A relentless stretch of world-class mixed martial arts competition has led to significant movement across the global standings, as Combat Press has officially updated its monthly divisional and pound-for-pound rankings. The latest hierarchy reflects the fallout from an eventful stretch inside the cage, spearheaded by landmark championship bouts at UFC 333, a pivotal clash of rising contenders at UFC 332, and an explosive headliner at UFC Edmonton. While several established divisions saw their entrenched hierarchies reinforced by dominant titleholders, others experienced substantial upheaval, with former champions falling from the ranks, streaking prospects claiming coveted top-ten positions, and long-standing divisional records being rewritten.
Combat Press compiles monthly rankings covering every weight class from heavyweight down to flyweight, alongside comprehensive pound-for-pound rankings that account for the sport’s premier male and female competitors. Fighter eligibility throughout these rankings is governed by strict operational guidelines designed to maintain competitive integrity and currency. Athletes remain eligible for inclusion provided they have competed inside the cage within the past 18 months. Furthermore, when a fighter elects to transition between weight classes, they continue to be categorized in their original division until they have logged at least two appearances in their new weight class. In instances where an athlete announces their retirement from active competition, established protocol dictates that they remain ranked for a grace period of six months following their final professional contest before being formally removed.
The headlining narrative of the month belonged to the featherweight division and the broader pound-for-pound landscape, where featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski continued to cement his legacy among the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Entering UFC 333 as the divisional leader and occupying the No. 4 position in the global pound-for-pound rankings, Volkanovski put his UFC featherweight championship on the line against undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev. Evloev, who entered the contest holding the No. 5 spot in the rankings, brought an unblemished record and high-level wrestling into the championship collision. However, the champion delivered an emphatic performance, handing Evloev the first defeat of his professional career courtesy of a decisive second-round stoppage.
The championship victory carried immense historical significance beyond maintaining the status quo at the top of the featherweight ladder. By turning back Evloev inside two rounds, Volkanovski officially surpassed Brazilian icon José Aldo for the most title-fight victories in UFC featherweight divisional history. The milestone represents an extraordinary accomplishment for the reigning champion, who has repeatedly fended off elite contenders across multiple competitive generations. With his championship successfully retained, Volkanovski held firm at No. 1 at featherweight and preserved his No. 4 standing in the pound-for-pound rankings, serving as the only fighter within the pound-for-pound top ten to compete over the course of the month.
The 145-pound division also witnessed further excitement on the UFC 333 main card, where No. 9-ranked Aaron Pico produced a stunningly efficient outing. Pico dismantled Losene Keita, securing a clinical stoppage victory in just over a minute of action. The dominant display reaffirmed Pico’s positioning among the division’s elite tier, though given the caliber of the fighters stationed above him, the featherweight top ten remained entirely unchanged following the event.
While the featherweight upper echelon stood pat, the light heavyweight division underwent one of the most drastic reshufflings of the month following the preliminary card at UFC 333. Previously unbeaten contender Azamat Murzakanov stepped into the Octagon ranked No. 7 in the world, aiming to protect his zero against veteran former title challenger Dominick Reyes. In a bout that dramatically redirected the momentum of both men’s careers, Reyes turned back the clock to deliver a crushing knockout blow, handing Murzakanov his first career defeat.
The reverberations of Reyes’s resurgence immediately altered the 205-pound landscape. By virtue of his statement finish over an undefeated top-ten adversary, Reyes re-entered the Combat Press rankings at No. 7, reclaiming a prominent seat in the division he once contended for at the highest levels. The shakeup also opened the door for Navajo Stirling, who capitalized on the divisional churn to make his debut in the rankings at No. 8. With Reyes and Stirling ascending, two longtime mainstays were forced out of the top ten entirely. Former title challenger Corey Anderson, previously holding the No. 9 position, and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz, who occupied the No. 10 spot last month, both fell outside the rankings threshold as the division turned over a new chapter.
Significant turbulence was also observed in the welterweight division, sparked by a dramatic conclusion to the UFC Edmonton main event. No. 8-ranked Joaquin Buckley looked to rebound from recent adversity as he took on Canada’s Mike Malott in a high-stakes headliner. Instead, Buckley suffered his second consecutive setback inside the cage when Malott delivered a thunderous knee strike that knocked Buckley out cold in front of his home-country supporters.
Malott’s spectacular main-event triumph vaulted him directly into the rankings, where he takes over the No. 8 position previously claimed by his opponent. Consequently, Buckley’s defeat caused him to slide one position downward. The cascading impact of Malott’s sudden surge also forced former champion Belal Muhammad down one spot in the pecking order. Compounding the shifting dynamic at 170 pounds was the departure of Ramazan Kuramagomedov. Having recently announced his retirement from active competition following his last appearance, Kuramagomedov reached the expiration of his eligibility window under Combat Press rankings criteria, formally falling out of the top ten to accommodate the incoming talent.
The bantamweight division similarly experienced both championship validation and the arrival of a new top-tier force across two blockbuster events. The high-profile business began at UFC 332, where rising phenom Payton Talbott was tasked with the toughest test of his professional journey against former two-time flyweight king and No. 8-ranked bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo. Talbott rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion, overwhelming the Brazilian veteran with a first-round stoppage that served notice to the entire 135-pound weight class. With the emphatic performance, Talbott officially replaced Figueiredo in the rankings, knocking the former champion out of the top ten while claiming the vacant No. 8 spot for himself.
The bantamweight spotlight then shifted to UFC 333, which played host to the definitive chapter of one of the division’s most intense rivalries. Bantamweight champion and No. 1-ranked Petr Yan squared off against bitter adversary and No. 2-ranked Merab Dvalishvili, meeting for the third time to resolve their trilogy with the world title hanging in the balance. In a grueling contest that showcased the absolute pinnacle of bantamweight skill, Yan successfully defended his championship crown, turning aside Dvalishvili’s unrelenting grappling assault to emerge victorious. The result cemented Yan’s iron grip on the top spot of the division and preserved Dvalishvili’s placement as the clear-cut No. 2 contender, leaving the top shelf of the division completely solidified.
In the heavyweight division, durable veteran Alexander Volkov continued his remarkable career renaissance with another disciplined showing at UFC 333. Ranked No. 4, Volkov squared off against No. 8-ranked Rizvan Kuniev in an important clash between two physically imposing figures. Volkov relied on his seasoned striking and superior output to outwork Kuniev over the distance, collecting his third consecutive victory inside the Octagon. The triumph improved Volkov’s recent record to a stellar 7-1 over his last eight appearances, with the lone blemish during that stretch coming via a highly disputed split-decision loss to Ciryl Gane. Because Volkov held a higher ranking than his opponent and Kuniev performed competitively, the heavyweight rankings remained unchanged following the card.
Middleweight action was highlighted by another masterclass in tactical endurance from No. 6-ranked Brendan Allen, who headlined his own event against dangerous striker Christian Leroy Duncan. Across five demanding rounds, Allen relied on his signature grappling-heavy game plan, continuously smothering Duncan’s offensive weapons and testing his defensive resolve on the canvas. Allen’s relentless pursuit culminated late in the fifth and final round, where he secured a submission finish to seal his fourth consecutive professional victory. By demonstrating an ability to sustain grueling grappling exchanges deep into championship territory, Allen reaffirmed his standing among the world’s premier middleweights, with the division’s top ten remaining steady.
At flyweight, No. 8-ranked Lone’er Kavanagh maintained his upward trajectory with an explosive showing during UFC 333. Facing off against Ramazan Temirov, Kavanagh capitalized on an offensive opening late in the first round to secure an authoritative stoppage victory. The swift finish kept Kavanagh firmly planted at No. 8, with the flyweight rankings holding their structure from the prior month.
Finally, the lightweight division enjoyed a quiet month on the schedule, with none of the top-ten fighters participating in sanctioned action. Consequently, the 155-pound rankings experienced zero movement, providing a temporary lull for one of the sport’s most fiercely competitive brackets before the next wave of scheduled encounters.
