The UFC has released updated rankings with several notable changes. Arman Tsarukyan climbed two spots in the pound-for-pound rankings, humorously attributed to his success in wrestling and grappling tournaments. Roman Dolidze moved ahead of Paulo Costa in the middleweight rankings following Dolidze's successful light heavyweight debut where he defeated the division's #6 ranked Azamat Murzakanov. Costa himself entered the light heavyweight rankings at #7 after his debut in the heavier weight class. Aaron Pico entered the featherweight top 15 for the first time. Josh Hokit made an immediate impact by debuting at #5 in the heavyweight rankings.
The UFC's latest rankings update, released April 14, brought a handful of meaningful shifts across several divisions, headlined by Arman Tsarukyan's two-spot climb in the pound-for-pound standings and Roman Dolidze leapfrogging Paulo Costa at middleweight.
Dolidze, a 37-year-old Georgian fighting out of Xtreme Couture, now sits at number 12 in the middleweight rankings following a successful light heavyweight debut against Azamat Murzakanov, who was ranked sixth in that division. The six-foot-two, 188-centimeter Dolidze carries a 15-5 record and has built his reputation as a multi-dimensional threat, averaging 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside solid striking output. The win was enough to edge him past Costa in the middleweight pecking order.
Costa, 35, drops to number 13 at middleweight despite making his own mark in the division above, entering the light heavyweight rankings at number seven following his debut at 205 pounds. The Brazilian holds a 16-4 record and remains one of the more prolific strikers in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58-percent accuracy, remarkable numbers for any weight class. Costa's move to light heavyweight now sees him listed in two divisions simultaneously.
Tsarukyan's pound-for-pound rise was accompanied by a lighthearted nod to his exploits in wrestling and grappling competition outside of the Octagon.
Aaron Pico, 29, cracked the featherweight top 15 for the first time in his career. The Jackson-Wink product carries a 14-5 record and a five-foot-eight frame with a 70-inch reach, averaging nearly nine takedowns per 15 minutes — an extraordinary rate that underlines the wrestling pedigree that has defined his rise.
Why it matters
- Dolidze passing Costa tightens a competitive logjam in the middleweight top 15 and rewards cross-divisional success
- Costa's simultaneous appearance in the light heavyweight rankings signals a genuine division move rather than a one-off
- Pico's top-15 entry at featherweight marks a significant milestone after a career that took time to find consistent momentum
- Josh Hokit debuting directly at number five in the heavyweight rankings signals immediate contender status in a historically unpredictable division
