Following his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev has fallen seven places in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings to No. 10. Sean Strickland simultaneously entered the P4P rankings at No. 7 after reclaiming the middleweight title. The current P4P top 10 now features Islam Makhachev at No. 1, Ilia Topuria at No. 2, and Alex Volkanovski at No. 3. Joshua Van also moved past Alexandre Pantoja in the rankings, while Petr Yan holds the No. 5 spot.
Khamzat Chimaev tumbled seven spots in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings following his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9, landing at No. 10 after previously sitting much higher in the list. Strickland's victory, which saw him reclaim the middleweight title, earned him immediate entry into the pound-for-pound top ten at No. 7.

Strickland, now 31-7, returns to championship gold at 35 years old. The six-foot-one American out of Xtreme Couture carries a 76-inch reach and is one of the busiest strikers in the division, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. His pressure-heavy, high-output style proved enough to dethrone Chimaev and vault him back into the pound-for-pound conversation.

The updated rankings place Islam Makhachev at No. 1. The 34-year-old Russian welterweight champion out of Eagles MMA holds a 28-1 record and remains one of the most complete fighters in the sport, landing strikes at 58 percent accuracy while averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes. Ilia Topuria sits at No. 2, with Alex Volkanovski at No. 3.

Flyweight champion Joshua Van also made movement in the updated list, passing Alexandre Pantoja. The 24-year-old from Myanmar carries a 17-2 record and produces an eye-catching 8.84 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, numbers that reflect the relentless output that has defined his championship run. Petr Yan occupies the No. 5 position.

Why it matters
- Strickland reclaiming the middleweight title and entering the P4P top ten reshapes the 185-pound divisional picture immediately after UFC 328
- Chimaev dropping to No. 10 raises questions about where he fits among the elite following his first professional loss
- Joshua Van moving past Pantoja highlights the rising profile of the flyweight division within the broader pound-for-pound landscape
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
See the AI pick, live odds and the full matchup breakdown
Saturday, May 9, 2026





















