Khamzat Chimaev maintained his third position in the pound-for-pound ranking of best Russian fighters across all weight classes, despite losing his UFC title fight to Sean Strickland. Islam Makhachev continues to lead the rankings with 480 points, followed by Petr Yan with 443 points and Chimaev with 358 points. Alexander Volkov climbed two positions after his victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta, while Eduard Vartanyan re-entered the rankings following his stoppage win over Uzair Abdurakakov in ACA. The rankings are compiled by a panel of 30 Russian MMA journalists and media professionals, combining both scoring points and mentions in individual ballots.
Khamzat Chimaev has held onto third place in the pound-for-pound rankings of the best Russian fighters across all weight classes, even after falling short in his UFC middleweight title bid against Sean Strickland. The rankings, compiled by a panel of 30 Russian MMA journalists and media professionals, blend scoring points with individual ballot mentions to determine each fighter's position.
Islam Makhachev leads the list with 480 points. The 34-year-old southpaw from Russia competes at welterweight and holds champion status, carrying a record of 28-1. He is one of the more precise finishers in the sport, landing strikes at a 58 percent accuracy rate and averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — numbers that make a strong case for his place at the top of any Russian MMA hierarchy.
Petr Yan sits second with 443 points, followed by Chimaev at 358. Despite the title-fight defeat to Strickland, the panel kept Chimaev in position, a signal of how much weight his overall body of work carries in their assessment. Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, is 31-7 and known for a relentless pace of 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute.
Why it matters
- Islam Makhachev's lead of 37 points over Yan underlines his grip on the top spot heading into any future bouts.
- Chimaev retaining third despite a loss shows the panel values cumulative performance, not just recent results.
- Alexander Volkov, the number-one ranked heavyweight at 40-11, jumped two spots after defeating Waldo Cortes-Acosta, reinforcing the heavyweight division's growing presence on the list.
- Eduard Vartanyan's return to the rankings following a stoppage win in ACA adds depth beyond the UFC to the panel's considerations.
