1. Islam Makhachev (27-1) | UFC
Makhachev defeated last-minute opponent Renato “Moicano” with a brabo choke in the opening round at UFC 311, leaving no room for doubt. The transition from Arman Tsarukyan to “Moicano” didn’t affect Makhachev; he earned his 15th victory and set a new record for the most victories in the UFC lightweight championship. Makhachev expressed his desire to move up to 170 pounds and pursue a double championship, but if he stays at 155 pounds, a rematch with Tsarukyan or a fight against current featherweight champion Ilia Topuria could be interesting options.
2. Jon Jones (28-1, 1 NC) | UFC
Jon “Bones” Jones defeated former champion Stipe Miocic with great dominance in his second heavyweight fight at UFC 309. He effectively used ground and pound to beat Miocic, along with strikes, kicks, and elbows. In the third round, he landed a devastating spin back kick to Miocic’s ribs. Many fans criticized UFC for matching Jones with Miocic, who had been out of the ring for a long time, but no one can deny Jones’ excellent performance in the fight.
3. Alex Pereira (12-2) | UFC
At UFC 307 on October 5th, Pereira, known as “Poatan,” overcame a tough battle against Khalil Rountree, winning with a brutal barrage of punches in the fourth round. With this victory, Pereira achieved a 5-0 record in the light heavyweight division and set a new record for the fastest to reach three successful title defenses in UFC history. The Brazilian giant will face one of the top contenders, Magomed Ankalaev, at UFC 313 on March 8th.
4. Ilia Topuria (16-0) | UFC
Topuria made a huge achievement at UFC 308 by knocking out Max Holloway for the first time in 34 professional fights. After defeating Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski with consecutive knockouts and securing eight straight victories in the UFC, “El Matador” is the undisputed champion of the featherweight division. A rematch with Volkanovski at UFC 308 could be in the near future for the Georgian-Spanish fighter.
5. Merab Dvalishvili (19-4) | UFC
Dvalishvili went into the co-main event of UFC 311 as an underdog but defeated undefeated opponent Umar Nurmagomedov by decision, showing that his championship career could have a long-lasting future. “The Machine” started slow, but his traditional conditioning made the difference as he gradually wore out the Dagestani fighter. Dvalishvili will head into his next title defense with a 12-fight UFC win streak.
6. Belal Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC) | UFC
Muhammad’s patience paid off; his 10-fight, four-and-a-half-year unbeaten streak turned into a title shot against Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight championship at UFC 304. In the first matchup, Edwards had the upper hand, but the fight ended due to an eye poke. However, in the rematch, Muhammad dominated the fight from start to finish. Muhammad was supposed to defend his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, but had to cancel the fight due to a foot infection.
7. Dricus Du Plessis (22-2) | UFC
Despite his unconventional style, Du Plessis surprised the skeptics. “Stillknocks” defended his middleweight championship for the first time at UFC 305, where he submitted Israel Adesanya in the fourth round with a rear-naked choke at the main event held at RAC Arena. With this victory, Du Plessis extended his UFC win streak to eight. He will face a rematch with Sean Strickland at UFC 312.
8. Tom Aspinall (15-3) | UFC
Aspinall made an important step toward being considered the best heavyweight fighter in the sport, as he defeated Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of UFC 304 with a first-round knockout. As one of the few fighters defending the interim UFC title, Aspinall presents an even greater threat to Jon Jones as a potential future opponent. Regardless of whether a unification match happens, Aspinall’s place in this ranking remains solid due to his ability to defeat top contenders so easily.