Alexander Volkanovski turns the UFC ranking upside down

In the UFC, a fighter is only as good as his last fight. Alexander Volkanovski turns the UFC ranking upside down. On Saturday, Volkanovski proved that he was still the best featherweight in the world by defeating Max Holloway for the third time. The Australian has now won 22 fights in a row, with the last 12 coming in the UFC. This latest victory was perhaps his most impressive yet, as he dominated Holloway from start to finish.

In the world of mixed martial arts, a pound-for-pound ranking is a list of the best fighters in the world, regardless of weight class. These rankings are often used to determine who the best fighter in the world is. For months, Kamaru Usman has been considered the best welterweight fighter in the world and the pound-for-pound king. However, his supremacy may come to an end.

Kamaru Usman, for several months, has been getting all the first place votes in the top 10 male pound-for-pound rankings. But after the Volkanovski fight, things have changed, and one voter, Brett Okamoto, has him ranked number 1.

“If I had to bet my life on one fighter in the world getting me a win right now, it would easily be Alex,” Okamoto said.

For his part, Jeff Wagenheim, another of the ranking voters, was so impressed by Volkanovski’s beating and dominance of Holloway that he moved him from a tie at No. 4 to No. 2.

“What Volk did over the weekend, no one does to Max,” Wagenheim said.

Alexander Volkanovski 

was already number 1 in their respective top 10, so they had nowhere to move up, but now he has put himself in the spotlight of the pound-for-pound ranking and is even a little away from overthrowing Usman from the top.

This is UFC ranking right now

1. Kamaru Usman

Record: 20-1
Weight: Welterweight
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, November 6, 2021
Next fight: August 20 vs. Leon Edwards

2. Alexander Volkanovski

Record: 25-1
Featherweight
Last fight: W (DU) Max Holloway, July 2
Next fight: TBD

E-3. Charles Oliveira

Record: 33-8, 1 NC
Lightweight
Last fight: W (Sum1) Justin Gaethje, May 7, 2022
Next fight: TBD

E-3. Israel Adesanya

Record: 23-1
Medium weight
Last fight: W (DU) Jared Cannonier, July 2
Next fight: TBD

5. Francis Ngannou

Record: 17-3
Weight: Full
Last fight: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, January 22, 2022
Next fight: TBD

6. Jiri Prochazka

Record: 29-3-1
Weight: Light Heavy
Last fight: W (Sum5) Glover Teixeira, June 11, 2022
Next fight: TBD

7. Deiveson Figueiredo

Record: 21-2-1
Weight: Fly
Last fight: W (DU) Brandon Moreno, January 22
Next fight: TBD

8. Dustin Poirier

Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Weight: Light
Last fight: L (Sum3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next fight: TBD

9. Aljamain Sterling

Record: 21-3
Bantamweight
Last fight: W (DD) Petr Yan, April 9
Next fight: September 10 vs. TJ Dillashaw

10. Max Holloway

Record: 23-6
Featherweight
Last fight: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, July 2
Next fight: TBD

Volkanovski Future

Yair Rodríguez has issued an open challenge to Volkanovski, backstage at UFC 277.

“What’s on my mind right now is fighting Alexander Volkanovski, and that’s always on my mind right now,” Rodriguez told reporters.

Rodriguez earned a TKO victory due to Brian Ortega’s injury in the main event of UFC Long Island in early July. After this situation, everything pointed to Rodriguez’s next rival being, Josh Emmet.

But Rodriguez is not interested in Emmet’s interim title and aims to fight Volkanovski at some point.

“I’m going to wait for him, even if he moves up to lightweight,” Rodriguez said. “Hopefully, he wins the 155-pound belt, so it will be a bigger achievement for me every time I get to fight him and beat him.”

“I ask myself, why should I fight for an interim title when I am at the door to fight for the title? It does not make any sense. I’m not going to fight Josh Emmett; I’m going to fight Volkanovski; that’s already decided.”