to do." Should 19 July's more competitive match-up between third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and sixth-ranked "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) be for Fighters.com's Heavyweight Championship? Both Sylvia and fourth-ranked "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) climbed two spots on fifth-ranked "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett's (22-5) inability to put away "The Snowman" Jeff Monson in Tokyo last month coupled with Barnett's submission of ninth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) falling off his two-year record. Of course, Arlovski officially announced today that he'll fight top heavyweight prospect Ben Rothwell (29-5) 19 July.  Rothwell steps-in well-hyped from the IFL and Arlovski looks to shake out of his funk. Barnett returns on the same undercard to seek revenge from a 2001 KO loss versus now largely irrelevant "The Rock" Pedro Rizzo (16-7) and Aleksander Emelianenko fights "The Headhunter" Paul Buentello (25-10) in my pick for fight of the night in Anaheim, outside of Los Angeles. This weekend in London, seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and returning prospect "The Truth" Brandon Vera (8-1) will battle for the UFC's top contender spot. Eighth-ranked "Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring (28-13) will fill-in for injured "Hammer" Mark Coleman (15-9) versus the UFC's version of market-friendly "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), former pro-wrestler Brock Lesnar (1-1), in a fight that shouldn't even be sanctioned, but only a big lug like Herring could find a way to lose. In July, tenth-ranked "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) has a lot to prove versus Justin McCully (8-3-2); and, McCully might be thinking the same thing. ...

The UFC and SpikeTV announced Monday that season eight of The Ultimate Fighter will feature Fighters.com's top ranked heavyweight and UFC co-titlist  “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) and Frank Mir (11-3) as coaches of light heavyweight and lightweight contestants. The next season will begin production at the end of May and will premier 17 September. Nogueira and Mir will battle for Nogueira's share of the UFC title on a PPV card after the 13-episode season concludes. Nogueira won his half of the championship in February by submitting fourth-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) in a guillotine choke. The other UFC co-titlist is second-ranked "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8). In what was considered his last chance in the UFC, Mir spoiled Brock Lesnar's (1-1) UFC debut in February by submitting him in a kneebar in the first round. Former UFC champ Mir is 3-2 since defending his title from Sylvia in June 2004, after which he suffered severe injuries in a motorcycle accident and was forced to vacate the title. ...

Is there any real wonder why the UFC is divesting in the heavyweight division?  It's dead! The only April action was a first round TKO of Silvao Santos (1-1) by tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3).  It might as well have been a Monday morning sparring session. So, why did "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) and "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) sink a spot respectively?  Sylvia's stoppage of "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) in 2006 fell off their two-year records, which is the time span Fighters.com considers when ranking fighters. The division's future is just as bleak as the recent past. Adrenaline MMA still insists Emelianenko's claim of an official fight with Sylvia in June is false.  To boot, the promotion that promotes Sylvia and rising heavyweight Ben Rothwell (29-5) claims Emelianenko's delinquent repayment of a $500,000 signing bonus left over from the M-1 Global era is also holding up a fight for Rothwell on the same card.  Though Rothwell insists it ain't happenin', he's been rumored to have been matched versus Arlovski. All four fighters and the entire division need those two fights. Unfortunately, third-ranked "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett's (21-5) rise will be short-lived because his submission of tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will fall off his two-year record next month.  He's scheduled to grapple with always competitive "The Snowman" Jeff Monson (24-7) at Sengoku this month; but, even the expected "W" can't replace the submission of Emelianenko. The UFC has scheduled a contender match-up between seventh-ranked "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and "The Truth" Brandon Vera (8-1) for London in June.  A win for Vera will launch him into the division's top ten; a win for "Vai Cavalo" will prove that he belongs. First-ranked "Minotauro" Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) is rumored to be mauling a UFC title defense against Frank Mir (11-3).  For the love of God!  Mir is a gentleman, a technician on the mat, and a fine fighter.  He is not the top heavyweight contender in the UFC. So goes a division where “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (2-0) and Brock Lesnar (1-1) make bank at the box office. May Heavyweight Rankings 1. "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 Fighters.com's first ranking at heavyweight. 2. "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. 3. "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (21-5) "The Babyface Assassin" returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and is the last man to beat Noguiera. Even with an involuntary 14-month layoff, he holds submissions over tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko and hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years. 4. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) 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 to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson. 5. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) “Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire. 6. "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn't fought another top ten heavyweight in 32 months.   He'll take sixth and like it, or take first in a real fight.  It's his decision. 7. "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) "Vai Cavalo" spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins.  He’s likely Nogueira’s first UFC title challenge in a rematch that ended in a close decision for Nogueira in PRIDE. 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 valiantly defend the gate to the UFC’s gold. 9. "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) 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. ...

Sure to appall, enrage, offend, and shake-up the MMA world, Fighters.com has released it's April heavyweight rankings. 1. "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 Fighters.com's first ranking at heavyweight. 2. "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. 3. "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia (24-4) 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 to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson. 4. "The Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (21-5) "The Babyface Assassin" returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and is the last man to beat Noguiera. Even with an involuntary 14-month layoff, he holds submissions over tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko and hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years. 5. "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn't fought another top ten heavyweight in 32 months. He'll take fifth and like it, or take first in a real fight. It's his decision. 6. "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski (12-5) “Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07. Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire. 7. "Vai Cavalo" Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) "Vai Cavalo" spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins. He’s likely Nogueira’s first UFC title challenge in a rematch that ended in a close decision for Nogueira in PRIDE. 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 valiantly defend the gate to the UFC’s gold. 9. "Napao" Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3) 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. ...

M-1 Global heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko posted an open letter to UFC President Dana White at Russia-based MFC M-1's website Saturday, February 9. "Let my fight with Randy [Couture] happen or let me face the reigning UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira," Emelianenko challenges. Emelianenko was responding to White's frequent accusations that the widely-regarded top-ranked heavyweight in the world is overrated. "Fedor isn't even a top-five heavyweight," White stated in October 2007. "Allowing yourself to say those things is not a sign of a gentleman or a grown man at all," the Russian samboist responded in his letter. The UFC and Emelianenko's management led by Vadim Finklestein failed to agree to terms to bring Emelianenko into the organization in October 2007. Emelianenko eventually signed with the newly created M-1 Global promotion.  UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture "resigned" shortly thereafter to pursue a fight with Emelianenko. Couture was sued in January by Zuffa, LLC, parent company of the UFC, for breach of contract. Since signing with M-1 Global, Emelianenko, 27-1, tapped out K-1 kickboxer Hong Man Choi on New Years Eve while his former PRIDE foe, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, picked up the interim UFC heavyweight strap after tapping Tim Sylvia at UFC 81 February 2. At the UFC 81 post-fight press conference, Noguiera called on Couture to fight to legitimize the UFC Heavyweight Championship completing the disappointing triangle atop the heavyweight class. ...

Each of the following four fighters received a bonus of $60,000. KO of the Night: Chris Lytle Submission of the Night: Frank Mir Fight of the Night: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Tim Sylvia  In addition, the following fighters in the co-main events were paid:  Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira = $200,000 Tim Sylvia = $100,000 Frank Mir = $80,000 Brock Lesnar = $250,000 ...

Newly crowned interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira told the post-UFC 81 press conference that he wants to fight former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture. “Today I got the belt, with a very hard fight, but if Couture can give me the chance to fight against him, I will be ready," a bruised Minotauro promised. Nogueira, 31-4-1, submitted another former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Tim Sylvia, by guillotine choke at 1:28 of the third round Saturday night, but after enduring torturous punishment from his bigger opponent. “We’d like to see Nogueira defend his title against Randy Couture,” agreed UFC President Dana White.  “We want to find out who the real champion is.  So, I expect ‘Captain America’ to step up to the plate and give Nogueira the chance." Couture, 16-8, "resigned" from the UFC, vacating his title, in October 2007 and has since pursued a fight with with former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko amidst a legal battle with the UFC. White explained, "I gave him the opportunity to fight for the heavyweight title, to fight Tim Sylvia.  So I expect him to honor his contract.  I don’t think I’m asking anything outrageous or ridiculous.  He signed a contract a year ago and got a signing bonus.” Couture has remained adamantly against returning to the UFC.  Last week he told Columbus, Ohio radio station QFM 96.3 that he is on his way to China in the next few weeks to begin work on the big screen version of "Mandrake the Magician". ...