Baddest man on the planet?

Historically, the heavier weight class fighters have been considered to be the best fighters in the world.  I agree with that sentiment for the most part but I believe that there is a smaller fighter that has just as much claim to the top fighter spot as Brock Lesnar or Fedor Emelianenko has.  That man is WEC Featherweight Champion, Jose Aldo.

Aldo is primarily a stand-up fighter.  He uses his aggressive Muay Thai striking, especially flying knees and leg kicks, to overwhelm his opponents.  Aldo has pinpoint accuracy and lightning speed with all his strikes, earning him the nickname the "Brazilian Cobra."  His wrestling is also extremely underrated.  If his opponent is lucky enough to get him down to the canvas he still has to contend with Aldo's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, which he received from the Nogueira brothers.

Aldo has used these skills to tear through the WEC's 145lb. competition since his debut in 2008.  At the age of 24, Jose already has several career defining fights to his name.  It only took him 8 seconds, and a double flying knee, to dispatch of Cub Swanson.

Another highlight fight for Aldo was his destruction of former champion, Urijah Faber.  The California Kid was battered by kicks to his leg for 5 excruciating rounds and could barely walk out of the cage.  Aldo was able to keep the fight standing and brutalized Faber in his hometown.



Urijah's leg the morning after the fight.



Urijah's leg several days after the fight.



Last Thursday Jose defended his title against Manny Gamburyan with a fantastic display of striking.  After feeling Manny out in the first round, Aldo unleashed a furious ground assault that knocked Gamburyan out cold.  There are not many more threats left for Jose at Featherweight, besides Josh Grispi, and there are talks of him jumping up a weight class to take on the UFC's Lightweight Champion, Frankie Edgar.  I would love to see that fight but I would much rather see the WEC folded into the UFC so Jose Aldo and the WEC's army of lighter fighters get the exposure they deserve.