The battle for the No. 1 ranking on the MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings is hotter than ever before. With nearly 600 consecutive days at the top of the list, Islam Makhachev’s run is now officially in jeopardy, and the challenger to his crown is none other than the undefeated Ilia Topuria.
Ilia Topuria Makes His Case with Historic KO Win at UFC 317
At UFC 317, Ilia Topuria made a statement in a performance that has the potential to redefine the future of the Pound-for-Pound Rankings. Against former lightweight champion and future Hall of Famer Charles Oliveira, Topuria landed a jaw-dropping Knockout of the Year candidate to capture the vacant lightweight crown one of only 10 fighters in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes.
While Topuria wished to seal his legacy by beating Makhachev head-to-head, what he achieved against Oliveira and his history of knockouts against Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway has cemented his argument for the No. 1 position irrevocably.
Islam Makhachev Still No. 1 – But For How Long?
Islam Makhachev remains technically the No. 1 fighter in the MMA pound-for-pound rankings, but the gap is rapidly narrowing. Voting from the rankings panel as of early July is more split than ever before:
Makhachev garnered 3 first-place votes
Topuria captured 2 first-place votes
Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja garnered 1 first-place vote
With Makhachev preparing for his next fight, a highly touted meeting against Jack Della Maddalen, his position is far from secure. A defeat would have him fall through the ranks, a near impossibility a few months ago.
Goodbye to Jon Jones – A New Era Begins
One of the primary reasons for the shake-up in the rankings is the official retirement of Jon Jones. Long a fixture atop the all-time greatest lists, Jones has now been dropped from the active MMA pound-for-pound rankings.
After weeks of doing nothing and an unwillingness to take on interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, Jones has retired from the sport and has created openings for up-and-coming performers to ascend the ranks.
Other Contenders on the Ascendancy
With Topuria and Makhachev leading, a few fighters are nearing elite status in the MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings:
Merab Dvalishvili – relentless and consistent
Dricus du Plessis – set to face a big UFC 319 fight against Khamzat Chimaev
Tom Aspinall – interim heavyweight champion, waiting for his time
Magomed Ankalaev – gradually rising after dominant victories
Recent Results Affecting Rankings
No. 2 Ilia Topuria defeated No. 17 Charles Oliveira by KO (UFC 317)
No. 3 (tie) Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France – outcome pending
Upcoming UFC Fights that Might Alter the Rankings
Several high-profile bouts might significantly change the MMA Pound-for-Pound picture:
Dricus du Plessis (No. 5) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (No. 14) – UFC 319, Aug. 16
Max Holloway (No. 11) vs. Dustin Poirier – UFC 318, July 19
Movsar Evloev (No. 17) vs. Aaron Pico – UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26
Fighters Receiving Votes (But Not Ranked)
Those near the breakpoint in making the top 20 are:
Francis Ngannou (2 votes)
Aljamain Sterling (2 votes)
Brandon Moreno, Mario Bautista, Joshua Van, Cory Sandhagen (1 vote each)
Dropped from Rankings
Jon Jones (No. 15) – Retired and no longer eligible for active rankings
MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings Are More Competitive Than Ever
With Islam Makhachev remaining No. 1, but Ilia Topuria catching up quickly, the war for pound-for-pound dominance in MMA is hotter than ever. With new challengers entering the fray and title fights on the horizon, fans can look forward to plenty of shuffling at the top and never-ending arguments about who is the greatest fighter in the world.
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