Sterling Climbs UFC Ranking: How Does His Victory Affect It?

In a UFC Fight Night event in Shanghai, China, Aljamain Sterling faced a considerable challenge. Initially scheduled as a featherweight bout against Brian Ortega, the fight transformed into an agreed-upon weight class match at 153 pounds, due to Ortega failing to make the original weight limit of 146 pounds.For Sterling, this meant competing at a weight 18 pounds heavier than he was used to when he was the UFC bantamweight champion. However, considering Ortega’s recurring problems with weight cutting, perhaps Sterling came prepared for any change. Let’s remember that last year, his fight with Diego Lopes was canceled due to an illness resulting from his weight cut.Sterling proved to be ready, dominating the fight from the start. In the first round, he accumulated a 27-2 advantage in significant strikes and maintained control until the end.As a result of his performance, Sterling moves up three positions, placing him in the number 6 spot in the Alofoke Deportes featherweight top 10. This rise, along with Ortega’s fall and other related changes, are the only modifications in these divisional rankings.Here are the MMA pound-for-pound rankings and a list of the current UFC champions in all weight classes.The results are current and the rankings correspond to August 26th. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed in the last 12 months or have a scheduled fight. Inactive fighters can only be reinstated after competing.

Weight Classifications

Heavy | Semi-heavy | Medium | WelterLight | Feather | RoosterMale Fly | Female Rooster | Female Fly | Straw

HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 265 pounds)

• Tom Aspinall

Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 15-3 Last: Victory (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024 Next: October 25 vs. Ciryl Gane

• Francis Ngannou

Promotion: PFL Super Fights Champion Record: 18-3 Last: Victory (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, October 19, 2024 Next: To be determined

• Ciryl Gane

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: Victory (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, December 7, 2024
Next: October 25 vs. Tom Aspinall

• Curtis Blaydes

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5, 1 NC
Last: Victory (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21st
Next: To be determined

• Alexander Volkov

Promotion: UFC Record: 38-11 Last: Loss (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, December 7, 2024 Next: October 25 vs. Jailton Almeida

• Sergei Pavlovich

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, August 23rd
Next: To be determined

• Jailton Almeida

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: Victory (TKO1) vs. Serghei Spivac, January 18th
Next: October 25th vs. Alexander Volkov

• Renan Ferreira

Promotion: PFL Champion Record: 13-4, 3 NC Last: Loss (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, October 19, 2024 Next: To be determined

• Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, August 23rd
Next: To be determined

• Marcin Tybura

Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-9
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Mick Parkin, March 22nd
Next: September 6th vs. Ante Delija

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

• Magomed Ankalaev

Promotion: UFC Champion
Record: 21-1-1, 1 NC
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Alex Pereira, March 8th
Next: October 4th vs. Alex Pereira

• Alex Pereira

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, March 8th
Next: October 4th vs. Magomed Ankalaev

• Jirí Procházka

Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-5-1
Last: Victory (TKO3) vs. Jamahal Hill, January 18th
Next: October 4th vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.

• Carlos Ulberg

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-1
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Jan Blachowicz, March 22
Next: September 27 vs. Dominick Reyes

• Khalil Rountree Jr.

Promotion: UFC Record: 14-6, 1 NC Last: Win (UD) vs. Jamahal Hill, June 21st Next: October 4th vs. Jiří Procházka

• Aleksandar Rakić

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, October 26, 2024
Next: October 25 vs. Azamat Murzakanov

• Dominick Reyes

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4
Last: Victory (KO1) vs. Nikita Krylov, April 12th
Next: September 27th vs. Carlos Ulberg

• Jamahal Hill

Promotion: UFC Record: 12-4, 1 NC Last: Loss (UD) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., June 21st Next: To be determined

• Volkan Oezdemir

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, November 23, 2024
Next: To be determined

• Corey Anderson

Promotion: PFL
Record: 19-6-1
Last: Victory (TKO2) vs. Denis Goltsov, July 19
Next: October 3 vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov

AVERAGE WEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

• Khamzat Chimaev

Promotion: UFC Champion
Record: 15-0
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, August 16th
Next: To be determined

• Dricus du Plessis

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, August 16th
Next: To be determined

• Sean Strickland

Promotion: UFC Record: 29-7 Last: Loss (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, February 8 Next: To be determined

• Nassourdine Imavov

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: Victory (KO2) vs. Israel Adesanya, February 1st
Next: September 6th vs. Caio Borralho

• Israel Adesanya

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: Loss (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, February 1st
Next: To be determined

• Caio Borralho

Promotion: UFC Record: 17-0, 1 NC Last: Victory (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, August 24, 2024 Next: September 6 vs. Nassourdine Imavov

• Reinier de Ridder

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-2
Last: Victory (SD) vs. Robert Whittaker, July 26th
Next: October 18th vs. Anthony Hernandez

• Anthony Hernandez

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: Victory (Sub4) vs. Roman Dolidze, August 9th
Next: October 18th vs. Reinier de Ridder

• Robert Whittaker

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-9
Last: Loss (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26
Next: To be determined

• Brendan Allen

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, July 19th
Next: To be determined

WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

• Jack Della Maddalena

Promotion: UFC Champion
Record: 18-2
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, May 10th
Next: November 15th vs. Islam Makhachev

• Belal Muhammad

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4, 1 NC
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, May 10
Next: To be determined

• Shavkat Rakhmonov

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, December 7, 2024
Next: To be determined

• Sean Brady

Promotion: UFC Record: 18-1 Last: Victory (Sub4) vs. Leon Edwards, March 22nd Next: To be determined

• Leon Edwards

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5, 1 NC
Last: Loss (Sub4) vs. Sean Brady, March 22nd
Next: November 15th vs. Carlos Prates

• Kamaru Usman

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14th
Next: To be determined

• Ian Machado Garry

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Carlos Prates, April 26th
Next: To be determined

• Michael Morales

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: Victory (TKO1) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 17th
Next: To be determined

• Joaquin Buckley

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: Loss (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14th
Next: To be determined

• Carlos Prates

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7
Last: Victory (KO1) vs. Geoff Neal, August 16th
Next: November 15th vs. Leon Edwards

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

• Islam Makhachev

Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-1
Last: Victory (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, January 18th
Next: November 15th vs. Jack Della Maddalena

• Ilia Topuria

Promotion: UFC Champion
Record: 17-0
Last: Victory (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28th
Next: To be determined

• Charles Oliveira

Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-11, 1 NC
Last: Loss (KO1) vs. Ilia Topuria, June 28
Next: October 11 vs. Rafael Fiziev

• Max Holloway

Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-8
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19th
Next: To be determined

• Justin Gaethje

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-5
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8th
Next: To be determined

• Paddy Pimblett

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: Victory (TKO3) vs. Michael Chandler, April 12th
Next: To be determined

• Dan Hooker

Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: Victory (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, August 17, 2024
Next: To be determined

• Usman Nurmagomedov

Promotion: Bellator Champion Record: 19-0, 1 NC Last: Victory (MD) vs. Paul Hughes, January 25 Next: October 3 vs. Paul Hughes

• Beneil Dariush

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6-1
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Renato Moicano, June 28th
Next: To be determined

• Mateusz Gamrot

Promotion: UFC Record: 25-3, 1 NC Last: Win (UD) vs. Ludovit Klein, May 31st Next: To be determined

FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

• Alexander Volkanovski

Promotion: UFC Champion
Record: 27-4
Last: Victory (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, April 12th
Next: To be determined

• Yair Rodriguez

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: Victory (UD) vs