David Brown’s UFC rankings with Xplainations updated for 6.30.23

JUNE 2023

In deciding where to rank fighters, the actual results are most important, not how I personally feel about the fighters or who I think would win hypothetical matchups. I examine head-to-head bouts first, then primarily results over the last three years, giving more credence to recent ones. The level of competition is always considered, activity is important and MMA math only plays a small part in the process. I make my votes public monthly in the spirit of openness and transparency.

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: Oliveira’s quick dismissal of Dariush moved him up a spot, but otherwise the P4P list remains unchanged. With two titles and an expletive-filled belt changing hands over the next month, there will be some movement here come July.

FLYWEIGHT

* New entrant into rankings

Out of dB rankings: Su Mudaerji

Out of UFC rankings: Bruno Silva

X: Good month for the 125-pounders, with Albazi proving he’s the real deal by beating Kara-France, Elliott showing he’s still top-10 material and Erceg making an impressive splash in his short-notice debut over the talented Dvorak. I removed Mudaerji because he doesn’t have a victory since January 2021, while Durden is 4-1 during that same time frame. We all should hope that if Pantoja tops Moreno next week that it doesn’t start another round-robin rematch tournament at FLW.

BANTAMWEIGHT

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: A rare month with no movement at 135 pounds. Sterling vs. O’Malley and Font vs. Yadong will be barn-burners come UFC 292 in August, while Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov is another excellent BW scrap on the books next month.

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez could be Fight of the Year if it stays standing, but I have a feeling the champ is too smart to play that game for 25 minutes. Topuria rose to the top of the contender heap with his rout of the always tough Emmett. I moved Ortega down more due to inactivity, as his last win was in October 2020. Evloev could be right behind Topuria if he can defeat Mitchell in a long-promised matchup, and Allen deserves another top-flight fight – say, the loser of the upcoming title fight – since he was unfortunate enough to face the contender-chipper that is Holloway last time out.

LIGHTWEIGHT

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: Oliveira earned a rematch for the LW title with his win over Dariush, regardless of what Makhachev or the winner of Poirier vs. Gaethje has to say about it. Tsarukyan showed he’s a special talent. Alas, watching Chandler and Connor McGregor clash on The Ultimate Fighter feels kinda depressing since the Irishmen has not yet submitted to USDA drug testing; this is one coaching duel where UFC fans really could look forward to a sensational bout at the season’s end.

WELTERWEIGHT

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: Not much movement over the last month, with Magny barely getting by an unranked fighter and Brady moving up a spot for no discernible reason. Thompson vs. Pereira should be all kinds of standup fun. Rakmonov being booked against Gastelum in his return to 170 pounds should put him on the fast track to a title shot if he beats the former interim champ.

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: If only the Cannonier who smacked down Vettori had showed up against Adesanya; word is Cannonier may face Chimaev next, which would be a huge test of his takedown defense. Allen continues to impress, though voters have apparently forgotten that he has a recent loss to Curtis. Even though Whitaker is one of the best dudes in the sport, I have to root for Du Plessis, if only to give Adesanya a fellow African contender who he can beef with during the buildup.

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: No movement in the UFC’s formerly marquee division – again – as officials are apparently waiting for Hill vs. Prochazka, which makes one wonder why the latter was forced to give up his belt instead of adding an interim title. Ankalaev remains unbooked, but perhaps they’re waiting for Abu Dhabi (and Rakic) in October. Here’s hoping Blachowicz uses Polish power and doesn’t lay on Pereira until the final bell rings, like he did against Adesanya in a 2021 title fight. Craig moving down to MW – he won’t have an easy time with Muniz – opens up opportunities in both weight divisions.

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: Not much to report among the biggest of the big boys this month, though July sees Aspinall vs. Tybura and Lewis vs. de Lima. Gane vs. Spivac is an interesting battle to headline Paris. It says a lot that Miocic is still a top-ranked fighter despite taking the last two years off after being knocked out by a fellow named Francis Ngannou, who used to own the UFC HW title. Speaking of which, we won’t really know whether Ngannou’s PFL contract set a new standard for free agents until he actually gets in the smart cage and starts fighting; so far, his boxing prospects don’t look all that hot.

Out of dB/UFC rankings: WBW and WFW champion Amanda Nunes (retired)

X: Nunes defeated every woman who has ever held a belt at 135 and 145 pounds in the UFC, plus two wins over the 125-pound women’s GOAT. To say we will miss her is the understatement of the year. She was, quite simply, the best.

Out of dB/UFC rankings: None

X: Ricci continues her climb up the ranks, and other voters finally realized Pinheiro defeated Waterson-Gomez, causing small shifts. I was surprised to hear Hill complain about being disrespected by rankers; she is 4-6 in her last 10 fights, with five of those losses to fighters ranked above her. Close split-decisions aren’t the same as actual victories; even though I think she should have won a couple of them, it wouldn’t be fair for me to rank that way since I’m not a trained judge. And why is Ribas still ranked in this weight class when she has fought three times in a row at 125 pounds?

* New entrant into rankings

Out of dB rankings: Tracy Cortez, Miranda Maverick

Out of UFC rankings: Miranda Maverick

X: The UFC rankers saw Ribas lose and proceeded to put her behind the fighter she just beat – Araujo – during her last trip into the Octagon. Outstanding. Barber showed she’s for real in that fight, which only adds to the tantalizing matchups in this burgeoning division. Maverick losing to Jasudavicius made that an easy switch, but I also showed Silva some love since she has nine wins in a row and defeated Jasudavicius less than a year ago. I dropped Cortez from my rankings due to inactivity; though all wins, she only has three fights this decade and is still amid a year-plus-long career pause. Cortez will easily return to the top 15 if she tops Jasudavicius during her return fight, which has been booked for September.

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT

Out of dB/UFC rankings: Champion Amanda Nunes (retired)

X: Pena seems to be the only person not happy about Nunes’ retirement, but you can’t blame her since everybody wants a trilogy. She might get Pennington for the belt next, though Holm always seems to be just a win away from a title shot.

WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT

C: Vacant (Champion Amanda Nunes retired)

No divisional rankings.

UPCOMING FIGHTS TO WATCH

July 1 – UFC on ESPN 47

Sean Strickland vs. Abus Magomedov

Damir Ismagulov vs. Grant Dawson

Kevin Lee vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov

July 8 – UFC 290

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez for FW title

Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja for FLW title

Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis

July 15 – UFC on ESPN 48

Holly Holm vs. Mayra Bueno Silva

Chelsea Chandler vs. Norma Dumont

Terrance McKinney vs. Nazim Sadykhov

July 22 – UFC Fight Night

Tom Aspinall vs. Marcin Tybura

Ketlen Vieira vs. Pannie Kianzad

Paul Craig vs. Andre Muniz

July 29 – UFC 291

Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje for BMF belt

Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira

Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira

Updated rankings for July will be posted before UFC Fight Night on Aug. 5. Until then, enjoy the 5-ounce glove fights.

For comments, questions and suggestions, email dbrown@cherokeescout.com or hit me up on Twitter @daviddbstroh.