Based mostly on wins and not on performance or should haves (i.e. controversial decisions). Chris Daukaus dropped to LHW in Aug 2023 (rank 16).
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1
- Jon Jones
- "Bones"
- 27-1-0, 1 NC
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The UFC Heavyweight champion. Jones won the vacant title at UFC 285 when he submitted Ciryl Gane with a guillotine choke in the first round. He is set to make his first title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295.
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2
- Ciryl Gane
- "Bon Gamin"
- 12-2-0
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Gane returned against Tai Tuivasa at UFN 209 in the headliner. He won the exciting fight by knockout in the third round. Gane faced Jon Jones at UFC 285 for the vacant UFC Heavyweight title. He tapped out to a guillotine choke in the first round. Gane returned against Serghei Spivac at UFN 226. He stopped Spivac with strikes in the second round for a TKO victory.
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3
- Tom Aspinall
- 14-3-0
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The interim UFC Heavyweight champion. Aspinall won the title at UFC 295 when he defeated Sergei Pavlovich by knockout in the first round.
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4
- Sergei Pavlovich
- 18-2-0
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Pavlovich faced Tai Tuivasa next at UFC on ESPN 42. He won the fight by knockout just 54 seconds into the first round. Pavlovich headlined UFN 222 against Curtis Blaydes. He defeated Blaydes by TKO due to punches in the first round. Pavlovich fought Tom Aspinall at UFC 295 for the interim UFC Heavyweight title. He lost to Aspinall by knockout in the first round.
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5
- Alexander Volkov
- "Drago"
- 37-10-0
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Volkov returned against Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFN 207. He won the fight by TKO in the first round. He faced Alexander Romanov at UFN 221. He won the fight by TKO in the first round. Volkov faced Tai Tuivasa next at UFC 293. He submitted Tuivasa with an Ezekiel choke.
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6
- Tai Tuivasa
- "Bam Bam"
- 15-7-0
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Tuisvasa faced Ciryl Gane next at UFN 209 in the headliner. He lost to Gane by knockout in the third round. Tuivasa returned against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC on ESPN 42. He lost the fight by knockout in just 54 seconds. He looked to snap his losing streak against Alexander Volkov at UFC 293. He failed to do so when he tapped out to an Ezekiel choke in the second round. He will face Marcin Tybura.
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7
- Curtis Blaydes
- "Razor"
- 18-4-0, 1 NC
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Blaydes faced Chris Daukaus at UFN 205. He won the fight by TKO in the second round. Blaydes faced rising contender Tom Aspinall at UFN 208. He won the fight by TKO when Aspinall suffered a knee injury. Blaydes faced Sergei Pavlovich at UFN 222. He lost the fight in the first round by TKO due to punches. Blaydes was set to return against Jailton Almeida, however, he withdrew from the contest. They are now rescheduled for UFC 299.
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8
- Serghei Spivac
- "Polar Bear"
- 16-4-0
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Spivac faced Augusto Sakai next at UFC on ESPN 40. He won the fight by TKO in the second round. He was set to face Derrick Lewis at UFN 215, however, Lewis withdrew due to a medical issue. They were rescheduled for UFN 218. Spivac submitted Lewis in the first round. He fought Ciryl Gane next at UFN 226. He lost to Gane by TKO in the second round.
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9
- Jailton Almeida
- "Malhadinho"
- 20-3-0
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Almeida headlined UFC on ABC 4 against Jairzinho Rozenstruik. He submitted Rozenstruik in the first round. He is set to face Curtis Blaydes next, however, Blaydes withdrew. He instead faced Derrick Lewis in the headliner at UFN 231. He won the fight by a dominant unanimous decision. Almeida is rescheduled to face Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299.
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10
- Derrick Lewis
- "The Black Beast"
- 27-12-0, 1 NC
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Lewis was set to return against Sergey Spivak at UFN 215, however, he withdrew due to a medical condition. They were rescheduled for UFN 218. Lewis tapped out to an arm-triangle choke in the first round. Lewis faced Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 291. He TKO'd de Lima just 33 seconds into the first round. Lewis stepped in on short notice to fight Jailton Almeida at UFN 231. He lost the one sided fight by unanimous decision.
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11
- Marcin Tybura
- "Tybur" | 25-8-0
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Tybura returned at UFC 278 against Alexandr Romanov. He defeated Romanov by majority decision. Tybura faced Blagoy Ivanov at UFN 218. He won the fight by unanimous decision. He faced Tom Aspinall next at UFN 224. He lost to Aspinall by TKO in the first round. Tybura will fight Tai Tuivasa.
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12
- Linton Vassell
- "The Big Swarm" | 24-8-0, 1 NC
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Vassell was set to face Marcelo Golm at Bellator 262, however, the bout was cancelled. He instead returned at Bellator 271 against Tyrell Fortune. He won the fight by split decision. He faced Tim Johnson at Bellator 277. He defeated Johnson by TKO in the first round. Vassell faced Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 292 and defeated him by TKO in the first round. He was set to rematch Ryan Bader at Bellator 300, however, he withdrew from the bout.
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13
- Ryan Bader
- "Darth" | 31-8-0, 1 NC
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The Bellator Heavyweight champion. He returned to the heavyweight division at Bellator 273 against Valentin Moldavsky. He won the fight and defended his title by unanimous decision after five rounds. Bader fought a rematch with Cheick Kongo at Bellator 280. He defeated Kongo by unanimous decision after five rounds. Bader fought a rematch with Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator 290. He won the fight by TKO in the first round. Bader was set to rematch Linton Vassell at Bellator 300, however, Vassell withdrew from the bout. Bader will instead compete against Renan Ferreira at PFL vs. Bellator.
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14
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- "Bigi Boy" | 14-5-0
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Rozenstruik was set to return at UFC 273 against Marcin Tybura, however, Tybura withdrew due to injury. Rozenstruik instead faced Alexander Volkov at UFN 207. He lost the fight by TKO in the first round. He fought Chris Daukaus at UFC 282 and won the fight by knockout just 23 seconds into the first round. He faced Jailton Almeida in the headliner at UFC on ABC 4. He tapped out to a rear-naked choke in the first round. Rozenstruik will face heavyweight prospect Shamil Gaziev next.
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15
- Francis NGannou
- "The Predator" | 17-3-0
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The UFC Heavyweight champion. N'Gannou fought the rematch with Stipe Miocic at UFC 260. He won the title when he defeated Miocic by knockout in the second round. N'Gannou made his first title defense at UFC 270 against Ciryl Gane. He won the fight by unanimous decision after five rounds. After a year of inactivity, he fell four rankings (Jan 2023, rank 1). Fell another two rankings (May 2023, rank 5). He fell another two rankings (September 2023, rank 10). Fell another two rankings (January 2024, rank 13).
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16
- Marcelo Nunes
- 10-2-0
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Nunes faced Danilo Marques at PFL 5: 2023 Regular Season. He knocked out Marques in the first round with punches. Nunes was set to face Renan Ferreira at PFL 8: 2023 Playoffs, however, he withdrew from the bout.
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17
- Danilo Marques
- 15-5-0
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Marques fought Yorgan De Castro at PFL 2: 2023 Regular Season. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Marques faced Marcelo Nunes at PFL 5: 2023 Regular Season. He lost to Nunes by knockout in the first round. He fought Satoshi Ishii at PFL 8: 2023 Playoffs. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
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18
- Renan Ferreira
- "Problema" | 13-3-0, 3 NC
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Ferreira fought Denis Goltsov at PFL 10: 2023 PFL World Championship. He won the fight and the PFL 2023 Heavyweight tournament by TKO in the second round. He will take on Ryan Bader at PFL vs. Bellator.
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19
- Denis Goltsov
- "The Russian Bogatyr" | 32-8-0
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Goltsov fought Yorgan De Castro at PFL 5: 2023 Regular Season. He won the fight by knockout just 18 seconds into the first round. He faced Jordan Heiderman at PFL 8: 2023 Playoffs. He submitted Heiderman with an arm-triangle choke in the first round. Goltsov faced Renan Ferreira at PFL 10: 2023 PFL World Championship. He lost the fight by TKO in the second round.
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20
- Rodrigo Nascimento
- "Zé Colmeia" | 11-1-0, 1 NC
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Nascimento fought Ilir Latifi at UFN 223. He won the fight by split decision. He fought a rematch with Don'Tale Mayes at UFN 231. He won the fight again, this time by unanimous decision.
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21
- Yorgan De Castro
- "The Mad Titan" | 9-5-0
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22
- Ilir Latifi
- "The Sledgehammer" | 16-9-0, 1 NC
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23
- Marcos Rogério de Lima
- "Pezão" | 22-9-1
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24
- Valentin Moldavsky
- 12-3-0, 1 NC
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25
- Stipe Miocic
- 20-4-0
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Miocic falls another two rankings (November 2023, rank 22).
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26
- Oli Thompson
- "The Spartan" | 22-16-0
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27
- Aleksei Oleinik
- "The Boa Constrictor" | 61-18-1
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28
- Tyrell Fortune
- 13-2-0, 2 NC
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29
- Gokhan Saricam
- 9-2-0
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30
- Daniel James
- "The American Predator" | 14-7-1, 1 NC
My Summary