Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Light Heavyweight

1. Magomed Ankalaev (20-1-1, 1 NC) | UFC [1]

Anakalaev proved to be too difficult a puzzle for Alex Pereira to solve, as the Dagestani outstruck the former Glory Kickboxing champion en route to a unanimous decision triumph in the UFC 313 main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Ankalaev’s victory was that he was unable to land a single takedown against “Poatan,” but that only makes the performance more impressive. Ankalaev will take a 14-bout UFC unbeaten streak into his first title defense at light heavyweight.

2. Alex Pereira (12-3) | UFC [2]

Pereira wasn’t taken down in the UFC 313 headliner, but he also struggled to get his vaunted striking going against a defensively sound opponent in Magomed Ankalaev. The end result was a closely contested unanimous decision defeat that ended the Brazilian’s reign after three successful title defenses. The now former two-division champion remains perhaps the promotion’s most popular star, but the latest setback might have stifled the momentum behind a potential move to heavyweight.

3. Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1) | UFC [3]

Prochazka was in peak form at UFC 311, as he relied on his unorthodox offensive style to secure a third-round technical knockout of fellow former title challenger Jamahal Hill at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Though he’s 0-2 against Alex Pereira, “BJP” seems intent on securing a third date against the reigning light heavyweight champ. Recent finishes over Aleksandar Rakic and Hill show that Prochazka will remain a serious threat in the division whether or not his wish becomes a reality.

4. Carlos Ulberg (12-1) UFC [4]

Ulberg earned the most significant victory of his career to date, taking a tactical three-round verdict over former 205-pound champ Jan Blachowicz in the UFC London co-headliner on March 22. That makes eight straight Octagon triumphs for the Kiwi, who could be nearing a title shot. While “Black Jag” displayed finishing prowess earlier in his UFC tenure, recent wins over Blachowicz and Volkan Oezdemir have showcased his ability to prevail against higher-level competition in a different type of fight.

5. Khalil Rountree (14-6, 1 NC) UFC [5]

After coming up short in a title opportunity against Alex Pereira last October, Rountree rebounded in a big way against Jamahal Hill in the UFC Baku headliner, as he outstruck the former 205-pound champion over five rounds to earn a unanimous decision triumph in Azerbaijan on June 21. While a finish didn’t arrive, “War Horse” dropped his foe in the third frame and ultized a tactical approach to earn his 10th light heavyweight victory since 2016. More importantly, Rountree remains a serious contender in a relatively shallow weight class.

6. Jan Blachowicz (29-11-1) | UFC [6]

Fighting for the first time since July 2023, Blachowicz was plenty competitive in the UFC London co-main event, but he ultimately dropped a hard-fought unanimous decision to rising contender Carlos Ulberg. The 42-year-old Pole should be commended for returning from multiple shoulder surgeries, and he still looks like a tough out for much of the division. However, with just one win in his last five UFC appearances, Blachowicz’s days as a serious title contender might be a thing of the past.

7. Dominick Reyes (15-4) | UFC [7]

The Reyes’ resurgence continued at UFC 314, where the former light heavyweight title challenger rendered Nikita Krylov unconscious with one perfectly timed left hand at the 2:24 mark of Round 1. “The Devastator” has won three straight Octagon appearances — all via KO or TKO — a remarkable turnaround after losing four consecutive bouts from 2020 to 2022.

8. Corey Anderson (18-6, 1 NC) | Bellator [8]

It wasn’t always pretty, but Corey Anderson imposed his will over five rounds to earn a unanimous decision triumph over Karl Moore in the Bellator Belfast headliner. Nearly 10 years after winning “The Ultimate Fighter 19,” Anderson earned his first championship in a major organization. The 34-year-old known as “Overtime” is now 5-1 with one no contest since leaving the UFC for Bellator in 2020. He was briefly slated to try his hand at heavyweight in a trilogy fight against Vadim Nemkov at Road to Dubai, but that bout was canceled — and Anderson blamed his rival for wanting an easier opponent. Instead, Anderson’s heavyweight foray will come against 2024 PFL champ Denis Goltsov in South Africa.

9. Azamat Murzakanov (15-0) | UFC [9]

After being sidelined due to an anti-doping violation, Murzakanov kept on rolling at UFC 316, where he defeated an overmatched Brendson Ribeiro via first-round technical knockout at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on June 7. Murzakanov has landed knockdowns against all five UFC foes thus far, the streaking Russian hopes to secure a main event spot for his next Octagon appearance.

10. Jamahal Hill (12-4, 1 NC) UFC [10]

Hill dropped his third consecutive outing in the UFC Baku main event, falling to Khalil Rountree via unanimous decision on June 21 in the promotion’s first trip to Azerbaijan. “Sweet Dreams” struggled to pull the trigger against a dangerous striker, and as a result, seems more far removed than ever from his brief reign atop the 205-pound division.

Other Contenders: Nikita Krylov, Volkan Oezdemir, Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, Impa Kasanganay, Aleksandar Rakic.

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