Frankie Edgar (L) and Gray Maynard (photo courtesy of MMA Weekly)

The new year already has been a great one in the world of mixed martial arts.

A title fight on New Year’s Day quickly put itself in contention for Fight of the Year despite the lack of a winner. Additionally, the UFC and Strikeforce have both already held two shows a piece in just one month. Jens Pulver snapped a six-fight losing streak and Abe Wagner possibly put the final nail in the coffin of former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia’s career.

That’s a lot to consider, but how does it all shake out in The Gauge rankings? Let’s find out:

1. (tie) Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard – Both men met with disappointment in the end, with their UFC 125 fight resulting in a draw, but fans were treated to an exciting back-and-forth war to kick off the New Year. Edgar battled back after nearly getting knocked out in the opening frame to retain his title when the judges decided there was not a winner. “The Answer” looked better the second time around in championship action against both B.J. Penn and Maynard, who will really have his work cut out for him at UFC 130 in May in an immediate rematch with Edgar.  Maynard won the first match between the pair.

2. Nick Diaz – Diaz’s relentless standup has taken him to the top of the Strikeforce welterweight division and now it’s keeping him there. After a round-and-a-half of standing toe-to-toe with Diaz at “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg” in an exciting striking battle, Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos opted to take the fight to the ground instead. Even that didn’t allow him an escape from Diaz’s attack, as the Cesar Gracie black belt quickly snagged Cyborg’s arm for a fight-ending armbar submission.

3. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza – Souza was the other champion to successfully defend a belt on the “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg” card. Souza demonstrated his expertise on the ground, attacking opponent Robbie Lawler’s biggest weakness in the process. Strikeforce’s text message poll results show that fans would most like to see Strikeforce showcase middleweights in its next tournament, which suggests a strong interest in the division’s roster and in “Jacare.”

4. Herschel Walker – Walker is Strikeforce’s sure thing when it comes to drawing mainstream media attention and fight fan interest. The former NFL and USFL running back made the media rounds, including a spot on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption.” Walker also reigned supreme again when he stepped into the cage at “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg.”  The question regarding how skilled Walker really is as a mixed martial artist will remain until he fights a legitimate fighter, but in reality it might not be a bad thing for Strikeforce to bring along Walker as it has so far, despite his advanced age of 48. Pushing a non-MMA superstar as an elite fighter is a lot more likely to backfire, just ask EliteXC and Kimbo Slice. The only thing that Strikeforce needs to do is remind its broadcast team to stick with the program, too.

5. Jacob Volkmann – It’s not always positive publicity that vaults a fighter into The Gauge. Volkmann drew the national spotlight, not to mention the attention of the United States Secret Service, following his comments about President Barack Obama in a UFC 125 post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani. Volkmann wasn’t even on the main card and barely squeaked by with a split decision win over Antonio McKee, so challenging Obama to a fight might be the most significant thing the lightweight has done in his MMA career.

6. Melvin Guillard – Melvin Guillard’s move to Albuquerque to train under Greg Jackson has paid off for the long-time UFC veteran. At only 27 years old, Guillard already has a ton of fights under his belt, but it wasn’t until recently that “The Young Assassin” finally put everything together. His improved takedown and submission defense has allowed him to climb up the lightweight ladder over the past year. His most recent performance, in the headlining contest of UFC Fight for the Troops 2, was his most impressive, as he stopped rising star Evan Dunham via TKO in the first round. Dunham was on the brink of being a top contender, but now Guillard throws his name into the mix instead.

7. Mark Hominick – Hominick was promised a shot at UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo if he defeated George Roop at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. The Team Tompkins fighter didn’t let the opportunity pass him by, as he took out Roop by way of a first-round TKO.  Hominick is a top striker, but does he have what it takes to beat Aldo? It won’t be long until we find out.

8. Brian Stann – The “All-American” put an end to Chris Leben’s recent hot streak when he TKO’d “The Crippler” at UFC 125. A former WEC light heavyweight champion, Stann has fared better at middleweight inside the Octagon. He wants Wanderlei Silva next, and a win over such a legend would push him toward title contention.

9. (tie) Jens Pulver and Abe Wagner – Jens Pulver has the personality and background that makes it easy to want to see him succeed. A recent six-fight skid, part of which was chronicled in the Gregory Bayne documentary “Driven,” seemed to spell the end for the former UFC lightweight champion. At XFO 38, Pulver finally snapped the losing streak with a victory over Mike Lindquist. Perhaps Team Curran will resurrect Pulver’s career. Wagner, meanwhile, quite possibly closed the door on another former UFC champion’s career. The TUF 10 alum needed a mere 32 seconds to TKO an out-of-shape Tim Sylvia, who weighed in at 311 pounds for the fight, at Titan Fighting Championships 16.

10. Ovince St. Preux – “OSP” is staying busy and it’s resulted in great things for his career. The former University of Tennessee football player went 3-4 over his first seven professional bouts, but turned things around to win his next seven outings. His three most recent fights have taken place under the Strikeforce banner, all within a span of two months. After surprising Antwain Britt and Benji Radach, OSP returned in January at Strikeforce Challengers 13 with a unanimous decision victory over Ron “Abongo” Humphrey. His recent busy schedule has kept the light heavyweight fresh in everyone’s mind and has made him a rising star in Strikeforce’s 205-pound division.