UFC updates pound-for-pound rankings after Jon Jones' retirement; Aspinall surpasses Poatan and Pantoja

T. Aspinall watching A. Poatan prepare for fight. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @tomaspinallofficial

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The first update to the UFC pound-for-pound rankings after Jon Jones' recent retirement , released in the early hours of Tuesday (24), brought important changes to the top 15. One of the main changes features Tom Aspinall , the new undisputed heavyweight champion, who surpassed Alex Poatan and Alexandre Pantoja on the list of the organization's best fighters.

With Jones' retirement, Aspinall relinquished the interim belt and assumed the undisputed title. The change propelled him from 11th to 8th place in the pound-for-pound rankings , surpassing the two Brazilians who were ahead of him.

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Khamzat Chimaev is a new face in the UFC rankings. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter UFC

The third position on the podium, vacated by Jon Jones , was taken by Ilia Topuria , former featherweight champion (up to 65,7 kg), who faces Charles do Bronx this Saturday (28), at UFC 317 , in a fight for the vacant lightweight belt (up to 70,3 kg). Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili maintained the first positions, respectively.

With Jones' departure, a spot opened up in the top 15, now occupied by Khamzat Chimaev , who will challenge Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title (up to 83,9 kg) at UFC 319 in August.

About the UFC pound-for-pound rankings

The UFC pound-for-pound ranking is a list that ranks the organization's best fighters regardless of weight class. The voting is done by specialized journalists, based on recent performance, level of competition faced, and achievements inside the octagon.

The list is updated weekly, taking into account the results of the most recent fights and changes in the championship belts. When a fighter retires, as in the case of Jon Jones , he is automatically removed from the ranking, opening up space for new entries and changes in position.

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