Tsarukyan Climbs: UFC Lightweight Ranking After Decisive Victory

Arman Tsarukyan proved his worth as one of the best lightweights in the world by submitting Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Doha, Qatar. This victory was crucial for Tsarukyan, who had not competed in more than a year and a half.

Saturday’s triumph also allowed Tsarukyan to regain a spot in the ESPN rankings. Having been unranked due to inactivity, Tsarukyan delivered a performance that propelled him to second place among 155-pound fighters.

In the welterweight division, Ian Machado Garry’s victory over Belal Muhammad modified the rankings. Machado Garry moves up from number 5 to number 4, while Muhammad drops three positions, landing at number 6.

MMA Rankings

Here are the MMA rankings and a list of the current UFC champions in all weight classes. The results correspond to the current date, and the rankings are from November 25th. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed in the last 12 months or have a scheduled fight. Fighters who have been excluded for inactivity can only be reinstated after competing.

• Heavy
• Semi-heavy
• Middle
• Welter
• Light
• Feather
• Male Bantam
• Male Fly
• Female Bantam
• Female Fly
• Straw

Tom Aspinall’s first heavyweight title defense ended in a no contest at UFC 321.

HEAVY (up to 265 pounds)

1. Tom Aspinall

Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 15-3, 1 NC Last: NC1 vs. Ciryl Gane, October 25th Next: TBD

2. Ciryl Gane

Promotion: UFC Record: 13-2, 1 NC Last: NC1 vs. Tom Aspinall, Oct.25 Next: TBD

3. Curtis Blaydes

Promotion: UFC Record: 19-5, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21st Next: TBD

4. Alexander Volkov

Promotion: UFC Record: 39-11 Last: W (SD) vs. Jailton Almeida, October 25th Next: TBD

5. Sergei Pavlovich

Promotion: UFC Record: 20-3 Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, August 23rd Next: TBD

6. Jailton Almeida

Promotion: UFC Record: 22-4 Last: L (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, October 25th Next: TBD

7. Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Promotion: UFC Record: 16-2 Last: W (KO1) vs. Shamil Gaziev, November 22 Next: TBD

8. Renan Ferreira

Promotion: PFL Record: 13-4, 3 NC Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, October 19, 2024 Next: December 13 vs. Vadim Nemkov

9. Serghei Spivac

Promotion: UFC Record: 17-6 Last: L (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, June 7th Next: TBD

10. Derrick Lewis

Promotion: UFC Record: 29-12, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Tallison Teixeira, July 12 Next: TBD

Alex Pereira knocked out Magomed Ankalaev with a vengeance at UFC 320 to regain the light heavyweight title.

SEMIPESADO (up to 205 pounds)

1. Alex Pereira

Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 13-3 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, October 4th Next: TBD

2. Magomed Ankalaev

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 1 Record: 21-2-1, 1 NC Last: L (TKO1) vs. Alex Pereira, October 4th Next: TBD

3. Jirí Procházka

Promotion: UFC Record: 32-5-1 Last: W (KO3) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., October 4th Next: TBD

4. Carlos Ulberg

Promotion: UFC Record: 14-1 Last: W (KO1) vs. Dominick Reyes, September 27th Next: TBD

5. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Promotion: UFC Record: 14-7, 1 NC Last: L (KO3) vs. Jiří Procházka, October 4th Next: TBD

6. Azamat Murzakanov

Promotion: UFC Record: 16-0 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Aleksandar Rakić, October 25th Next: TBD

7. Dominick Reyes

Promotion: UFC Record: 15-5 Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, September 27th Next: TBD

8. Aleksandar Rakić

Promotion: UFC Record: 14-6 Last: L (TKO1) vs. Azamat Murzakanov, October 25th Next: TBD

9. Jamahal Hill

Promotion: UFC Record: 12-4, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., June 21st Next: TBD

10. Corey Anderson

Promotion: PFL Champion Record: 20-6-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov, October 3rd Next: TBD

Khamzat Chimaev is right where he long was expected to be: at the top of the UFC middleweight division.

MIDDLE (up to 185 pounds)

1. Khamzat Chimaev

Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 15-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, August 16th Next: TBD

2. Dricus du Plessis

Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, August 16th Next: TBD

3. Nassourdine Imavov

Promotion: UFC Record: 17-4, 1 NC Last: W (US) vs. Caio Borralho, September 6th Next: TBD

4. Sean Strickland

Promotion: UFC Record: 29-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, February 8th Next: TBD

5. Israel Adesanya

Promotion: UFC Record: 24-5 Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, February 1st Next: TBD

6. Anthony Hernandez

Promotion: UFC Record: 15-2, 1 NC Last: W (Sub4) vs. Roman Dolidze, August 9th Next: TBD

7. Caio Borralho

Promotion: UFC Record: 17-2, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, September 6th Next: TBD

8. Brendan Allen

Promotion: UFC Record: 26-7 Last: W (TKO4) vs. Reinier de Ridder, October 18th Next: TBD

9. Reinier de Ridder

Promotion: UFC Record: 21-3 Last: L (TKO4) vs. Brendan Allen, October 18th Next: TBD

10. Robert Whittaker

Promotion: UFC Record: 26-9 Last: L (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26th Next: TBD

Islam Makhachev vacated the lightweight title months ago, but winning the welterweight belt at UFC 322 made him a two-division champion.

WELTER (up to 170 pounds)

1. Islam Makhachev

Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 28-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, November 15th Next: TBD

2. Jack Della Maddalena

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 1 Record: 18-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Islam Makhachev, November 15th Next: TBD

3. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Promotion: UFC Previous rating: 4 Record: 19-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, December 7, 2024 Next: TBD

4. Ian Machado Garry

Promotion: UFC Previous rating: 5 Record: 17-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, November 22 Next: TBD

5. Michael Morales

Promotion: UFC Previous rating: 6 Record: 19-0 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sean Brady, November 15th Next: TBD

6. Belal Muhammad

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 3 Record: 24-5, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, November 22 Next: TBD

7. Kamaru Usman

Promotion: UFC Record: 21-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14th Next: TBD

8. Sean Brady

Promotion: UFC Record: 18-2 Last: L (TKO1) vs. Michael Morales, November 15th Next: TBD

9. Carlos Prates

Promotion: UFC Record: 23-7 Last: W (KO1) vs. Leon Edwards, November 15th Next: TBD

10. Joaquin Buckley

Promotion: UFC Record: 21-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14th Next: TBD

Ilia Topuria had vacated the featherweight title before UFC 317, but winning the lightweight belt provided a glorious photo op.

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 lbs)

1. Ilia Topuria

Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 17-0 Last: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28th Next: TBD

2. Arman Tsarukyan

Promotion: UFC Previous classification: Unclassified Record: 23-3 Last: W (Sub2) vs. Dan Hooker, November 22nd Next: TBD

3. Charles Oliveira

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 2 Record: 36-11, 1 NC Last: W (Sub2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, October 11th Next: TBD

4. Max Holloway

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 3 Record: 27-8 Last: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19th Next: TBD

5. Justin Gaethje

Promotion: UFC Previous rating: 4 Record: 26-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8th Next: TBD

6. Usman Nurmagomedov

Promotion: PFL Champion Previous rating: 5 Record: 20-0, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Paul Hughes, October 3rd Next: February 7 vs. Alfie Davis

7. Paddy Pimblett

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 6 Record: 23-3 Last: W (TKO3) vs. Michael Chandler, April 12th Next: TBD

8. Mateusz Gamrot

Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 7 Record: 25-4, 1 NC Last: L (Sub2) vs. Charles Oliveira, October 11