Following his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, Khamzat Chimaev has fallen seven positions in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings to #10. The updated top ten includes Islam Makhachev at #1, Ilia Topuria at #2, Alex Volkanovski at #3, and Alex Pereira at #4. Petr Yan holds the #5 spot, with Tom Aspinall at #6. Both Merab Dvalishvili and Sean Strickland share the #7 position, while Joshua Van sits at #9. The significant drop reflects the impact of Chimaev's unexpected defeat in what was considered a title eliminator bout.
Khamzat Chimaev has tumbled seven spots in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings following his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9, landing at number ten in the updated standings.
The revised top ten sees Islam Makhachev retain the number one position, with Ilia Topuria at number two, Alex Volkanovski at number three, and Alex Pereira at number four. Petr Yan holds fifth, Tom Aspinall sixth, and Merab Dvalishvili and Sean Strickland share the seventh position. Joshua Van sits at number nine, one spot ahead of the fallen Chimaev.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, now shares the seventh spot on the pound-for-pound list after his victory over Chimaev in what was framed as a title eliminator bout. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, carries a 31-7-0 record and brings a relentless output game to every fight, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His six-foot-one frame and 76-inch reach give him the tools to maintain range and volume across five rounds.
Also featured in the updated rankings is flyweight champion Joshua Van, the 24-year-old from Myanmar who slots in at number nine. Van holds a 17-2-0 record and leads the pound-for-pound list's ranked fighters in striking output, landing 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 56 percent accuracy. Standing five-foot-five with a 65-inch reach, he has built one of the most efficient striking profiles in the entire organization.
Makhachev, holding firm at the summit with a 28-1-0 record, anchors the rankings for the welterweight division. The 34-year-old Russian is one of the sport's most complete fighters, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.1 submission attempts, while connecting on 58 percent of his significant strikes.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's seven-place drop signals how heavily the pound-for-pound list penalizes losses in high-stakes eliminator bouts
- Strickland's shared seventh ranking reflects growing recognition of his middleweight reign
- Van's presence at number nine underscores the flyweight division's rising profile in the overall rankings landscape
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
See the AI pick, live odds and the full matchup breakdown
Saturday, May 9, 2026
