Tito Ortiz is set to become the latest member of the UFC Hall of Fame, joining the elite ranks of just eight other men who made it there in the 20 year history of the league.
He joins an exclusive club of seven fighters - Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Ken Shamrock, Matt Hughes, Dan Severn, Mark Coleman and Royce Gracie - and Tapout co-founder Charles "Mask" Lewis.
Here's my picks for the next ten fighters who will be named to the UFC Hall of Fame:
1) Anderson Silva: The 37-year-old Brazilian is 14-0 in his UFC career, successfully defending his UFC Middleweight Championship belt a record nine times. He's easily the greatest pound-for-pound fighter the UFC has ever seen.
2) Rich Franklin: "Ace" has 13 UFC victories, and he's the go-to "company man" who always steps up when Dana White needs a fighter on short notice.
3) Georges St-Pierre: The 31-year-old Canadian already has the second-highest win total in the UFC, having notched 16 victories in the octagon since 2004. By the time his career starts winding down, he should be far ahead of Matt Hughes for the No. 1 spot.
4) Frank Mir: The 33-year-old is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, with victories over legends like Brock Lesnar, Tank Abbott, Mirko "Cro Cop," Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tim Sylvia.
5) B.J. Penn: The 33-year-old is one of just two fighters to win a title in two different weight classes.
6) Wanderlei Silva: The 35-year-old Brazilian has just four victories in the UFC, but he's a true legend in the sport of MMA. He ranks right up there with Chuck Liddell as the most-beloved UFC fighter of all-time.
7) Jon Jones: The 24-year-old still has a lot to prove before he's considered among the UFC's all-time elite, but all signs point to a long reign of dominance from him in the light heavyweight ranks.
I would be shocked if he didn't have at least 20 UFC victories by the time his career is over, and that mark would rank him No. 1 all-time in wins. Currently, his ten wins ranks him No. 22 all-time in victories.
8) Josh Koscheck: The 34-year-old is a borderline Hall of Famer, but he desperately needs to notch a championship belt before he would be considered for induction.
Fans tend to forget that Koscheck has more UFC victories than legends like Anderson Silva, Tito Ortiz, Frank Mir and Rich Franklin.
9) Dan Henderson: Much like Silva, this is another tough call because he's a legend who had his greatest success outside of the UFC.
He tallied six victories inside the UFC, and 31 in other organizations like Pride, Strikeforce and King of Kings. It will be interesting to see if the UFC takes a look at his overall body of work, or solely his UFC fights, when considering a hall of fame induction.
If he defeats Jon Jones to earn the UFC Light Heavyweight title, that may push him over the top for consideration.
10) Rashad Evans: Evans is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and a perennial contender in the division. His 12 UFC victories ranks him No. 11 all-time, and ahead of legends like Royce Gracie and B.J. Penn.
Honorable Mention: Frank Shamrock, Brock Lesnar, Kenny Florian, Vitor Belfort, Jon Fitch, Michael Bisping, Forrest Griffin
Who are the next ten fighters to earn spots in the UFC Hall of Fame? Let me know in the comments.
Eric Holden is a lifelong UFC fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
