The UFC, MMA’s market-leading firm, typically updates its official fighter rankings every Tuesday — and there can often be great movement after a big UFC show.
UFC 298 was no different as Ilia Topuria’s stunning second-round knockout win Saturday, February 17 over Alexander Volkanovski at the Honda Center in Anaheim saw him rocket up the pound-for-pound charts.
The UFC has 15 fighters it regards as the best in its roster, regardless of weight class.
As of the last update, here is the current top-15:
- 15 — Aljamain Sterling
- 14 — Max Holloway
- 13 — Sean Strickland
- 12 — Tom Aspinall
- 11 — Israel Adesanya
- 10 — Alexandre Pantoja
- 9 — Dricus du Plessis
- 8 — Sean O’Malley
- 7 — Alexander Volkanovski
- 6 — Charles Oliveira
- 5 — Ilia Topuria
- 4 — Alex Pereira
- 3 — Leon Edwards
- 2 — Jon Jones
- 1 — Islam Makhachev
Ilia Topuria Is a New Entrant
Out of all the names listed above, it is Topuria’s who is new to the list.
Topuria announced himself as a key player in mixed martial arts when he knocked out Volkanovski and then called out Conor McGregor in his post-fight interview.
“Conor McGregor, if you still have some balls, I will be waiting for you,” Topuria said on the ESPN broadcast after the official confirmation of his win.
Since Saturday, Topuria’s fame has escalated as he received praise from one of the world’s best-known soccer teams Real Madrid, and even graced the cover of Spain’s biggest sports publication MARCA.
“Congratulations on your historic triumph for Spanish sport,” the soccer club, which is home to stars like Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham, tweeted.
“We are proud that a great Real Madrid fan like you has become UFC world champion.”
Congratulations on your historic triumph for Spanish sport, @Topuriailia. We are proud that a great Real Madrid fan like you has become @ufc world champion.
MMA Junkie reporter Danny Segura, meanwhile, tweeted the MARCA cover story that featured Topuria.
“As mainstream as it gets,” Segura said.
MARCA, the biggest sports publication in Spain, had Ilia Topuria as the cover of their daily publication.
The fact that a soccer player is not on the cover is insane. Those who follow MARCA know how crazy this is. As mainstream as it gets.
Though Topuria called for a McGregor fight, it’s a match he may not even need to become a legitimate crossover superstar like the Irishman was in his heyday.
Should McGregor remain on the sidelines then a possible future foe for Topuria could emerge in April, when Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje wage war in their ‘BMF’ title bout at UFC 300.
Though that fight takes place at lightweight, if it is one Holloway can triumph in, then he would likely punch his ticket for a title fight against Topuria back at featherweight.
Sean Strickland Drops to 13
Elsewhere in the pound-for-pound rankings, the former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland dropped to No.13.
Strickland was riding a wave of success when he wrested the title away from fellow pound-for-pound star Israel Adesanya’s waist, winning a unanimous decision in September 2023.
In his first defense of the belt, though, Strickland came unstuck when he faced Dricus du Plessis, losing a split decision on January 20, 2024.
Du Plessis, meanwhile, has risen up the rankings and currently occupies the No.9 spot.
It is unclear what is next for the middleweight division but possible money-spinning matches that the organization could make, which involve both fighters in separate bouts, could include du Plessis against Adesanya, and Strickland vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
The UFC has two upcoming Fight Night events on February 24 in Mexico City, and then March 2 back at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
It’s next pay-per-view show, when the pound-for-pound rankings could get shaken up once again, lands on March 9 when Sean O’Malley and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera headline UFC 299 in Florida.
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