UFC Rankings Shake-Up After Strickland vs. Chimaev
Ovaj je članak trenutno dostupan samo na engleskom.
Sean Strickland's split-decision win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 on Saturday night in Newark triggered a chain reaction through the UFC rankings that played out in the Monday update. The middleweight division has a new champion for the third time in two years, Strickland picks up a pound-for-pound ranking for the first time since losing the title, and Chimaev starts the process of rebuilding from his first professional loss.
Biggest Movers
| Fighter | Division | Old Rank | New Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Holloway | Men's P4P | #10 | #15 | -5 |
| Sean Strickland | Middleweight | #3 | Champion | +3 |
| Khamzat Chimaev | Middleweight | Champion | #1 | -1 |
| Dricus Du Plessis | Middleweight | #1 | #2 | -1 |
| Nassourdine Imavov | Middleweight | #2 | #3 | -1 |
Middleweight: Title Changes Hands Again
Strickland entered UFC 328 ranked third in the middleweight division and left Newark as champion. The win moved him up three spots into the title slot Chimaev had held since his first-round TKO of Dricus Du Plessis last year.
The scorecards were as tight as any title fight gets — 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 — but the narrative was clear enough. Strickland stuffed both of Chimaev's takedown attempts in Round 2, reversed to side control, and used that five-minute stretch to swing two of three judges. His jab did the rest: constant, disruptive, and accurate enough to break Chimaev's nose by Round 3. Chimaev faded in the fifth while Strickland stayed disciplined.
Chimaev's drop from champion to number one contender reflects the straightforward ranking math: you lose the title, you go to the head of the line. His 15-0 run is over. His standing in the middleweight picture is not — he's still ranked above everyone in the division except the man who just beat him. The rematch conversation starts immediately.
Du Plessis slides from #1 to #2 and Imavov moves from #2 to #3 as a consequence of Chimaev dropping into the top spot. Neither fought at UFC 328 — they simply absorbed the ripple from the title change. Du Plessis has an argument for next in line if a Chimaev rematch takes time to materialize: he beat Chimaev once, held the title himself, and is 1-1 in that rivalry.
P4P: Strickland Enters, Chimaev Holds
Strickland is a new entry on the pound-for-pound list at #7. He was outside the top 15 after losing to Chimaev and comes back in at a spot that reflects what he just accomplished — beating the #3 P4P fighter by decision over five rounds. He sits level with Tom Aspinall at that position, both credible champions with recent quality wins.
Chimaev stays at #3 in the pound-for-pound rankings despite the loss. That might look like favoritism, but the pre-fight resume warrants it. Fifteen straight wins against quality opposition at multiple weight classes does not get erased by one close split decision. The rankers left him in place and it's hard to argue with the logic.
Max Holloway's drop from #10 to #15 in the P4P standings carries over from March and reflects his extended stretch of inactivity at featherweight rather than anything from Newark. He has not fought since losing to Topuria in the fall and has gradually slipped down the list as other fighters stayed active.
Flyweight: Van Defends, No Movement
Joshua Van defended his flyweight title in the co-main event, stopping Tatsuro Taira by TKO at 1:32 of Round 5. It was the Fight of the Night, earned on the strength of genuine two-way action — Taira took three knockdowns across Rounds 3 and 4 and kept fighting back, securing his own takedowns in Round 4 before Van ended it with body shots and a follow-up combination in the final frame.
Van was already ranked champion going into the fight, so the defense produced no movement in the flyweight division. He stays at #0 and Taira stays at #3. Van called out Alexandre Pantoja after the stoppage, which is the obvious next matchup: the flyweight champion against the division's former titleholder and clearest contender.
What to Watch
The Chimaev-Strickland rematch is the most commercially obvious next step for the middleweight title. Chimaev's team will push for it, the close scorecards give it a strong sales pitch, and the UFC has every incentive to run it back. The question is timing — Chimaev takes his first loss at 15-0, which puts him in territory no one can fully predict.
For Du Plessis, the path to the belt depends on what happens at the top. If the rematch is greenlit, he waits. If it stalls, he has a reasonable case to argue for the next shot — his record against Chimaev, his title reign, and his position in the rankings all support it.
The flyweight picture is simpler. Van vs. Pantoja is the logical destination, and Van's post-fight callout made his preference clear.