The UFC has released updated rankings with several notable changes. Arman Tsarukyan moved up two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings following victories in wrestling and grappling tournaments. Roman Dolidze surpassed Paulo Costa in the middleweight rankings after Costa successfully debuted at light heavyweight by defeating the sixth-ranked Azamat Murzakanov. Costa now holds the seventh spot in the light heavyweight division. Aaron Pico entered the featherweight top 15, while Josh Howitt debuted immediately at number five in the heavyweight rankings.
The UFC's latest ranking update, released April 14, reshapes several divisions at once, headlined by Paulo Costa's move to light heavyweight and a pair of notable new entrants in the top 15.
Costa, 35, makes the divisional jump with a record of 16 wins and 4 losses. The Brazilian out of Team Borracha stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and has built his reputation as one of the sport's most prolific strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. His victory over sixth-ranked Azamat Murzakanov earned him the seventh spot in the light heavyweight rankings. The move comes at a cost in his original division — Roman Dolidze has surpassed him in the middleweight standings as a result.
Dolidze, now ranked 12th at middleweight, is a 37-year-old Georgian fighting out of Xtreme Couture. Carrying a 15-5 record and a six-foot-two frame with a 76-inch reach, he blends meaningful grappling volume — 1.16 takedowns and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes — with steady striking output.
Arman Tsarukyan climbed two positions in the pound-for-pound rankings following victories in wrestling and grappling competition, reflecting his activity outside the Octagon.
Aaron Pico, the 29-year-old American from Jackson-Wink MMA, entered the featherweight top 15 on the strength of a 14-5 record. Standing five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, Pico averages a remarkable 8.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the division's most active wrestlers.
Why it matters
- Costa's light heavyweight debut at number seven immediately positions him as a contender in a crowded division
- Dolidze moving ahead of Costa reshuffles the middleweight picture with both men now ranked in the 12-13 range
- Pico's top-15 featherweight entry signals his transition from prospect to ranked contender
- Tsarukyan's pound-for-pound rise reflects sustained excellence beyond UFC competition
