Kayla Harrison and Merab Dvalishvili are making strong bids for the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings. Following their impressive performances on Saturday at UFC 316, where Harrison became champion and Dvalishvili successfully defended his title, both fighters solidified their positions as leaders in their weight classes. These recent victories further bolster their arguments for being recognized as No. 1 overall.
While reaching the absolute top still presents challenges, this latest update to the rankings sees both Harrison and Dvalishvili rise into the top 3 (with Dvalishvili tied with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja). Interestingly, their potential paths to claiming the No. 1 position face contrasting obstacles.
For Harrison, a major challenge awaits in a superfight against the returning Amanda Nunes. However, even if she wins, there are few other significant contenders in her bantamweight division. While Nunes achieved the No. 1 spot through a dominant streak and fighting in multiple divisions, Harrison might not stay in the division long enough to build a similar case or challenge top contenders like Zhang Weili or Valentina Shevchenko for the ultimate pound-for-pound status.
On the men`s side, Dvalishvili is now ranked just below Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria and has appeared nearly invincible over the last seven years. His challenge, however, is competing in a highly competitive bantamweight division. Even if he defeats the likely next contender, Cory Sandhagen, there`s a sense that in such a deep weight class, eventually another skilled fighter could emerge to challenge him.
Considering these factors, do you believe either Harrison or Dvalishvili will ultimately reach the No. 1 pound-for-pound ranking?
Murray Blackwood