Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Antonio Carlos Jr. has thrived under the Professional Fighters League banner.

“Cara de Sapato” captured his second PFL championship on Friday, when he submitted Sullivan Cauley in the second round of their light heavyweight tournament final. Carlos Jr., who was also a champion in the PFL’s former season format, has lost just once in 11 appearances since parting ways with the UFC in 2021. That’s enough to earn the 35-year-old Brazilian a spot in the 205-pound rankings at No. 14.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s UFC Shanghai co-headliner between Aljamain Sterling and Brian Ortega was supposed to have significant implications for the featherweight division, especially since it was slated for five rounds. While Sterling did earn a lopsided five-round verdict, it was tarnished by the fact that Ortega badly missed weight and looked listless in the Octagon. It’s possible that effort says far more about Ortega’s future — or lack thereof — at 145 pounds than it does Sterling’s prowess. Even though it occurred at a catchweight, Ortega falls behind Sterling on the featherweight bubble.

Elsewhere, fifth-ranked heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich maintained the status quo with a unanimous decision triumph against No. 8 Waldo Cortes-Acosta in a featured bout at UFC Shanghai. By ending Cortes-Acosta’s five-bout promotional winning streak, the Russian slugger remains a Top 5 heavyweight. At flyweight, No. 12 Charles Johnson did similar work, as he knocked out prospect Lone'er Kavanagh to renew his place in the latest 125-pound poll.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

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