2003 UFC Light Heavyweight Top 5 Rankings

  Post: UFC 45 - Revolution 

1. Randy Couture 

The unlikely hero of this year was The Natural. Couture was written off after suffering two heavyweight losses at age 40 plus. But he would drop down to light heavyweight and beat the two biggest stars of the division to become the light heavyweight champion and the first two division champion in UFC history.

2. Tito Ortiz 

After all of the pressure to get back in the octagon and defend his light heavyweight title, Ortiz finally goes in there after an interim title win granted Couture a chance to unify belts. In their fight, he was completely shut down and the longest title reign in the division's history came to an end, dropping Ortiz to number two.

3. Rich Franklin  

Franklin debuted this year undefeated with nothing but stoppage victories and this year was no different adding two more first round wins to his record including one against former title challenger Tanner, that alone places him at number three.

4. Evan Tanner 

Like Liddell, Tanner did not have a great year with his lone loss coming from the future middleweight champion and then undefeated and debuting Franklin that saw the bigger man overwhelm him with his size and strikes. As a result, Tanner drops to number four and middleweight, no pun intended.  

5. Chuck Liddell 

It was not a good year for the Iceman. When then champion Ortiz refused to fight him, he was booked to fight for an interim title match against the former heavyweight champion Couture that saw him take a TKO loss to the superior wrestler. This was his only UFC fight this year, but his previous performances keep him at number five.

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