Chimaev drops seven spots in pound-for-pound rankings after loss

Khamzat Chimaev has tumbled seven places in the UFC's official pound-for-pound rankings following his defeat to Sean Strickland, landing at number ten in the updated list released on May 12, 2026.

Strickland, the middleweight champion, climbed into the top ten on the back of the victory, sharing seventh place with Merab Dvalishvili in the revised standings. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, carries a professional record of 31-7-0 and brings a relentless output to his fights, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach. His pressure-heavy, orthodox style has made him one of the division's most durable and active champions.

Chimaev's fall to tenth represents a steep cost for the loss, erasing much of the pound-for-pound credit he had accumulated. The updated top ten reads: Islam Makhachev at number one, followed by Ilia Topuria, Alex Volkanovski, Alex Pereira, Petr Yan, Tom Aspinall, Dvalishvili and Strickland tied at seventh, Joshua Van at ninth, and Chimaev at tenth.

Makhachev holds the top spot with a 28-1-0 record and now competes at welterweight. The 34-year-old Russian averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and completes 58 percent of his significant strikes, reinforcing his reputation as one of the most complete fighters on the roster.

Van, ranked ninth, is the flyweight champion at just 24 years old. The fighter from Myanmar owns a 17-2-0 record and leads all ranked pound-for-pound fighters in striking output, averaging 8.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56 percent accuracy rate.

Why it matters

• Chimaev's drop to tenth reflects how heavily the pound-for-pound list punishes losses against elite competition
• Strickland's entry into the top ten adds further prestige to the middleweight title picture
• The rankings reshuffle could influence future title challenger selection across multiple divisions