The UFC rankings have been updated with several notable changes. Aaron Pico has entered the featherweight top 15 at number 13, while Patricio Pitbull has dropped to 15th. Josh Hokit has climbed to fifth place in the heavyweight division, pushing Curtis Blaydes down to sixth. Paulo Costa has entered the light heavyweight rankings at number seven following his divisional move. Azamat Murzakanov has fallen to eighth place in the light heavyweight rankings. These changes reflect recent fight results and divisional debuts.
The UFC's official rankings received a notable refresh on April 14, 2026, with movement across three divisions as recent fight results and a high-profile divisional shift reshaped the landscape at featherweight, heavyweight, and light heavyweight.
At featherweight, Aaron Pico has broken into the top 15, landing at number 13. The 29-year-old American, who trains out of Jackson-Wink MMA, carries a 14-5 record and brings an unusually high-volume wrestling game to the division, averaging nearly nine takedown attempts per 15 minutes. He stands five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach. His entry has pushed Patricio "Pitbull" Pitbull down to 15th. The Brazilian veteran holds a 37-9 record and is 38 years old, bringing deep experience from his Bellator career to the UFC's featherweight roster.
Paulo Costa has entered the light heavyweight top 15 at number seven following his move up from middleweight. "The Eraser" is 35 years old, stands six-foot-one, and carries a 16-4 record. At middleweight he ranked 13th and was known for relentless forward pressure, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — among the highest output figures in the sport. Azamat Murzakanov has dropped one spot to eighth as a result of Costa's arrival.
In the heavyweight division, Josh Hokit has climbed to fifth, pushing Curtis Blaydes down to sixth.
Why it matters
- Pico's featherweight debut in the rankings signals the UFC views his wrestling-heavy style as a legitimate threat in a deep division
- Costa's 58 percent striking accuracy at light heavyweight could make him a dangerous addition to a division with different physical matchup profiles than middleweight
- Blaydes slipping to sixth despite no reported loss underlines how crowded the top of the heavyweight division remains
