Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya have both been dominant in the UFC's welterweight and middleweight divisions for many years. Even though they are not at their best anymore, they are still ranked among the top ten pound-for-pound fighters in MMA.
Auchi-born Usman has lost his last three fights, while Lagos-born Adesanya lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland in September, marking his third career defeat and second in three bouts.
Adesanya has just come back from a break and expressed interest in appearing on UFC 300 in April, while Usman is considering moving up to middleweight but is focused on regaining the welterweight belt.
Even though both former UFC champions of Nigerian descent have recently faced setbacks, they have moved up in the latest rankings. Adesanya went from 7th to 6th, while Usman went from 10th to 8th.
Sean O’Malley has been a controversial talent in the UFC since joining the company. Many have questioned his ascent, claiming he received favorable matchups and avoided certain competition. Nevertheless, “Sugar” worked his way up to a title fight and won. He is a pressure player who rises to the occasion and is one of the best sharpshooters in the business.
In a short time, Alex Pereira solidified his position as one of the best middleweight MMA fighters on the planet. His knockout victory over former champion Israel Adesanya cemented his place in division history. When he moved up to light heavyweight and became the fastest fighter ever to win titles in two divisions, he elevated himself to legend status.
For six consecutive years, Kamaru Usman set a legendary standard of excellence as he built a resume that will secure him a place in the UFC Hall-of-Fame. He will be remembered as one of the greatest welterweight fighters of all time and one of the best pound-for-pound competitors of his era.
Charles Oliveira was decisively beaten by Islam Makhachev in 2022, yet he remains one of the best fighters in the world. Despite not getting an immediate rematch, he proved his place as one of the 155-pound division’s elite when he easily defeated contender Beniel Dariush at UFC 298. He may not currently hold the title, but Oliveria is a lightweight legend.
Israel Adesanya is not only one of the best UFC middleweights ever, but when all is said and done, he will be seen as one of the greatest to ever compete in the Octagon in general. However, his claim to be the greatest 185-pounder of all time was effectively ended with his surprising loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293. Nonetheless, he is still regarded as an elite fighter in the sport today.
Featherweight great Alexander Volkanovski is one of the most versatile fighters in the sport. There is little he can’t do in the cage, and he has the fight IQ to back it up. However, becoming a lightweight champion will not be a goal he achieves in his career after losing to lightweight king Islam Makhachev on two occasions.
He is no longer the champion in the featherweight category and is not considered one of the top three fighters in the world anymore. However, he is still an essential inclusion in any UFC pound for pound rankings.
Ilia Topuria quickly rose to fame in the UFC with five consecutive wins at 145 pounds. His victories over Bryce Mitchell and former interim championship challenger Josh Emmett solidified his position as a formidable talent and a legitimate contender for the world title. He confirmed his championship status by defeating featherweight legend Alexander Volkanovski at the beginning of his 2024 schedule.
Alexandre Pantoja faced numerous challenges before becoming the new UFC flyweight champion. He spent five years working his way up in the division before earning a title fight at UFC 290. In his first opportunity to become the champion, he secured a decisive victory over division king Brandon Moreno. During his first title defense, he engaged in a rematch with Brandon Royval and once again demonstrated his superiority as the best 125-pound fighter in the world.
The UFC welcomed its second-ever champion from the UK and the first titlist born in Jamaica. Edwards astonished the MMA world with a last-minute knockout of Kamaru Usman, widely regarded as the top fighter of his generation, at UFC 278.
At UFC 286, he sought to prove that his victory was not a stroke of luck after having been outperformed in most of the previous seven rounds against his opponent. With improved wrestling skills, a smart strategy, and a well-timed cage grab, he secured the victory in the rematch. In his most recent title defense, Edwards exhibited his comprehensive abilities by convincingly fending off the challenge from former interim champ and two-time title challenger Colby Covington.
There were doubts about Islam Makhachev's abilities, but in recent years, he has demonstrated his exceptional fighting skills with clear victories over Charles Oliveira and Alexander Volkanovski (twice). While he excels in wrestling, his striking abilities are underrated and he possesses no clear weaknesses in his fighting style and overall approach to the game.
