MMA Divisional Rankings: What do Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria’s moves mean for the UFC’s future?

After a gradual begin to the yr, UFC followers have been handled to a few titles altering arms, however one can’t be blamed for feeling that one thing is off with the present state of the divisions.

Sure, Alexander Volkanovski is champion once more, however that’s solely as a result of Ilia Topuria deserted the featherweight title to maneuver to light-weight.

Sure, Jack Della Maddalena dethroned Belal Muhammad, however his first protection gained’t be in opposition to a worthy welterweight contender; as a substitute, he takes on Pound-for-Pound king Islam Makhachev, who, like Topuria, is leaving a belt behind to vary divisions.

Sure, Topuria will get his likelihood to struggle for the light-weight title, nevertheless it’s in opposition to former champ Charles Oliveira, not Makhachev.

And that’s only one clusterbiff. Zhang Weili may comply with swimsuit and vacate the strawweight title to problem flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. Magaomed Ankalaev is but to ebook his first protection after beating the UFC’s boogeyman Alex Pereira. The heavyweight title image? LOLOLOLOLOL.

So what does it even imply to be a divisional champion within the UFC as of late? I’m… unsure. And I’m unsure your common fan can inform you both. As a result of one factor is for sure, as vital as it’s for one’s profession to win a UFC belt, it means lower than ever when figuring out who is actually the very best of the very best on this enterprise.

Jones, Volkanovski, even Makhachev*, all of them gained titles that have been vacated. The UFC 317 foremost occasion between Topuria and Oliveira would be the sixth vacant title struggle for the reason that begin of 2022. These lineages are busted proper now and with few fighters wanting to stay round for greater than a handful of title defenses, this subject gained’t be corrected anytime quickly. If ever.

So who shall be your UFC champions by the tip of 2025? Who will really be seen because the undisputed No. 1 fighters of their divisions? Your guess is nearly as good as mine.

(*Makhachev beat Oliveira for a vacant belt, however solely as a result of Oliveira misplaced it on the dimensions in a beforehand scheduled protection in opposition to Justin Gaethje)

Be sure to hearken to a brand new episode of the MMA Combating Rankings Present right here.

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 10 Marcin Tybura def. Mick Parkin

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 7 Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (UFC Baku, June 21), No. 9 Serghei Spivac vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (UFC 316, June 7), No. 12 Phil de Fries vs. Arkadiusz Wrzosek (KSW 107, June 14)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Derrick Lewis (3), Anatoly Malykhin (2), Ryan Bader (1), Waldo Cortes-Acosta (1), Tai Tuivasa (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): 10 Carlos Ulberg def. No. 5 Jan Blachowicz, No. 15 (tied) Dominick Reyes def. No. 9 Nikita Krylov

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 7 Jamahal Hill vs. No. 8 Khalil Rountree (UFC Baku, June 21), No. 12 Nikita Krylov vs. No. 15 Bogdan Guskov (UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26), No. 13 Azamat Murzakanov vs. Brendson Ribeiro (UFC 316, June 7)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Anatoly Malykhin (2), Dovlet Yagshimuradov (2), Phil Davis (1), Roman Dolidze (1), Impa Kasanganay (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 13 Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal, No. 14 Roman Dolidze def. Marvin Vettori (UFC Vegas 104, March 15)

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 1 Dricus du Plessis vs. No. 2 Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 319, Aug. 16), No. 7 Robert Whittaker vs. No. 10 Reinier de Ridder (UFC Baku, July 26), No. 9 Johnny Eblen vs. Costello van Steenis (PFL Africa, July 26), No. 8 Anthony Hernandez vs. No. 13 Roman Dolidze (UFC Vegas 109, Aug. 9), No. 12 Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori (UFC 318, July 19), No. 14 Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov (UFC 317, June 28), No. 15 Fabian Edwards vs. Josh Silveira (PFL 7, June 27)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Roman Kopylov (2), Abus Magomedov (2), Jack Hermansson (1), Michael Web page (1), Marvin Vettori (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 4 Jack Della Maddalena def. No. 1 Belal Muhammad, No. 5 Sean Brady def. No. 2 (tied) Leon Edwards, No. 6 Ian Machado Garry def. Carlos Prates, Michael Morales def. No. 7 (tied) Gilbert Burns, No. 10 Jason Jackson def. Andrey Koreshkov, No. 12 Yaroslav Amosov def. Curtis Millender

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 7 Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman (UFC Atlanta, June 14), No. 10 Jason Jackson vs. Thad Jean (PFL 4, June 12)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Stephen Thompson (4), Shamil Musaev (3), Rinat Fakhretdinov (1), Vicente Luque (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 13 Paul Hughes def. Bruno Miranda, Paddy Pimblett def. No. 14 Michael Chandler

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 3 Charles Oliveira vs. Ilia Topuria (UFC 317, June 28), No. 4 Max Holloway vs. No. 7 Dustin Poirier (UFC 318, July 19), No. 9 (tied) Beneil Dariush vs. No. 14 Renato Moicano (UFC 317, June 28), No. 9 (tied) Mateusz Gamrot vs. Ludovit Klein, No. 11 Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (UFC Baku, June 21)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Grant Dawson (1), Gadzhi Rabadanov (1), Benoit Saint Denis (1), Alexandr Shabliy (1), Jalin Turner (1)

*adjustments since April featherweight shakeup, Holloway out with Poirier light-weight bout announcement

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 14 Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama (UFC Kansas Metropolis, April 26)

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: N/A

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): David Onama (3), Calvin Kattar (1), Movlid Khaybulaev (1), Kleber Koike (1), Chepe Mariscal (1), Jesus Pinedo (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 4 Cory Sandhagen def. No. 7 Deiveson Figueiredo, Aiemann Zahabi def. No. 9 Jose Aldo

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 1 Merab Dvalishvili vs. No. 3 Sean O’Malley (UFC 316, June 7), No. 5 Patchy Combine vs. No. 10 Mario Bautista vs. No. 13 Marlon Vera (UFC 316, June 7), No. 11 Sergio Pettis vs. Raufeon Stots (PFL 6, June 27), No. 15 Magomed Magomedov vs. Sarvarjon Khamidov (PFL 5, June 20)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Henry Cejudo (3), Montel Jackson (3), Raufeon Stots (3), Kleber Koike (1), Marcus McGhee (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 4 Brandon Moreno def. No. 13 Steve Erceg, Yuya Wakamatsu def. No. 7 Adriano Moraes

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 1 Alexandre Pantoja vs. No. 6 Kai Kara-France (UFC 317, June 28), No. 2 (tied) Brandon Royval vs. No. 5 Manel Kape (UFC 317, June 28), No. 7 Amir Albazi vs. No. 8 Tatsuro Taira (UFC Vegas 108, Aug. 2), No. 9 Muhammad Mokaev vs. Alisher Gabdullin (971 FC 2, June 14), No. 11 Asu Almabayev vs. No. 14 Ramazan Temirov (UFC Baku, July 26)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Matheus Nicolau (3), Adriano Moraes (2), Hiromasa Ougikubo (1), Tagir Ulanbekov (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 12 Yana Santos def. Miesha Tate

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 1 Kayla Harrison vs. No. 2 Julianna Peña (UFC 316, June 7), No. 4 Ketlen Vieira vs. No. 5 (tied) Macy Chiasson, No. 10 Karol Rosa vs. Nora Cornolle (UFC Vegas 108, Aug. 2)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Nora Cornolle (2), Joselyne Edwards (2)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 1 Valentina Shevchenko def. No. 3 Manon Fiorot, No. 9 Natalia Silva def. No. 2 Alexa Grasso, No. 8 Liz Carmouche vs. Ilara Joanne, No. 14 Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. No. 15 Jessica Andrade

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 4 Erin Blanchfield vs. No. 7 Maycee Barber (UFC Vegas 107, Might 31), No. 8 Liz Carmouche vs. Elora Dana (PFL 5, June 20), No. 10 Rose Namajunas vs. No. 15 Miranda Maverick (UFC Atlanta, June 14), No. 13 Viviane Araujo vs. Tracy Cortez (UFC 317, June 28), No. 14 Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci (strawweight bout) (UFC 318, July 19)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Jessica Andrade (1), Jena Bishop (1), Ekaterina Shakalova (1), Karine Silva (1), Ariane da Silva (1)

Current outcomes for ranked fighters (earlier rating proven): No. 5 Virna Jandiroba def. No. 3 Yan Xiaonan, No. 14 Gillian Robertson def. No. 9 Marina Rodriguez, No. 11 Crazy Godinez def. Julia Polastri, Tecia Pennington def. No. 15 Luana Pinheiro

Upcoming bouts that includes ranked fighters: No. 10 Amanda Ribas vs. No. 12 Tabatha Ricci (UFC 318, July 19)

Fighters additionally receiving votes (variety of poll appearances proven): Tecia Pennington (3), Loma Lookboonmee (2)

A refresher on the bottom guidelines:

• The six-person voting panel consists of MMA Combating staffers Alexander Okay. Lee, Guilherme Cruz, Mike Heck, E. Casey Leydon, Damon Martin, and Jed Meshew.
• Fighters shall be faraway from the rankings if they don’t compete inside 18 months of their most up-to-date bout in a given weight class. Updates to the rankings are usually accomplished following every month’s UFC pay-per-view.
• Ought to a fighter announce their retirement, our panel will determine whether or not that fighter ought to instantly be faraway from the rankings or keep their place till additional discover. (Let’s put it this fashion: We’d have taken Khabib Nurmagomedov out of our rankings quite a bit faster than the UFC did.)
• Holding a promotion’s title doesn’t assure that fighter shall be seen as the very best of their promotion. Moreover, fighters who often compete or maintain titles in a number of weight lessons are eligible to be ranked in a number of lists.

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