UFC 323 turned out to be a great card, other than watching two champions lose, with Alexandre Pantoja breaking his arm catching himself as he fell. One of the Fight Club of Pain members was close to winning $120,000 before this accident happened. However, anything like that can happen in the UFC or any other sport, but it still shows us why the UFC is one of the best sports to watch in the world. That being said, let’s get to this week’s power rankings. Have a great day, everyone, and may the fights be with you.
10. Petr Yan:
Petr Yan did the unthinkable by defeating Merab Dvalishvili in their title match on Saturday. So Yan debuts on the list at the 10th spot, which will be right before Dvalishvili. I would put a champion who detested the EX-champion below him, like what happened to Magomed Ankalaev. Yan won the title and will most likely be handing it back to Dvalishvili in their rematch. That’s a bold call, but that’s what we do in the Fight Club of Pain.
9. Merab Dvalishvili:
Merab Dvalishvili lost his title to Petr Yan in the main event at UFC 323. Unlike their first matchup, Dvalishvili didn’t secure as many take downs like their first fight, which led to Yan smacking him up till he was bloodied. There are already whispers in the wind that the rematch will be scheduled soon, so until then, we’ll wait for the third saga in this feud. That is why Dvalishvili slips to ninth.
8. Tom Aspinall:
Tom Aspinall was poked in the eye by Ciryl Gane in the main event at UFC 321. This not only angered everyone but left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth after a questionable card. From groin kicks to strikes to the back of the head, this event should have been better, but it’s fighting, so anything can happen. The rematch still hasn’t been booked, so we’ll wait for now while Uncle Dana schedules this one again.
7. Joshua Van:
Joshua Van may be higher on my list than others may think he deserves, but one thing is for sure: Van is a beast. You don’t get slugged as you did against Brandon Royval and still win that fight. It takes heart and passion to get to this point in the UFC. Van has all of that and the skill to defend this title more than once. Unfortunately for him, he is now a marked man, and Pantoja left that ring more determined than ever to make his return.
6. Max Holloway:
Max Holloway is the current holder of the BMF title, which, of course, I can’t spell out because of the “f” word. However, Holloway won the BMF title after he defeated Justin Gaethje earlier this year at UFC 300. Right now, Holloway is scheduled to defend his title against Charles Oliveira next year in March at UFC 323. If you’re a fan of the UFC, then you know how epic this match could be, if it isn’t over in the first round.
5. Alexander Volkanovski:
Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski moves up to fifth as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Next up for Volk is a rematch with Diego Lopes, which will happen at UFC 325, which is scheduled for January 31st. After defeating Lopes at UFC 314, Volkanovski has enjoyed his time off; however, after Lopes stood strong and finished Jean Silva, the champion’s days could be numbered.
4. Khamzat Chimaev:
Khamzat Chimaev takes over the fourth spot after beating Dricus Du Plessis for the title at UFC 319. With a rematch most likely not happening, the next set of opponents has been set up. After Reinier De Ridder quit, I could see Nassourdine Imavov getting the next title shot, but don’t count out Brendan Allen, who called Chimaev, DDP, and Sean Strickland after defeating RDR. However, with Ramadan starting February 17th, Chimaev has already said he will not defend his title till afterwards.
3. Alex Pereira:
Alex Pereira moved up to third on this list after the two champions before him lost at UFC 323. Pereira won his title back at UFC 320 by finally throwing his reverse punch, which hit Magomed Ankalaev so bad that his knees buckled immediately. That led to Poatan mounting him and winning by TKO through a ground and pound. For the future, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Carlos Ulberg will be his next opponent next year. CHAMA!
2. Ilia Topuria:
Ilia Topuria has slipped to second in this list after Islam Makhachev dominated Della Maddalena. Topuria also loves calling out fighters on social media, and that also included Makhachev, who just won his title at UFC 322. It’s been entertaining to watch him troll other fighters, but there is still nothing set in stone for his next fight. However, this has led to Topuria checking out mentally. This has now led to an interim title match between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, which will keep the wheels rolling in the UFC.
1. Islam Makhachev:
Islam Makhachev is now the number one, pound-for-pound fighter in the world, after he easily dispatched Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. Not only did he dominate JDM, but he became the 11th fighter to claim a belt in another division. Now that I’ve seen the Death Vader of the UFC smash a man, we can only hope that next year we get another super match between Makhachev and another opponent. The rumors are out that it could be Kamaru Usman, which would be fantastic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Michael Morales gets the bid. Until then, let’s all hail Lord Makhachev as the best fighter in the world. SMESH!
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