Khamzat Chimaev has fallen seven positions in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings following his defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 328. The updated top-10 P4P rankings now feature Islam Makhachev at #1, followed by Ilia Topuria at #2 and Alex Volkanovski at #3. Alex Pereira holds #4, Petr Yan is #5, and Tom Aspinall sits at #6. Merab Dvalishvili and Sean Strickland share the #7 spot, with Joshua Van at #9. Chimaev has dropped to the #10 position after previously being ranked higher in the prestigious cross-divisional rankings.
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, 2026, landing at number ten in the updated cross-divisional standings.
Strickland, who now sits at number seven in the pound-for-pound rankings alongside Merab Dvalishvili, enters the list on the strength of that victory. The 35-year-old American middleweight champion out of Xtreme Couture carries a 31-7-0 record and brings a relentless output to the octagon, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach that helps him maintain distance and volume. His wrestling threat remains modest, averaging 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Islam Makhachev leads the updated pound-for-pound list at number one. The 34-year-old Russian fights out of Eagles MMA and holds a 28-1-0 professional record. Now competing at welterweight as a champion, Makhachev is one of the sport's most complete fighters, landing strikes at 58 percent accuracy and averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes along with 1.1 submission attempts in the same window. Ilia Topuria sits at number two, with Alex Volkanovski at number three. Alex Pereira holds number four, Petr Yan number five, and Tom Aspinall number six. Joshua Van, the 24-year-old flyweight champion from Myanmar with a 17-2-0 record, slots in at number nine. Van lands an impressive 8.84 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, making him one of the most efficient strikers in the entire organization.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's seven-place drop reflects the weight the rankings committee places on recent results against elite opposition
- Strickland's entry into the pound-for-pound top ten elevates the middleweight division's cross-divisional profile
- Van's presence at number nine underscores the rising status of the flyweight division within the broader UFC landscape
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
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Saturday, May 9, 2026
