The UFC rankings have been updated with several notable changes. Arman Tsarukyan moved up two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings after winning wrestling and grappling tournaments. Roman Dolidze moved ahead of Paulo Costa in the middleweight rankings after Costa successfully debuted at light heavyweight by defeating the No. 6 ranked Azamat Murzakanov. Costa now enters the light heavyweight rankings at No. 7, while Murzakanov drops to No. 8. Aaron Pico entered the top 15 at featherweight, and Josh Hockit debuted in the heavyweight rankings at No. 5.
The latest UFC rankings update has reshuffled several divisions, with Paulo Costa's move to light heavyweight and a pair of new top-15 arrivals headlining the changes released on April 14, 2026.
Costa, 35, made his light heavyweight debut a successful one, defeating No. 6 ranked Azamat Murzakanov to immediately earn a spot at No. 7 in the division. The Brazilian out of Team Borracha carries a 16-4 record and has long been one of the sport's most aggressive strikers, averaging 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate across his career. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa competed at middleweight throughout his UFC run but now makes his mark one weight class up. The move reshuffled the middleweight rankings as well — Roman Dolidze climbed past Costa to sit at No. 12 in that division, while Costa's middleweight ranking fell to No. 13. Murzakanov drops to No. 8 at light heavyweight following the loss.
Dolidze, a 37-year-old Georgian fighting out of Xtreme Couture, holds a 15-5 record and brings a well-rounded game to the middleweight top 15. Standing six-foot-two with a 76-inch reach, he averages 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes and contributes 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside his striking work.
Arman Tsarukyan also saw his stock rise, climbing two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings after winning wrestling and grappling tournaments outside of competition.
At featherweight, Aaron Pico entered the top 15 for the first time. The 29-year-old American from Jackson-Wink MMA owns a 14-5 record and a remarkable 8.96 takedowns per 15 minutes, one of the highest rates in the division. Josh Hockit also debuted in the heavyweight rankings, coming in at No. 5.
Why it matters
- Costa's immediate No. 7 entry puts him within striking distance of the top five at light heavyweight
- Dolidze's rise past Costa tightens an already competitive middleweight top 15
- Tsarukyan's pound-for-pound movement reflects his activity and dominance beyond the octagon
- Pico's featherweight debut ranking signals the division's top contenders are now on notice
