Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Middleweight

1. Dricus Du Plessis (23-2) UFC [1]

After a somewhat contentious result the first time around, Du Plessis left no doubt in his rematch with Sean Strickland, as he cruised to a unanimous decision triumph in the UFC 312 headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. “Stillknocks” outstruck his opponent for the majority of the contest and even busted up Strickland’s nose in Round 4 to bring an emphatic conclusion to their rivalry. Du Plessis has won nine straight fights at 185 pounds, but his work is not done because a future showdown with Khamzat Chimaev looms large for the South African champion.

2. Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) | UFC [2]

After a year of inactivity, Chimaev offered a friendly reminder of the devastation he can bring to the Octagon with a dominant first-round finish of Robert Whittaker in the UFC 308 co-main event. “Borz” grounded his opponent, took his back and then secured a face crank so powerful that Whittaker had no choice but to tap in a matter of seconds. By vanquishing a former middleweight title holder in impressive fashion, Chimaev puts himself on the short list of top contenders at 185 pounds.

3. Nassourdine Imavov (16-4, 1 NC) | UFC [3]

Imavov pulled off a shocker at UFC Saudi Arabia, finishing ex-middleweight champ Israel Adesanya via technical knockout 30 seconds into Round 2 of their headlining encounter on Feb. 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Imavov has won his last four Octagon appearances, adding Adesanya to a list that includes Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier and Roman Dolidze. One of the most consistently successful middleweights in recent years now has his sights set on a title shot and it will be hard to deny him that opportunity.

4. Sean Strickland (29-7) | UFC [4]

Strickland promised violence at UFC 312, but he couldn’t improve upon the performance he offered against Dricus Du Plessis in their first meeting, as he dropped a clear-cut unanimous verdict in the evening’s headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. The outspoken Xtreme Couture product was fastracked to a rematch with Du Plessis, but on the heels of second defeat to his South African rival, Strickland figures to be out of title conversations for the foreseeable future.

5. Israel Adesanya (24-5) | UFC [5]

Adesanya suffered his third consecutive defeat at UFC Saudi Arabia, falling to Nassourdine Imavov via second-round stoppage in the evening’s headliner at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While “The Last Stylebender” fought relatively well in the opening stanza, his chin couldn’t hold up under duress against an opponent on the rise. Adesanya turns 36 in July, and it’s fair to wonder if his prime years may be behind him.

6. Robert Whittaker (26-8) | UFC [6]

Whittaker was expected to be the most difficult middleweight test to date for Khamzat Chimaev at 185 pounds, but the former title holder was grounded, controlled and ultimately submitted by a face-crank 3:34 into the opening stanza of their UFC 308 co-main event clash at Eithad Arena in Abu Dhabi. “The Reaper” entered the matchup on the heels of back-to-back triumphs over Ikram Aliskerov and Paulo Costa, but after suffering his first submission defeat since 2011 remains on the outskirts of middleweight title contention.

7. Johnny Eblen (16-0) | Bellator [7]

Eblen relied on his wrestling at PFL “Battle of the Giants” as he used takedowns and control to grind out a unanimous decision triumph over Fabian Edwards in a rematch for the Bellator middleweight title. The American Top Team product had to weather a strong push from his British adversary in the final frame to keep his undefeated record intact. After a closer-than-expected win over Impa Kasaganay at PFL vs. Bellator in February, Eblen improves to 2-0 in 2024. With Bellator no longer operating separately under PFL ownership, the next step for Eblen as 185-pound champion is currently unclear.

8. Caio Borralho (17-1, 1 NC) | UFC [8]

Though he didn’t get the finish he believed would propel him to a title shot, Borralho nonetheless earned a signature victory at UFC on ESPN 52 when he outdueled former title challenger Jared Cannonier over five rounds at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Aug. 24. The Fighting Nerds representative put a stamp on his triumph in Round 5, when he dropped his opponent and threatened with an arm-triangle choke in the bout’s waning seconds. “The Natural” has won 14 fights in a row — including seven in UFC competition — setting the stage for another high-profile pairing in his next Octagon appearance.

9. Jared Cannonier (18-8) | UFC [9]

Cannonier demonstrated he still has plenty left in the tank at UFC Vegas 102, as he weathered two first-round knockdowns before rallying for a Round 4 stoppage of Gregory Rodrigues in the evening’s headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Feb. 15. Even as he approaches 41 years old, “The Killa Gorilla” remains a dangerous opponent in the middleweight division, and a wealth of main event experience — he has eight to his credit — ensures that the MMA Lab standout won’t wilt on the big stage.

10. Anthony Hernandez (14-2, 1 NC) | UFC [13]

Thanks to a slight edge in grappling and in scrambles, Hernandez improved to 2-0 against Brendan Allen, winning a unanimous decision over his former Legacy Fighting Alliance foe in the UFC Seattle co-main event on Feb. 22. After losing two of his first three Octagon appearances, “Fluffy” has authored a seven-fight UFC winning streak that includes noteworthy triumphs over the likes of Allen, Michel Pereira and Roman Kopylov — with five of those victories coming inside the distance.

Other Contenders: Brendan Allen, Marvin Vettori, Roman Dolidze, Roman Kopylov, Fabian Edwards.

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