This is our inaugural Pound-for-Pound (P4P) list, and we’re not playing it safe. Titles matter, but dominance, skillset, momentum, and head-to-head matchups matter more. We’re looking at who beats who right now, and some of our placements might ruffle a few feathers.
#1 – Ilia Topuria
After knocking out Charles Oliveira this past weekend to become the new lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria now holds titles in two divisions and has racked up three straight knockouts — including finishes of Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. That résumé is undeniable. Topuria is our #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
#4 – Khamzat Chimaev (Over Dricus Du Plessis at #10)
This one’s already causing chaos. Yes, Dricus Du Plessis is the reigning middleweight champ, but we’ve got Khamzat ranked higher. Why? His dominant wrestling, combined with a suffocating win over Robert Whittaker, has shown he’s a nightmare matchup for most of the division. We’re not convinced DDP could stop the storm.
#8 – Alex Pereira (Over Magomed Ankalaev at #13)
We know Ankalaev beat Pereira to take the light heavyweight belt — but we think Pereira had an off night, plain and simple. Between his wins over Adesanya, Hill, Procházka, and others, his strength of schedule gives him the benefit of the doubt. In a rematch, we’d favor Pereira to bounce back.
#11 – Shavkat Rakhmonov (Over Jack Della Maddalena at #12)
We’re going on feel here. Jack holds the belt, but Shavkat is undefeated. If Shavkat and Jack fought today, we think Shavkat dominates. His grappling, pace, and pressure would overwhelm Della Maddalena, and it’s only a matter of time before he claims the title for himself.
Rounding Out the List: Umar Nurmagomedov (#14) & Sean Brady (#15)
Neither guy holds a title — yet — but they’ve earned their spots:
- Umar gave Merab Dvalishvili (our #2) one of the toughest fights of his career, showing he’s right there with the elite at 135.
- Sean Brady is on a tear, improving each time out and showing massive growth fight-to-fight. The momentum is real.
