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-divison 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. Jamahal Hill (12-3, 1 NC) UFC [4]

Hill had his moments against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 311, but that wasn’t enough to offset two knockdowns and an eventual third-round technical knockout defeat at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The former light heavyweight champion has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career and faces a long road back to the top of the division he once ruled. “Sweet Dreams” was supposed to face Khaili Rountree in the UFC Kansas City headliner before the bout was pulled from the card. Hill vs. Rountree has been rescheduled for UFC Baku on June 21.

5. Carlos Ulberg (12-1) UFC [5]

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.

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 [15]

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 [7]

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 has 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.

9. Khalil Rountree (13-6, 1 NC) UFC [9]

Heading into his title shot against Alex Pereira at UFC 307, Rountree faced stiff criticism, mostly centered around his recent performance-enhancing substance infraction and the perception that Magomed Ankalaev was a more deserving challenger. Once the cage door closed, the “War Horse” did everything he could to change that narrative, hurting the champ early, catching him with several clean strike combinations, and generally giving him a harder challenge than anyone else in his light heavyweight title reign. Rountree was slated to square off against former 205-pound king Jamahal Hill in the UFC Kansas City headliner, but the bout was canceled due to an apparent Hill injury. That fight has now been rebooked for UFC Baku on June 21.

10. Azamat Murzakanov (14-0) | UFC [10]

Murzakanov continued to impress in his latest Octagon appearance, as he knocked out Alonzo Menifield in the second round of their encounter at UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi. The 35-year-old Russian has been victorious in his first four promotional outings — three inside the distance — since earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. The former Brave Combat Federation champion had been scheduled to return to action against Nikita Krylov at UFC 309 on Nov. 16, but was pulled from the bout for what was later revealed to be an anti-doping violation.

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

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