The latest UFC rankings update sees Paddy Pimblett return to the lightweight top five and Brandon Royval re-enter the flyweight top three. Mario Bautista climbs to fourth in the bantamweight division, while Robert Whittaker enters the light heavyweight top 15 at No. 12. Nikita Krylov drops to 15th in the light heavyweight rankings as Alonzo Menifield falls out of the top 15 entirely, and Wang Cong rises to eighth in the women's strawweight division.
The UFC's latest rankings update, released on July 14, 2026, reshuffles several divisions, with Paddy Pimblett returning to the lightweight top five, Brandon Royval climbing back into the flyweight top three, and Robert Whittaker making his debut appearance in the light heavyweight rankings.
Royval, ranked third at flyweight, makes his return to the top three after a turbulent stretch. The 33-year-old American trains out of Factory X and carries an 18-9 record. A southpaw standing five-foot-nine with a 68-inch reach, Royval generates 5.6 significant strikes per minute and averages 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes, marking him as a genuine finisher threat in the 125-pound division.
Nikita Krylov, the Ukrainian known as "The Miner," drops to 13th in the light heavyweight rankings following the update. The 34-year-old holds a 31-12 record and stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach. He lands an impressive 4.38 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy and supplements his striking with 2.19 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the more well-rounded fighters at the tail end of the top 15.
Wang Cong, nicknamed "The Joker," rises to eighth in the women's strawweight division. The 34-year-old southpaw carries a 10-1 record and stands five-foot-six with a 65-inch reach. Her output is particularly notable — she lands 6.82 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, numbers that rank among the highest in her division.
Why it matters
- Royval's return to the flyweight top three puts him back in contention for a title shot at 125 pounds.
- Whittaker's entry into the light heavyweight top 15 signals a full divisional transition for the former middleweight champion.
- Krylov's slide and Menifield's exit from the rankings altogether thin the veteran depth at 205 pounds.
- Wang Cong's rise to eighth strengthens her case for a high-profile strawweight matchup in the second half of 2026.
