A. Volkanovski is the UFC featherweight champion. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram UFC
One year is enough time for everything to change when it comes to MMA. New champions are crowned, promises are consolidated and great names fall into decline. The UFC men's weight-for-pound ranking is a reflection of this. Between the first and last ranking updates in 2022, all positions in the top 15 underwent changes.
Among the top three at the beginning of the year, only Alexander Volkanovsky remained on the “podium”. More than that, he took the lead on the list, a place that belonged to the Nigerian Kamaru Usman, who fell to fourth after being dethroned by Leon edwards, new welterweight champion (up to 77kg) and current owner of third place weight for weight.
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Islam makhachev, which didn't even appear in the top 15 at the beginning of the year, was promoted to the second highest place on the list after finishing Charles of the Bronx and become the organization's lightweight champion (up to 70,3kg).
Israel adesanya, who previously occupied third place in the rankings, was relegated to sixth place after losing the middleweight belt (up to 83,9kg) to the Brazilian Alex Poatán, placed eighth in the last update.
Compare the UFC pound-for-pound rankings in early 2022 and early 2023:
January 2022 ranking:
1- Kamaru Usman
2- Alexander Volkanovsky
3- Israel adesanya
4- Francis Ngannou
5- Charles of the Bronx
6- Jon Jones
7- Max Holloway
8- Dustin poirier
9- Stipe Miocic
10 Brandon Moreno
11 Petr yan
12 Glover Teixeira
13 Robert whittaker
14 Jan Blachowicz
15 Cyryl Gane
January 2023 ranking:
1- Alexander Volkanovsky
2- Islam makhachev
3- Leon edwards
4- Kamaru Usman
5- Francis Ngannou
6- Israel adesanya
7- Charles of the Bronx
8- Alex Poatán
9- aljamain sterling
10 Jiri Prochazka
11 Dustin poirier
12 Deiveson Figueiredo
13 Jon Jones
14 Max Holloway
15 Brandon Moreno
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