Lightweight 6-12-08

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Rank

Fighter

Comments

1.

B.J. Penn

He broke down Sean Sherk, just like he broke down Joe Stevenson, just like he'll break down any other 155-pounder unlucky enough to be matched up against him. Still, we hope he sticks around to properly clear out the UFC's lightweight division before his restlessness gets the better of him.

2.

Takanori Gomi

3.

Shinya Aoki

Is this guy fun to watch, or what? The "Master of Jumping Locks" sticks on his opponents like a cartoon octopus, employing some of the most creative jiu-jitsu we've ever seen. If he can cruise through the rest of DREAM's lightweight GP, he'll secure his place as one of the world's elite-level lightweights.

4.

Gesias Calvancanti

5.

Gilbert Melendez

His last Strikeforce title defense against Gabe Lemley didn’t prove much, and his June 27th title defense against Josh Thomson probably won’t either. But we’re big fans of Melendez’s hard-charging, heavy-handed style, which put down the likes of Rumina Sato, Clay Guida, and Tatsuya Kawajiri during the 13-fight win streak that opened his career. Get this dude some better competition and see what he can do.

6.

Sean Sherk

Facing the threshing machine that is BJ Penn isn't exactly the best gauge of a fighter's abilities (though Sherk's stand-and-bang gameplan was idiotically suicidal). We'll need to see how he does against another top contender in the UFC's lightweight division before we write him off as nothing without his juice.

7.

Tatsuya Kawajiri

8.

Vitor Ribeiro

9.

(tie) Roger Huerta, Kenny Florian

Is it August 9th yet?

10.

Mitsuhiro Ishida

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