The UFC has released updated divisional and pound-for-pound rankings with several notable changes. Arman Tsarukyan moved up two spots in the P4P rankings following victories 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 sixth-ranked Azamat Murzakanov. Costa himself entered the light heavyweight rankings at number seven. Aaron Pico made his first appearance in the top 15 featherweight rankings, while Josh Hewitt debuted at fifth in the heavyweight rankings. These changes reflect both in-cage performances and cross-discipline competition results.
The UFC's latest rankings update, released on April 14, 2026, reshuffles several divisions, with Arman Tsarukyan climbing two spots in the pound-for-pound standings, Roman Dolidze moving ahead of Paulo Costa at middleweight, and Costa himself entering the light heavyweight top 15 after a successful debut in that division.
Tsarukyan's rise in the pound-for-pound picture comes off the back of victories in wrestling and grappling tournaments outside of MMA competition, a recognition that cross-discipline results are now factoring into UFC rankings decisions.
Costa, 35, from Brazil, carries a 16-4-0 professional record and had been ranked thirteenth at middleweight before his successful light heavyweight debut against sixth-ranked Azamat Murzakanov. That performance earned him a number-seven slot in the light heavyweight rankings. A striker who lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, Costa's move up a weight class opens a new chapter in his career. With him vacating ground at middleweight, Roman Dolidze steps ahead in the 185-pound divisional order.
Dolidze, the 37-year-old Georgian out of Xtreme Couture, now sits twelfth at middleweight with a 15-5-0 record. Standing six-foot-two with a 76-inch reach, he mixes striking with a more rounded game, averaging 1.16 takedowns and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Aaron Pico makes his first appearance in the featherweight top 15, a significant milestone for the 29-year-old American from Jackson-Wink MMA. He holds a 14-5-0 record and is a prolific wrestling threat, averaging an eye-catching 8.96 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Dolidze overtaking Costa reshuffles the competitive middleweight landscape just below the top ten
- Costa's dual-division presence at light heavyweight adds another credible contender to a crowded 205-pound division
- Pico's top-15 featherweight entry signals his arrival as a legitimate divisional player
- Cross-discipline results influencing Tsarukyan's P4P movement sets a notable precedent
