The UFC rankings have been updated with several notable changes. Arman Tsarukyan moved up two positions in the pound-for-pound rankings following victories in wrestling and grappling tournaments. Roman Dolidze leapfrogged Paulo Costa in the middleweight rankings after Costa successfully debuted at light heavyweight by defeating the division's number 6 contender, Azamat Murzakanov. Costa himself entered the light heavyweight rankings at number 7, while Murzakanov dropped to 8th. Aaron Pico entered the featherweight top 15, and Josh Hockitt debuted in the heavyweight rankings at number 5.
The UFC's latest rankings update, released on April 14, 2026, brings significant movement across multiple divisions, headlined by Arman Tsarukyan climbing two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings on the back of recent wrestling and grappling tournament victories.
Paulo Costa is at the center of the most dramatic shift. The Brazilian striker, nicknamed "The Eraser," made a successful debut at light heavyweight by defeating the division's then-number-six contender, Azamat Murzakanov, earning himself an immediate entry into the 205-pound top ten at number seven. Murzakanov slides to eighth as a result. Costa, who holds a 16-4-0 record and carries one of the more imposing striking profiles in the sport — landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy — now carries dual-division relevance at 35 years old. He remains listed at middleweight as well, though he has dropped to 13th in that division.
The Murzakanov loss also reshuffled the middleweight picture. Roman Dolidze, the Georgian fighter out of Xtreme Couture, leapfrogged Costa to sit 12th in that division. The six-foot-two, 37-year-old carries a 15-5-0 record and contributes a well-rounded game, averaging 1.16 takedowns and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside his striking output.
At featherweight, Aaron Pico has broken into the top 15. The 29-year-old American out of Jackson-Wink MMA owns a 14-5-0 record and brings an extraordinary wrestling base, averaging an eye-catching 8.96 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. At five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, Pico fits the mold of a physical, pressure-oriented featherweight contender.
In the heavyweight division, Josh Hockitt enters the rankings at number five, giving the 265-pound class a new face among its upper-tier contenders.
Why it matters
- Costa's light heavyweight entry at number seven immediately positions him as a credible threat in a division he has never competed in before
- Tsarukyan's pound-for-pound rise reflects continued elite-level performance outside of the octagon
- Pico's featherweight ranking debut at 29 suggests his development trajectory has caught the attention of UFC voters
