The latest UFC rankings are out, and the shifts are nothing short of dramatic! After a thrilling night in Manchester, find out which fighters soared to new heights and who took a tumble. Plus, get ready for a high-stakes bantamweight clash at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi.
Massive Changes Across Six Divisions
Men’s Pound-For-Pound:
A new welterweight king has emerged! Belal Muhammad dethroned Leon Edwards, skyrocketing to No. 6 in the pound-for-pound rankings. Edwards drops to No. 7. Featherweight champ Ilia Topuria climbs to No. 4, while Sean O’Malley advances to No. 5. Alexander Volkanovski slips to No. 8, and interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall lands at No. 9 after defending his title against Curtis Blaydes.
Flyweight
Muhammad Mokaev’s exit from the rankings caused a ripple effect. Manel Kape drops to No. 9, while Alex Perez moves up to No. 6. Steve Erceg and Matheus Nicolau each climb two spots, now at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.
Featherweight
Arnold Allen makes a strong comeback, moving up to No. 5 after defeating Giga Chikadze.
Lightweight
With Muhammad now reigning at 170 pounds, Edwards shifts to No. 1 and Kamaru Usman to No. 2.
Heavyweight
Curtis Blaydes falls to No. 5, bumping Sergei Pavlovich up to No. 4.
Upcoming, UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov
The bantamweight division heats up with Cory Sandhagen taking on the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi. Sandhagen, ranked No. 2, returns after a year-long hiatus, while Nurmagomedov, at No. 10, aims to extend his perfect 17-0 record.
Additional Must-Watch Bouts
Bantamweight Showdown: Marlon "Chito" Vera faces Deiveson Figueiredo. Vera looks to rebound from his title loss, and Figueiredo aims to build on his win over Cody Garbrandt.
Strawweight Clash: Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez. Dern seeks redemption after two consecutive losses, while Godinez wants to bounce back from her defeat against Virna Jandiroba.
Light Heavyweight Battle: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Alonzo Menifield in the featured prelim.
Stay tuned to Black Belt Magazine for all the action and see who climbs the ranks and who falls behind in the UFC Rankings.