Following his loss to Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev fell seven positions in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings to number 10. The updated top 10 includes Islam Makhachev at number 1, Ilia Topuria at 2, Alex Volkanovski at 3, and Alex Pereira at 4. Petr Yan holds the fifth position, with Tom Aspinall at 6. Merab Dvalishvili and Sean Strickland share the seventh spot, while Joshua Van occupies the ninth position. The significant drop reflects the impact of Chimaev's recent performance and loss.
Khamzat Chimaev tumbled seven places in the UFC's official pound-for-pound rankings following his loss to Sean Strickland, landing at number 10 in the updated list released on May 12, 2026.
The drop is a direct consequence of that defeat at the hands of Strickland, who himself climbed into a share of seventh place in the same rankings. Strickland, now 31-7, is the reigning middleweight champion and fights out of Xtreme Couture. The 35-year-old American brings relentless volume to every fight, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach that lets him operate effectively at range.
Chimaev's fall also reshapes the picture at the top of the list. Islam Makhachev holds the number-one spot with a record of 28-1. The 34-year-old Russian southpaw is a dominant welterweight champion who averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 58 percent of his significant strikes, making him one of the most complete fighters on the roster. Ilia Topuria sits second, Alex Volkanovski third, and Alex Pereira fourth.
Two other champions appear in the updated top 10. Flyweight titleholder Joshua Van, just 24 years old and already 17-2, occupies ninth place. The Myanmar-born fighter is a volume striker of note, landing 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate. Tom Aspinall is ranked sixth, Petr Yan fifth, and Merab Dvalishvili shares the seventh position alongside Strickland.
Why it matters
- Chimaev dropping to tenth signals how quickly a single loss can erode pound-for-pound standing in a loaded division.
- Strickland's entry into the top 10 cements his status as a legitimate all-division force after the middleweight title win over Chimaev.
- Van's presence at ninth, despite competing in flyweight, underlines how dominant his performances have been on the way to the title.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan
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