Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Islam Makhachev may have permanently doused Alexander Volkanovski’s two-division dreams.

Thanks to his first-round knockout of Volkanovski in the UFC 294 headliner, Makhachev cemented his status atop the lightweight division and ended his rivalry with the reigning featherweight king in emphatic fashion. With that being settled, both Makhachev and Volkanovski, who are top-ranked in their respective divisions, can now presumably focus on challenges from within their weight classes.

Elsewhere, Khamzat Chimaev enjoyed a successful middleweight debut with a hard-fought majority decision triumph against ex-welterweight title holder Kamaru Usman in the UFC 294 co-main event. While that victory may assure “Borz” of a championship opportunity against Sean Strickland down the road, besting an unranked foe — even one as accomplished as Usman — at 185 pounds only goes so far in the rankings. As a result, Chimaev makes his middleweight debut at No. 15.

With that being said, it’s also an ideal time to address Chimaev’s welterweight status. Previously ranked No. 5 at 170 pounds, the Chechen-born Swede hasn’t competed in the division since besting Gilbert Burns in April 2022. As a result, he exits the welterweight poll, allowing Ian Garry to return to the rankings at No. 15.

Elsewhere, Muhammad Mokaev continued to display a penchant for securing late submissions, as he tapped out Tim Elliott in the third round of their flyweight matchup at UFC 294. With five consecutive victories to his credit, “The Punisher” joins the 125-pound rankings at No. 14. Meanwhile, nothing was resolved in the light heavyweight clash between No. 8 Magomed Ankalaev and No. 14 Johnny Walker, which ended prematurely when a cageside doctor determined Walker couldn’t continue following an illegal knee in the opening frame. That no contest means no movement in the 205-pound rankings for either man.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

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