MMA category ranking: Which Dominant UFC champions are at the highest risk of losing their title?

UFC Gold has never held any more weight.

For most of the last 20 years, being a UFC champion has been widely accepted that you are the number one fighter in your weight class, so that’s not exactly a revelation. But when promotions such as Pride, Bellator and even one Championship were actively promoting MMA, it was at least controversial.

Fedor Emelianenko has long been considered the heavyweight king, despite never stepping into the octagon. When Demetrious Johnson was sent to 1 by the UFC, he won the world’s largest flyweight title. Homemade Bellator products such as Johnny Eblen, Patchy Mix and Patricio Pitbull have all created strong cases to be considered the right opposition to UFC counterparts. And long before Dana White was even thinking about promoting women’s fights, legends like Chris Cyborg, Megumi Fujii and Ronda Lucy had been doing damage there elsewhere.

Next, take a look at the chart below. All but one division features the number one fighter jet, unanimously voted. Ngannou never lost the UFC title before jumping to the PFL, and has actually fought more recently than current UFC champion Tom Aspinall, but Aspinall insists on a final vote, so Aspinall is one indisputable title defense.

Questions must be asked, is there a fighter argument that they should be number one instead? Perhaps undefeated Shabkat Rakmonov missed the chance to challenge Beral Muhammad for the welterweight title, and is now sitting on the sidelines with injuries, with new champion Jacques Della Madarena lining up his battle with pound-pound 1 pound Islamic Makhachev?

Or it may also seem like they will have to compete again to win championship opportunities without losses and again. Ivroev was ruled out in the cold when Ilia Topria left the featherweight title. His 8-0 UFC record booked Alexander Volkanovsky and Diego Lopez to fight for the vacant belt.

Topuria could even argue that he is not a legitimate lightweight ruler after his victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 (though we wish him good luck by having that argument after one of the most spectacular knockouts of the year). After all, Ahman Tsarkian also recently beats Oliveira, and he does a much more impressive job at 155 pounds.

As you can see, the 11 current UFC champions need to reach to make the claim that they are not the clear best in their division, but that doesn’t mean that these chart toppers are locked. Kayla Harrison has to dodge Amanda Nunes, who is the best women’s champion of all time. And Della Maddalena will soon spend the day in court with the seemingly indomitable Makhachev.

At the halfway point of 2025, it is possible that he will be number one by the end of the year and see the same name. On the other hand, once the calendar year gives us some more rankings, then it’s all said and done, no one will be surprised.

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): Yeah. 7 Curtis Blaydes def. Rizvan Kuniv, Waldo Cortes-Aacosta def. Yeah. 9 Serghei Spivac, No. 12 Phil de Fries def. Arkadiusz Wrzosek

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Sergei Pavlovich vs. No. 8 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (UFC Shanghai, August 23), No. 12 Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija (September 9th), No. 15 (TODE) DERRICK LEWIS VS. TALLISON TEIXEIRA (UFC NASHVILLE, July 12th)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Anatoly Malykhin (2), Rizvan Kuniev (1)

Get out of the ranking (previous rankings shown): No. 3 Jon Jones (retired)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): when. 8 Khalil Rountetree def. when. 7 Jamahar Hill, no. 13 Azamat Murzakanov def. Blendson Ribeiro

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Corey Anderson vs. Denis Goltsov (Heavyweight Bout) (PFL Africa, July 19th), No. 13Nikita Krylov vs. No. 15 Bogdan Guskov (UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26th), No. 14 Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang (UFC Shanghai, August 23)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Anatoly Malykhin (2), Phil Davis (1), Roman Dolidze (1), Dovlet Yagshimurev (1), Zhang Mingyang (1)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): No. 15 Fabian Edwards def. Josh Silveilla

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 1 Drocus du Psis vs. No. 2 Khamzat Chimaev (USC 319, August 16th), No. 3Nassourdine Imavov vs. No. 6 Caio Borralho (UFC Paris, September 9th), No. 7Robert Whittaker vs. No. Reinier de Ridder (Fufc Baku, July 26th) Vegas 109, August 9th), No. 9 Johnny Eblen vs. Costello van Stennis (PFL Africa, July 26th), No. 11 Jared Cannonier vs. Michael Page (FC 319, August 16th), No. 12Brendan Allen vs. Marvin Vettori (FC 318, July 19) Rosta (PFL 10, August 21)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Roman Kopylov (2), Abus Magomedov (2), Gregory Rodrigues (1), Michael Page (1), Marvin Vettori (1)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): Kamal Usmandef. No. 7 Joaquin Buckley, Thad Jean Def. No. 10 Jason Jackson

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 11 Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates (UFC 319, August 16th), No. 12 Michael Page vs. Jared Cannonier (UFC 319, August 16th), No. 14Thad Jean vs. Logan Storley (PFL 8, August 1)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Carlos Prates (4), Stephen Thompson (3), Kevin Holland (2), Jason Jackson (2), Shamil Musaev (2), Rinat Fakhretdinov (1)

Ranking

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): Ilia Topuria def. No. 3 Charles Oliveira, No. 9 (Tied) Beneil Dariush Def. No. 14 Renato Moican, No. 9 (Tied) Mateusz Gamrot def. Ludovit Klein, No. 11Rafael Fizizeiev Def. Ignacio Bajamond

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 4 Max Holloway vs. No. 7 Dustin Poirier (UFC 318, July 19), No. 15AJ McKee vs. Akhmed Magomedov (Featherweight Bout) (PFL Africa, July 19th)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Gasey Rabadanov (3), Benoit St. Dennis (1), Jalin Turner (1)

Get out of the ranking (previous rankings shown): No.1 Islam Makhachev (Go to Welterweight)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): n/a

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 2 Movsar Evloev vs. No. 10 Aaron Pico (UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26th), No. 3Diego Lopes vs. No. 7 Jean Silva (Noche UFC, September 13th), No. 4Brian Ortega vs. No. 8 Aljamain Sterling (UFC Shanghai, August 23) 19), No. 15 (Tied) Jesus Pinedo vs. Movlid Khaybulaev (PFL 8, August 1)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Movlid Khabulaev (2), Razhabali Shaydullaev (2), Calvin Kattar (1), Chepe Mariscal (1)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): No. 1 Merab dvalishvili def. No. 3 Sean O’Malley, no. 10 Mario Bautista def. No. 5 Patchy Mix, No. 11Sergio Pettis def. Raufeon Stots, no. 15 Magomed Magomedov def. Sarvarjon Khamidov

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee (UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26th)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Montel Jackson (3), Magic Magomedov (2), Henry Sejd (1), Marcus McGee (1)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): No. 1 Alexandre Pantoja def. No. 6 Kai Kara-France, Joshua Van Def. No. 2 (Tied) Brandon Royval), No. 9Muhammad Mokaev Def. Thomas Assis

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 8 Amir Albazi vs. No. 9 Tatsuro Taira (UFC Vegas 108, Aug. 2), No. 11 Alex Perez vs. No. 12 Steve Erceg, No. 13 Asu Almabayev vs. No. 15 Ramazan Temirov (UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Kailsa, M2), part (1), dsult (1), lagu-1).

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): No. 1 Kayla Harrison def. No. 2 Julianna Peña, No. 4Ketlen Vieira def. No. 5 (Tied) Macy Chiasson

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 10 Karol Rosa vs. Nora Cornolle (UFC Vegas 108, August 2)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Joselyne Edwards (2), Nora Cornolle (1)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings): No. 8 Liz Carmouche def. Ellora Dana, No. 10Rose Namajunas def. No. 15 Miranda Maverick, Tracy Cortez def. No. 13 Viviane Araujo

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba (PFL Africa, July 19th), No. 8Liz Carmouche vs. Jena Bishop (PFL 9, August 15th), No. 13Amanda Ribas vs. Tabatha Ricci (Straw -Wight Bout) (UFC Abu Dhabi, July 26th)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Jena Bishop (2), Jessica Andrade (1), Karine Silva (1), Arian da Silva (1)

Recent results for ranked fighter jets (displayed in previous rankings):

Upcoming matches featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Jessica Andrade vs. No. 11 Loopy Godinez (UFC 319, August 16th), No. 8Iasmin Lucindo vs. No. 13 Angela Hill (UFC Vegas 109, August 9), No. 10Amanda Ribas vs. No. 12 Tabatha ricci (UFC 318, July 19)

Fighters are also receiving votes (number of votes shown): Luana Pinheiro (3)

Review of basic rules:

• The six-person voting panel was MMA combat staff member Alexander K. Lee, Guiller Markleus, Mike Heck and E. It consists of Casey Raydon, Damon Martin and Jedmesh.
• If you do not compete within 18 months of the latest match in a particular weight class, the fighter will be removed from the rankings. Ranking updates usually follow a monthly UFC pay-per-view.
• If a fighter announces his retirement, our panel will decide whether the fighter should be removed from the rankings immediately or remain in position until further notice. (Let’s do this: we’d have taken it Khabib Nurmagomedov Much faster than UFC of the rankings. )
• Retaining a promotional title does not guarantee that a fighter will be considered the best in the promotion. Additionally, fighters who regularly compete or hold titles in multiple weight classes are eligible to be ranked on multiple lists.

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