Jack Della Maddalena? A new champion emerges. Alexander Volkanovski? He reigns once more.
Both Della Maddalena and Volkanovski handled their respective title challenges with success at recent UFC events. Della Maddalena impressively defeated welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, while Volkanovski secured the vacant featherweight title at UFC 314, becoming a two-time champion with a hard-fought victory over Diego Lopes.
These significant results triggered notable shifts in the May update of MMA Fighting’s Men’s Pound-for-Pound rankings. Belal Muhammad, previously ranked No. 5, dropped sharply by eight positions to No. 13 following his title loss. In contrast, Jack Della Maddalena made a dramatic leap from being unranked directly into the No. 9 spot. This ascent follows his title win and marks his 18th consecutive victory; he hasn`t lost professionally since beginning his career with two defeats in 2016. A potential future bout against Islam Makhachev could have further implications for his ranking.
Alexander Volkanovski also saw a positive movement, moving up from No. 13 to No. 8. This marks his highest ranking position since a prior peak. After his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, his ranking understandably fell, and it was speculated he might continue to descend. However, `The Great` delivered an inspiring performance against Lopes, not only reclaiming a UFC title but also solidifying his position to remain a top-10 fighter for some time.
Other significant changes include former champion Leon Edwards` position. Following a decisive defeat to Sean Brady, Edwards fell completely off the rankings list from his previous No. 12 spot. Although Brady received votes on multiple ballots, it wasn`t quite enough to enter the rankings himself this time.
And Jon Jones? His rank continues to fall due to a lack of activity. A return to the octagon is needed for him to maintain his position.
Women`s Pound-for-Pound Rankings
The women`s Pound-for-Pound rankings also experienced considerable movement, largely due to the performances of Natalia Silva and Virna Jandiroba. These Brazilian contenders are making a strong case for championship opportunities. Silva earned a clear decision win over former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315, while Jandiroba extended her winning streak to five with a decision victory against recent strawweight title challenger Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314.
While a potential superfight between Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko is discussed, Silva and Jandiroba`s recent successes position them as legitimate title threats who have significantly climbed the Pound-for-Pound list. Silva jumped 11 spots into a tie for No. 5 with Manon Fiorot, who recently gave a spirited performance against Shevchenko. Jandiroba rose seven places to No. 11.
Rankings Details
Recent Results Affecting Ranked Fighters (Previous Ranking Shown):
- Jack Della Maddalena def. No. 5 Belal Muhammad
- No. 13 (tied) Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes
- Sean Brady def. No. 12 Leon Edwards
- No. 2 Valentina Shevchenko def. No. 5 Manon Fiorot
- No. 16 Natalia Silva def. No. 3 Alexa Grasso
- No. 18 Virna Jandiroba def. No. 11 Yan Xiaonan
- Jasmine Jasudavicius def. No. 19 Jessica Andrade
- No. 20 Liz Carmouche def. Ilara Joanne
Upcoming Bouts Featuring Ranked Fighters:
- No. 2 Ilia Topuria vs. No. 18 Charles Oliveira (UFC 317, June 28)
- No. 3 Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France (UFC 317, June 28)
- No. 4 Merab Dvalishvili vs. No. 19 Sean O’Malley (UFC 316, June 7)
- No. 5 Dricus du Plessis vs. No. 15 Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 319, Aug. 16)
- No. 12 Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier (UFC 318, July 19)
- No. 4 Kayla Harrison vs. No. 13 Julianna Peña (UFC 316, June 7)
- No. 7 Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber (UFC Vegas 107, May 31)
- No. 8 (tied) Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba (PFL Africa, July 26)
- No. 14 Rose Namajunas vs. Miranda Maverick (UFC Atlanta, June 14)
- No. 19 Liz Carmouche vs. Elora Dana (PFL 6, June 20)
Fighters Also Receiving Votes (Number of Ballot Appearances Shown):
- Sean Brady (4)
- Movsar Evloev (2)
- Francis Ngannou (2)
- Jiri Prochazka (2)
- Brandon Moreno (1)
- Usman Nurmagomedov (1)
- Maycee Barber (3)
- Jessica Andrade (2)
- Norma Dumont (2)
- Macy Chiasson (1)
- Amanda Lemos (1)
- Gillian Robertson (1)
Fighters Falling Out of Rankings (Previous Ranking Shown):
- No. 12 Leon Edwards
- No. 19 Jessica Andrade
Murray Blackwood