- George Chung
- Jun 18, 2024
- 2 min read
Here are the most recent UFC rankings updates for all divisions. See which fighters have risen or fallen following a key flyweight main event in Las Vegas and which positions are at stake in Saudi Arabia at UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov.
Two divisions – flyweight and middleweight – saw changes following UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira.
Flyweight
Surging flyweight Tatsuro Taira stepped into his first UFC main event against former title challenger Alex Perez and won by second-round TKO, bumping him up to No. 5 in the rankings. Perez’s loss bumped him down two spots to No. 7, with Manel Kape now at No. 8. Matheus Nicolau fell two spots and is now at No. 10. Tim Elliott fell to No. 11. Matt Schnell moved to No. 12 and Tagir Ulanbekov got bumped down to No. 13, as his fight with Joshua Van was canceled last weekend.
Middleweight
Khamzat Chimaev was set to fight former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in Saudi Arabia this weekend, but had to withdraw due to illness. As a result, he was moved down one position and is currently ranked 11th in the 185-pound division.
Looking Forward To UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov
With the UFC making its debut in Saudi Arabia, there is a lot at stake. Whittaker, currently ranked No. 3, will put his ranking on the line against Ikram Aliskerov, who replaced Chimaev at short notice.
Aliskerov, in his third UFC fight, has secured victories over Phil Hawes and Warlley Alves. Whittaker, aiming for championship glory, seeks to extend his winning streak following his triumph over Paulo Costa in February.
The co-main event will feature a showdown between heavyweight contenders No. 3 Sergei Pavlovich and No. 5 Alexander Volkov. Pavlovich makes his return to the octagon after his interim heavyweight title bout against Tom Aspinall last November. Meanwhile, Volkov steps back into action following his submission victory over Tai Tuivasa in Sydney last September. With the interim heavyweight title up for grabs in Manchester next month, this matchup could determine the next contender in line for a title shot.
Over in the light heavyweight division, Johnny Walker will face off against Volkan Oezdemir. Walker aims to bounce back after two consecutive no-contests and a loss to Magomed Ankalaev. Oezdemir, on the other hand, is riding high from his first-round submission win over Bogdan Guskov in Paris last September and seeks to defeat Walker as he climbs the ranks in the 205-pound division.
