Aaron Pico has entered the featherweight top 15, debuting at number 13, while Patricio Pitbull dropped to 15th. In the heavyweight division, Josh Hawkitt moved up to 5th place, pushing Curtis Blaydes down to 6th. Paulo Costa has cracked the light heavyweight top 10, landing at 7th, which moved Azamat Murzakanov down to 8th. These ranking updates reflect recent performances and shifts in divisional standings across multiple weight classes.
The latest MMA rankings update has reshuffled several divisions, with Aaron Pico, Josh Hawkitt, and Paulo Costa all moving up following recent performances.
Pico makes his featherweight top-15 debut at number 13, while Patricio Pitbull drops to 15th in the same division. The 29-year-old American, who trains out of Jackson-Wink MMA, carries a 14-5 record and has built a reputation as a relentless wrestling threat, averaging an impressive 8.96 takedowns per 15 minutes. Standing five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, the orthodox fighter has steadily developed into a divisional contender. Pitbull, the 38-year-old Brazilian veteran representing the Pitbull Brothers camp, holds a 37-9 record and remains a significant presence at featherweight, though his new ranking reflects a modest slide in the standings.
In the heavyweight division, Josh Hawkitt climbs to fifth place, bumping Curtis Blaydes down one spot to sixth.
Paulo Costa's movement is perhaps the most notable shift across weight classes. The Brazilian known as "The Eraser" has cracked the light heavyweight top 10, landing at seventh and nudging Azamat Murzakanov down to eighth. The move is particularly interesting given that Costa is listed in the AgentMMA database as a middleweight ranked 13th in that division, making his light heavyweight placement a sign of cross-divisional recognition. At 35 years old, Costa trains with Team Borracha and owns a 16-4 record. He lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, making him one of the more prolific and precise strikers in the sport. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, he presents a physical challenge for any opponent.
Why it matters
- Pico's top-15 entry signals his arrival as a legitimate featherweight contender
- Pitbull's slide to 15th raises questions about his path back toward title contention
- Costa's appearance in the light heavyweight rankings hints at potential divisional crossover activity
- Hawkitt's rise to fifth in heavyweight adds pressure to the fighters directly above him
