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 moved up to light heavyweight, where he debuted at #7 following his win over #6 Azamat Murzakanov. Murzakanov dropped to #8 at light heavyweight. Aaron Pico entered the top 15 at featherweight, and Josh Hewitt debuted at #5 in the heavyweight rankings.
The UFC released its latest rankings update on April 14, 2026, featuring several significant shifts across multiple divisions, headlined by Arman Tsarukyan's rise in the pound-for-pound standings and Paulo Costa's debut in a new weight class.
Tsarukyan climbed two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings after picking up victories in wrestling and grappling tournaments, a reflection of his growing reputation as one of the sport's most well-rounded competitors.
Costa, the 35-year-old Brazilian striker known as "The Eraser," has officially made the move from middleweight to light heavyweight, where he enters the rankings at number seven. The move comes on the back of a win over Azamat Murzakanov, who held the number six spot before the bout and dropped one place to number eight as a result. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa brings one of the most prolific striking outputs in MMA to a new division, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He carries a professional record of 16-4.
With Costa's departure from middleweight, Roman Dolidze has climbed past him in that division's rankings. The 37-year-old Georgian now sits at number 12. Fighting out of Xtreme Couture, Dolidze is a 15-5 fighter who brings a balanced game to the cage, averaging 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes and a six-foot-two frame with a 76-inch reach.
Aaron Pico, the 29-year-old American from Jackson-Wink MMA, has cracked the top 15 at featherweight for the first time. Standing five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach, Pico holds a 14-5 record and boasts a remarkable takedown average of 8.96 per 15 minutes. Josh Hewitt also debuted in the rankings, entering the heavyweight division at number five.
Why it matters
- Costa's move to light heavyweight reshapes the top ten in that division and leaves a gap in the middleweight picture
- Dolidze's rise at middleweight could position him for bigger opportunities at 185 pounds
- Pico's top-15 featherweight entry signals his arrival as a legitimate contender at 145 pounds
- Hewitt's immediate debut at number five in heavyweight makes him an instant factor in the division's title picture
