The UFC pound-for-pound rankings have been shaken up in the wake of Merab Dvalishvili and Alexander Pantoja’s recent setbacks.
Both men dropped their world titles over the weekend at UFC 323 in Las Vegas.
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Pantoja’s two-and-a-half-year flyweight reign came to an end in the co-feature attraction when the Brazilian suffered a gruesome elbow injury against Joshua Van.
The 35-year-old fell awkwardly on his left arm in the opening 26 seconds and was deemed unable to continue, resulting in an anticlimactic changing of the guard.
Dvalishvili then had his bantamweight strap snatched from him by Petr Yan in the main event via a convincing unanimous decision defeat.
The Georgian beat Yan back in 2023, but proved no match for his rival when they ran it back.
Heading into Saturday night, Dvalishvili was ranked No.3 in the pound-for-pound rankings, while Pantoja occupied the No.5 spot.
However, following their respective defeats, both men have seen their stock tumble.
Dvalishvili dropped five spots to No.8, and Pantoja fell four positions to No.9.
Who benefited from Merab Dvalishvili and Alexander Pantoja’s defeats?
This paved the way for Tom Aspinall, Alexander Volkanovski, Alex Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev to all receive healthy boosts in the latest ratings.
UFC heavyweight champion Aspinall jumps one spot from No.8 to No.7, and featherweight king Volkanovski moves up two rankings from No.7 to No.5.
Light heavyweight king Pereira is also up two spots from No.6 to No.4, while middleweight champion Chimaev moves into No.3 after previously holding the No.4 position.
UFC pound-for-pound rankings
- Islam Makhachev
- Ilia Topuria
- Khamzat Chimaev (Up 1)
- Alex Pereira (Up 2)
- Alexander Volkanovski (Up 2)
- Petr Yan (NR)
- Tom Aspinall (Up 1)
- Merab Dvalishvili (Down 5)
- Alexander Pantoja (Down 4)
- Max Holloway
- Joshua Van (NR)
- Dricus Du Plessis (Down 3)
- Magomed Ankalaev (Down 1)
- Jack Della Maddalena (Down 3)
- Arman Tsarukyan (Down 2)
Other major changes include the inclusion of newly-crowned champions Yan and Van.
Yan enters at No.6, Van at No.11.
Besides that, Dricus Du Plessis, Magomed Ankalaev, Jack Della Maddelena, and Arman Tsarukyan all drop just outside the top 10.
The only three men to stay put are Islam Makhachev at No.1, Ilia Topuria at No.2 and Max Holloway at No.10.
Meanwhile, Charles Oliveira and Belal Muhammad have both been booted out of the list.
