Sherdog’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10 Rankings

Consider this a missed opportunity for Alex Pereira.

Already perhaps the UFC’s biggest star, “Poatan” had a chance to enter another realm with a victory over Magomed Ankalaev. Instead, the former Glory Kickboxing champ struggled to pull the trigger in a disappointing unanimous decision loss in the UFC 313 headliner at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

A victory might have propelled Pereira into conversations regarding the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot and opened the door for a potentially lucrative move to heavyweight. Instead, the Brazilian steps aside to make way for Ankalaev, who is unbeaten in his last 14 UFC appearances, to make his debut in this poll.

Pereira wasn’t overwhelmed in the fight, and his ability to deny all 12 of Ankalaev’s takedowns was an impressive feat. However, it was a far cry from his previous championship efforts at 205 pounds. While a rematch could very well be in store, Ankalaev is a formidable champion with a methodical, fundamentally sound style who will be difficult to dethrone.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

1. Islam Makhachev (27-1) | UFC [1]

Makhachev left no doubt in the UFC 311 headliner, submitting last-minute opponent Renato “Moicano” with a brabo choke in the opening stanza of their lightweight championship bout at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The late shift from Arman Tsarukyan to “Moicano” did little to faze Makhachev, who won his 15th consecutive outing and set the UFC lightweight record for most championship victories with five. While Makhachev has expressed interest in moving up to 170 pounds to pursue two-division glory, a rebooking against Tsarukyan or a showdown against reigning featherweight king Ilia Topuria could be interesting options should he remain at 155 pounds.

2. Ilia Topuria (16-0) | UFC [2]

Topuria added another significant feather to his cap in the UFC 308 headliner, as he became the first person to knock out Max Holloway in 34 professional fights at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. With back-to-back knockouts of Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski on his ledger — and eight consecutive triumphs in the UFC overall — “El Matador” is the unquestioned king of the featherweight division. However, Topuria’s days at 145 pounds appear to be through, as he officially vacated the belt in February..

3. Jon Jones (28-1, 1 NC) | UFC [3]

In his second foray at heavyweight, “Bones” was utterly dominant once again at UFC 309, hammering former champ Stipe Miocic with brutal ground-and-pound and pelting him with kicks, punches and elbows on the feet before closing things out with a spinning back kick to the ribs late in the third round. While many fans questioned the UFC’s decision to match Jones with the long-inactive Miocic rather than interim champ Tom Aspinall, there can be no questioning the former light heavyweight kingpin’s work in the cage, as he has looked flawless since returning to action last year.

4. Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) | UFC [5]

Pantoja made short work of former Rizin bantamweight king Kai Asakura in the UFC 310 headliner, winning via second-round submission at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “The Cannibal” now has three successful flyweight title defenses to his credit and for the first time during his reign, he didn’t need the full 25 minutes to get the job done. In the aftermath of his latest triumph, Pantoja issued an interesting callout to retired flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the Brazilian is the current gold standard in the division.

5. Belal Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC) | UFC [6]

Muhammad’s patience paid off, as his 10-fight, four-and-a-half-year unbeaten streak culminated in a chance to challenge Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 304. Whereas their first meeting had been trending in favor of Edwards before ending due to an untimely eye poke, in the rematch Muhammad was the superior fighter in the cage from start to finish. Muhammad was slated to make his first title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, but a foot infection forced him to withdraw from that booking. “Remember The Name” will now instead defend his crown against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in Montreal.

6. Merab Dvalishvili (19-4) | UFC [7]

Dvalishvili might have entered the UFC 311 co-main event as the betting underdog, but he showed that his championship reign may have some staying power with a unanimous decision triumph over the previously unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. While “The Machine” started slowly, his trademark conditioning proved to be the difference, as he gradually wore down his Dagestani adversary. Dvalishvili will take a 12-fight UFC winning streak into his next title defense.

7. Magomed Ankalaev (20-1-1, 1 NC) | UFC [NR]

Anakalaev proved to be too difficult a puzzle for Alex Pereira to solve, as the Dagestani outstruck the former Glory Kickboxing champion en route to a unanimous decision triumph in the UFC 313 main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Ankalaev’s victory was that he was unable to land a single takedown against “Poatan,” but that only makes the performance more impressive. Ankalaev will take a 14-bout UFC unbeaten streak into his first title defense at light heavyweight.

8. Alex Pereira (12-3) | UFC [4]

Pereira wasn’t taken down in the UFC 313 headliner, but he also struggled to get his vaunted striking going against a defensively sound opponent in Magomed Ankalaev. The end result was a closely contested unanimous decision defeat that ended the Brazilian’s reign after three successful title defenses. The now former two-divison champion remains perhaps the promotion’s most popular star, but the latest setback might have stifled the momentum behind a potential move to heavyweight.

9. Dricus Du Plessis (23-2) UFC [8]

After a somewhat contentious result the first time around, Du Plessis left no doubt in his rematch with Sean Strickland, as he cruised to a unanimous decision triumph in the UFC 312 headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. “Stillknocks” outstruck his opponent for the majority of the contest and even busted up Strickland’s nose in Round 4 to bring an emphatic conclusion to their rivalry. Du Plessis has won nine straight fights at 185 pounds, but his work is not done because a future showdown with Khamzat Chimaev looms large for the South African champion.

10. Leon Edwards (22-4, 1 NC) | UFC [9]

Given the chance to defend his UFC welterweight title in front of an arena packed with his countrymen, Edwards came up short, as he was soundly outwrestled and outstruck by Belal Muhammad over five rounds in the main event of UFC 304 in Manchester, England. With the unanimous decision loss, Edwards sees his division-leading 13-fight unbeaten streak come to an end. While there may not be much clamor for an immediate rematch, the 32-year-old does not figure to fall far from the title picture. Next, he’ll face Sean Brady — a replacement for Jack Della Maddalena — in the UFC London headliner.

Other Contenders: Tom Aspinall, Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, Francis Ngannou, Vadim Nemkov.

Sherdog’s divisional and pound-for-pound rankings are compiled by a panel of Sherdog.com staff members and contributors: Tristen Critchfield, Mike Fridley, Brian Knapp, Ben Duffy, Jay Pettry, Marcelo Alonso, Keith Shillan, Tyler Treese, Rob Sargent and Sayan Nag.