<b>9. Jake Shields:</b> Shields has already begun prep work for his September bout with Jake Ellenberger in New Orleans. Shields finds himself in a difficult position for this fight, even if he doesn’t truly realize it yet. Ellenberger has the kind of game that can stifle anyone in the welterweight division. But, then again, so does Shields – and that’s what makes this such an intriguing fight in the first place.

<B>8. Jon Fitch:</B> Like so many top-ranked fighters, Fitch has been on the shelf for much of 2011 and doesn’t look to be returning until the end of the year. A rematch with B.J. Penn is still an option for the wrestler, but we’d much rather see a bout with Carlos Condit to determine a true top contender. Condit says he wants to fight again before the end of 2011, and Fitch will need an opponent. It makes perfect sense.

<B>7. Gilbert Melendez:</B> Nobody really knows what’s next for Melendez. Is he moving to the UFC? Perhaps. Is he facing Jorge Masvidal? Perhaps. The world is truly up in the air right now for the Strikeforce lightweight champion, but not for long. He’ll be on the UFC roster within 12 months, where he’ll finally get the big fights he’s been demanding for so long.

<B>6. Dominick Cruz:</B> Cruz put on a good performance against Urijah Faber, but it wasn’t enough to move him from this slot in the rankings. He firmly entrenched himself as the best bantamweight in the world, but to receive higher consideration against his peers on this list, he’ll need more than close decisions. He’ll need to finish his opponents or, at the very least, dominate them in whole and complete fashion.

<B>5. Frankie Edgar:</B> Edgar should be cleared to return by the fall, and then he simply has to wait on Gray Maynard’s doctors to clear him for battle. At that point, we’ll finally get the long-awaited rematch of one of the best fights of 2011, and the UFC lightweight logjam can finally start clearing.

<B>4. Jon Jones:</B> 2011 has been pretty good to Jon Jones thus far, and it could get even better with a win over Rampage Jackson in September. A dominant Jones win might put him in line for a return in December – perhaps against Rashad Evans, should Evans get past Phil Davis in a couple of weeks. That would mean four fights in one year for the light heavyweight champion, which easily makes him the most visible champion on the roster.

<B>3. Jose Aldo:</B> Nobody really knows when Aldo is returning. Chances are Aldo doesn’t even know. The idea is a featherweight title defense against Kenny Florian in Houston, but all kinds of moving parts have to work in sync in order to get Aldo back by October. He’ll have no shortage of challengers and potential challengers once he returns, and the featherweight division should only get stronger over the next 16 months.

<B>2. Georges. St. Pierre:</B> St. Pierre has a month to go before he’s scheduled to begin his full training camp for his October fight with Nick Diaz, but the popular and charismatic welterweight champ is already in the gym seven days a week. He’ll be more than prepared for what sources are saying is a fight that concerns him more than any he’s faced in several years.

<B>1. Anderson Silva:</b> Silva has just over one month left before he faces the last man to (technically) beat him. The Spider will step in the cage with Yushin Okami at UFC 134 in Brazil, and there’s no doubt that, for at least one evening, he’ll be the most popular fighter on the card. Silva is not assured of victory here; Okami has improved drastically and has the friendship and advice of Chael Sonnen, the only man to take Silva to the limit in his UFC career thus far. Okami could grind out a decision, and that would be unfortunate because we’d be deprived of a second Silva/Sonnen fight.