The UFC has released updated official rankings with several notable changes. Arman Tsarukyan moved up two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings following successful performances in wrestling and grappling tournaments outside of MMA. Roman Dolidze surpassed Paulo Costa in the middleweight rankings after Costa's successful light heavyweight debut against Azamat Murzakanov, who was ranked sixth. Costa entered the light heavyweight rankings at number seven, while Murzakanov dropped to eighth. Aaron Pico entered the top 15 at featherweight, and Josh Hockit debuted in the heavyweight rankings at number five.
The UFC's latest official rankings update, released on April 14, 2026, brings several meaningful shifts across multiple divisions, headlined by Arman Tsarukyan's rise in the pound-for-pound standings and Paulo Costa's move to light heavyweight.
Tsarukyan climbed two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings following strong performances in wrestling and grappling competition outside of MMA. The lightweight contender's activity on the mats has clearly registered with the UFC's voter base.
Costa, the hard-hitting Brazilian striker known as "The Eraser," made his light heavyweight debut against Azamat Murzakanov, who had held the sixth-ranked position in that division. The 35-year-old, who carries a 16-4-0 record, stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and has been one of the most prolific strikers in the middleweight division, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at 58 percent accuracy. His successful move up in weight earned him the number-seven spot at light heavyweight, while Murzakanov slipped to eighth. In middleweight, the shake-up left Costa sliding to thirteenth.
That shift allowed Roman Dolidze to surpass Costa in the middleweight rankings, moving the Georgian fighter to twelfth. The 37-year-old Xtreme Couture product holds a 15-5-0 record and stands six-foot-two with a 76-inch reach, 193 centimeters. Dolidze averages 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.7 submission attempts in the same span, giving him a more well-rounded threat profile than his modest striking numbers of 3.19 significant strikes per minute might suggest.
At featherweight, Aaron Pico of Jackson-Wink MMA broke into the top 15. The 29-year-old American carries a 14-5-0 record and stands five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach. His takedown rate of 8.96 per 15 minutes is among the most aggressive in any division.
Why it matters
- Costa's divisional move reshuffles both the middleweight and light heavyweight top tens simultaneously
- Dolidze's climb to twelfth at middleweight keeps him in striking distance of the upper tier
- Pico's top-15 entry at featherweight signals his emergence as a legitimate divisional threat
- Josh Hockit's debut at number five in heavyweight is among the most significant new entries in the update
