Lesnar is nowhere to be found and is rumoured to be considering retirement from the sport. Nelson's tied up in legal troubles. Mirko is finished. Mir isn't a factor anymore. Carwin is in recovery. Kongo is a good gatekeeper but that's it. No real HW prospects on the horizon.
Cain is a great champion and JDS is a great challenger (along with Carwin) but after that there really isn't that much left to the division.
Hopefully the UFC signs some promising Heavyweights in the new year. Unfortunately the pickings are pretty slim. Ricco Rodriguez might be available. Overeem looks to be tied up and Sergei Kharitonov was just signed by Strikeforce which was a missed opportunity by the UFC.
Tim Sylvia? If push comes to shove they may have to.
It's been thin, they only had four big names, Nelson, Mir and Gonzaga. StrikeForce is in the same boat: Werdum, Overeem, Fedor, and Big Foot, then Kharitonov and Arlovski. The "new and improved, super deep HW division" never existed (although it would if they were to merge the two). 
agreed
That said I do like Struve and Shaub. Browne, Mitrione and Madsen are also developing nicely. Pat Barry is fun to watch and I thought Christian Morecraft might have some potential as well, we shall see.
Not sure what talent Strikeforce is developing. Arlovski, Kharitonov, and Big Foot are solid veterans if journeymen at this point. I think Werdum is a step above those guys. Really don't know if Barnett is still relevant.
With the injuries and contract problems with both the UFC and the Strikeforce top heavys, its no surprise that guys like Sylvia and Ricco are rumored to be moving back into the show.
Struve is the only UFC heavyweight prospect who I see possibly becoming a threat. Shaub and Browne have shown nothing special. Mitrione hasn't fought any good opponents. Madsen is lay and pray. McCorkle.........ah nevermind.
UFC have never had a good HW division.
They use amrketing to try and pretend its good but ot never has been. Most bought the Brock hype, but smoke and mirrors only lasts so long. They need guys like Fedor, Werdum, Overeem, Barnett, etc to really lay claim to having the best HW in the world.
The ufc's hw division is its weakest division although it does have some hitters
Need to bring back jonathan wiezorek.
CLINTK9 - Now Cain is out 6-10 months!
Sucks that the Top HW's have to split amongst 2 promotions!
Imagine:
Cain
Fedor
Brock
Overeem
JDS
Barnett - done.
Carwin
Kharitonov
Big Nog
Werdum
Nelson
Arlovski
Mir
Bigfoot
Lashley - Wat?
Rogers - Wat?
Ricco - I can dig it.
Sylvia - If he gets back in shape, yes.
Cro-Cop
Semmy Schilt - getting old. More K1 then anything.
All on the SAME Roster fighting eachother!
I think it's fine for now. It will eventually get better. It always does anyway.
agreed, UFC HW is weak for sure. crazy how quickly it was obvious the best HW fights are not in the UFC afterall, now just Cain and JDS. I think Carwin can be a force too. Overeen and Fedor would have a great shot against any though. Overeem is #1 on potential, I wish he would prove it more.
I think Lesnar and Mir will coach TUF, Brock will have 3-4 more fights (including post TUF Mir fight), then he'll go back to pro wrestling...WWE has so much cash it's gotta be hard to resist when Vince wants ya in the ring...
there's good Heavies out there, just not in UFC...they're in Strikeforce, Dream, K-1...why the f-ck isn't Reem in UFC? also Del Rosario, Griggs...
Bones Jones is talking about moving up to HW
"True" heavyweights are a rare breed. By the time most fighters who fight in the smaller orgs at heavyweight get into the condition necessary to be competitive in the UFC. They aren't heavyweights anymore.
I'd like to see Forrest move up to HW. He has the physique to do it
I agree that Overeem can't be ranked top 10 in mma yet but its clear the guy will be at least competitive and maybe dominant when he does face the current top ranked fighters.
I like Cormier and Del Rosario but I don't see why they should be held in higher regard as up and comers than anyone the UFC is developing. I really like Cormier but how much top side does he have? He is clearly undersized and I think a little old to be so new to the sport. It will be interesting to watch though.
I don't place much stock anymore in the old Pride guys. Werdum was 2-2 in the UFC and neither Nog and Mirko have really shined, Mirko far from it. Barnett? Kharnitov? I see no reason to think that they would do any better if matched against the UFC top guys, though i've always wanted to see Barnett/Mir.
IF the rumors are true and Brock is looking for a way out I think that what Rick Rude wrote is probably right.
IF he wants out he doesn't want to fight another heavy handed guy (JDS, Cain or Carwin) He knows how to hype a fight and posture in front of a camera. There is history between him and Mir. Mir seems to be somewhat obsessed with Brock. The UFC (for some unfucking confusing reason) is in love with Trilogies. Dana Fucking White is NOT going to give a guy a title shot on his last fight under contract. Brock would be comfortable fighting Mir and Mir wants this fight. That makes sense.............IF the rumors are true and Brock doesn't want this sport anymore and "one more fight" would make a lot of sense.
Who are even the top HW prospects that are unsigned right now and fighting their way up in smaller shows?
maxmain - Lost me here:There you go.
"Lesnar rumored to be considering retirement from the sport"
Trilogies RARELY make sense in MMA. Herring v Nog? Really? Like we needed to see that. Penn v Hughes (even though I'm a Penn fan) made NO sense. Wand v Rampage III didn't do anything but accentuate how far Wand had slid. Does anyone want to see Liddell v Tito III?
The only III that made sense in some way (to me) was Couture v Liddell.