The middleweight picture has shifted quite a bit from what most fans remember. Sean Strickland now wears the belt after outpointing Khamzat Chimaev back in May, while Dricus du Plessis fresh off a lopsided win over Kamaru Usman is still parked at number three. Here’s a rundown of the entire ranked field and what each fighter needs next.
What Is Middleweight?
Middleweight is one of the UFC’s core weight classes, covering fighters who weigh up to 185 pounds (about 84 kg) on fight night. It sits right in the middle of the UFC’s weight scale heavier and more powerful than welterweight (170 lbs), but faster and more athletic than light heavyweight (205 lbs) or heavyweight.
This balance is exactly what makes middleweight so entertaining to watch. Fighters in this division typically combine solid knockout power with the speed, cardio, and grappling technicality that heavier fighters often can’t keep up with. It’s a division that historically produces well-rounded champions, strikers who can also wrestle, and grapplers who can also finish fights standing up.
How Strickland Reclaimed the Title
Strickland took the middleweight crown from Chimaev via split decision in May, months after Chimaev had originally lifted it off Dricus du Plessis the previous August. That earlier title change caught plenty of people off guard many had expected Chimaev to steamroll the division outright.
Beating him back proved Strickland still has the championship-level grit to go the distance. Rather than lean on one big moment, he wore Chimaev down across five rounds, a familiar blueprint for a fighter who has always been difficult to put away.
Why Chimaev Still Sits at Number Two
Even without the belt, Chimaev holds onto the second spot. His climb to the title included a commanding win over du Plessis last August, and that result alone is still enough to keep him above everyone in the division except the champion.
He hasn’t fought since dropping the title to Strickland, and a rematch feels like the obvious next step given how tight their first meeting was on the scorecards. No one else in the division brings quite the same combination of smothering wrestling and relentless pace that Chimaev does.
Du Plessis Holds at Number Three
Du Plessis just turned in a dominant performance against Kamaru Usman on July 18, and a lot of fans assumed that would be enough to bump him up. Instead, he’s staying put at number three, still behind Chimaev, a sign that his earlier loss to Chimaev still carries more weight than one win over a fighter still finding his footing in the division.
That’s really the detail most coverage glosses over: Usman was only in his second fight at 185 pounds. Beating a newcomer, even a legend of Usman’s caliber, just doesn’t move the needle the same way a win over an established top-five name would. If du Plessis wants back into title contention, a signature victory over someone like Imavov or Borralho is what gets him there.
The Middle of the Pack
Nassourdine Imavov sits at number four after a unanimous-decision win over Caio Borralho last September, a result that pushed him firmly into title contention. His reach and steady output make him a tough matchup for nearly anyone in the top ten.
Right behind him at number five is Borralho, who answered that loss with a clean decision win over Reinier de Ridder in March. His game is built around control and patience, effective for winning rounds, but not the kind of style that produces the highlight finishes that vault a fighter up several spots overnight.
Hernandez, Allen, and the Rest of the Top Ten
Anthony Hernandez comes in at number six despite a stoppage loss to Strickland back in February a defeat that happened before Strickland won the belt, and one that still reads as a credible result given he tested the eventual champion.
Brendan Allen takes the seventh spot on the back of a solid decision win over Edmen Shahbazyan in June. He’s been climbing steadily through sheer volume and durability, rarely finishing opponents, but almost as rarely dropping a decision either.
Joe Pyfer ranks eighth after stopping Israel Adesanya in March, a result that caught a lot of longtime fans off guard. Adesanya has since slid to number nine proof of how quickly one bad night can reshuffle things. Reinier de Ridder closes out the top ten despite his recent setback against Borralho.
What Adesanya’s Fall Really Signals
Adesanya’s drop to number nine says something bigger about the state of the division. A two-time former champion known for his technical striking, his loss to Pyfer highlights just how much depth middleweight has developed in recent years.
Younger, more athletic fighters like Pyfer and Hernandez are closing the gap fast, and that should be a warning sign for every established name still in the top ten. At 185 pounds, reputation and past accomplishments no longer guarantee you stay ahead of the pack.
What’s Next for the Title
There’s no confirmed next opponent for Strickland yet. A rematch with Chimaev makes the most sense given how close their first fight was and it would settle any remaining questions about who’s really the better fighter.
Du Plessis, meanwhile, needs one more statement win before he earns a third title shot. Either Imavov or Borralho would answer that question cleanly, giving him a clear path back to the top without any debate. This division rewards a strong resume over big names alone.
Trending Topic: Why This Rankings Shake-Up Is Getting So Much Attention
Right now, the biggest talking point in middleweight isn’t the champion, it’s the fact that du Plessis dominated a former welterweight and pound-for-pound great in Kamaru Usman and still didn’t move up a single spot. That sparked debate among fans about how UFC rankings actually work: a win’s value depends heavily on who the opponent is, not just how convincingly you beat them.
The second trending storyline is Israel Adesanya’s slide to number nine. A former two-division threat and one of the sport’s most recognizable strikers getting finished by Joe Pyfer, a rising, lesser-known name has fans talking about a generational shift happening in real time inside the division.
Together, these two stories are driving most of the current conversation: is du Plessis being underrated by the rankings system, and is the middleweight division entering a changing of the guard as younger fighters like Pyfer and Hernandez close in on the old guard?
Conclusion
The middleweight rankings reflect a division that’s evolving, not falling apart. Strickland won the belt through grinding, championship-caliber execution rather than a single spectacular moment. Chimaev’s résumé still edges out du Plessis’s despite du Plessis’s recent win over Usman, simply because ranking value comes down to who you’ve beaten not just how good you looked doing it. Keep an eye on Imavov and Borralho: whoever wins that matchup likely earns the next real shot at Strickland’s title.
