Ranking The UFC's Middleweight Division
You're here to analyze the current state of one of the most exciting and competitive weight divisions in the sport of mixed martial arts, the UFC middleweight division.
This division is home to some of the most talented fighters on the planet who put on thrilling and high-level fights that leave fans (like us) on the edge of our seats. Whether you're a casual fan or a die-hard MMA enthusiast, we've got you covered with the latest updates on the top 15 ranked fighters.
Here are the dynamic and ever-changing UFC Middleweight Rankings.
Current Top 15 Middleweight Fighters
Current UFC Middleweight Champion - Khamzat Chimaev
And new! Middleweight champion of the world... Khamzat Chimaev! UFC 319 was a spectacular event, capped off by the extremely dominant 5-Round title fight between Khamzat and DDP, ending with Chimaev claiming the Middleweight belt.
At UFC 308, a few events back, Khamzat Chimaev defeated Robert Whittaker by face crank submission. Chimaev was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus for his victory.
Listen to Chimaev speak on his victory at UFC 319 below.
Chimaev has gone toe-to-toe with some of the most recognizable fighters in the division including Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns, and Kevin Holland, winning each of his bouts against all three. Khamzat is 1 of only 15 fighters to become an undisputed champion in the UFC.
In other words, Khamzat maintained his undefeated professional MMA record all the way up to the top. Chimaev now has a professional MMA record of 15 wins and 0 losses.
#1 Middleweight Fighter - Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis is a South African professional mixed martial artist. At UFC 297, Du Plessis defeated former Middleweight champion, Sean Strickland.
Du Plessis' split decision victory over Sean Strickland earned him the Championship belt after just 7 professional fights in the UFC. Du Plessis faced off against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 to defend his Championship title for the first time since becoming Middleweight champ.
Then, after Du Plessis fought (and defeated) Sean Strickland for the second time in their careers, Dricus solidified his status as the reigning Middleweight champ. Later, at UFC 319, DDP gave up the Middleweight belt to Khamzat Chimaev after being wreslted and controlled for 90% of their 5-Round fight.
#2 Middleweight Fighter - Nassourdine Imavov
Nassourdine Imavov fought in the UFC for the first time back in 2020 and has consistently proven that he's here to stay. Imavov fought Jared Cannonier in June 2024 and won by TKO.
Then Imamov defeated Brendan Allen in September 2024, winning by unanimous decision. After fighting Israel Adesanya (and winning by KO) at UFC Fight Night Adesanya vs Imavov in February 2025, "The Sniper" has earned a professional record of 16 wins and 4 losses.
#3 Middleweight Fighter - Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland has been fighting with the UFC since his debut in 2014. His unorthodox style both in and outside of the Octagon has earned him a large following of both fans and critics.
Strickland won his fight against Paulo Costa by a controversial split decision at UFC 302. This was followed up by a loss when Strickland challenged Du Plessis for the Middleweight Championship title at UFC 312, losing by unanimous decision. Strickland's professional record now sits at 29 wins and 7 losses.
#4 Middleweight Fighter - Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya has been considered as one of the best strikers in MMA history by many fight fans around the world. Adesanya's striking style has traditionally combined precision and agility, along with impeccable footwork.
He has achieved great success with multiple title defenses as the former 185-pound champ. Adesanya's dynamic personality and charisma have helped him gain a sizable following in the sport.
At UFC Fight Night Adesanya vs Imavov, he faced off against Nassourdine Imavov, but came up short after being knocked out in Round 2. As of now, Adesanya has a professional MMA record of 24 wins and 5 losses.
#5 Middleweight Fighter - Reinier De Ridder
Reinier De Ridder, or RDR, already has a staggering 13 wins by submission. After securing a decisive TKO by knees victory against Bo Nickal in May 2025, RDR came back a few months later to fight longtime UFC Middleweight, Robert Whittaker.
De Ridder won the 5-Round battle by split decision. This raised his professional MMA record to 21 wins and 2 losses.
#6 Middleweight Fighter - Caio Barralho
Caio Barralho fought on Dana White's Contender Series back in 2021, winning both of his fights. In August 2024, Barralho faced off against Jared Cannonier, with Barralho winning by unanimous decision after 5 rounds.
Barralho has a current professional MMA record of 17 wins and 1 loss.
#7 Middleweight Fighter - Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker is an Australian professional mixed martial artist. Whittaker has competed in the Middleweight division since December 2012, and has established himself as a fairly consistent contender over the years.
Whittaker has earned 26 victories and a UFC Championship title, back in July 2017. In October 2024, Whittaker shared a photo of his broken bottom teeth on social media after losing his fight with Khamzat Chimaev.
At UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. de Ridder in July 2025, Whittaker suffered his ninth professional loss to Reinier De Ridder.
#8 Middleweight Fighter - Jared Cannonier
Jared Cannonier is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently holds the number 8 slot in the UFC Middleweight Rankings. Cannonier has competed in the UFC since his debut back in January 2015.
Cannonier is known for competing in (and winning) fights in 3 different weight divisions including Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, and Middleweight. In February 2025, Cannonier defeated Gregory Robocop Rodrigues by TKO in the beginning of Round 4. It was rightfully awarded the Fight of the Night.
Then, at UFC 319, Tha Killa Gorilla lost to Michael "Venom" Page. It was a 3-Round unanimous decision victory where MVP largely outclassed Cannonier on the feet.
#9 Middleweight Fighter - Roman Dolidze
Since his UFC debut in 2020, Roman Dolidze has been awarded 3 Performance of the Night bonuses. After Dolidze moved up a weight class (one time) at Light Heavyweight to fight Anthony Smith, the Georgian fighter proved he has depth.
Since defeating Smith, Dolidze has moved into the Top 10 Middleweight rankings and increased his professional record to 15 wins and 3 losses. Dolidze won his most recent fight against Marvin Vettori at UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2, with Dolidze winning by unanimous decision by the end of Round 5.
#10 Middleweight Fighter - Anthony Hernandez
Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez won his most recent fight against Brendan Allen at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song in February 2025. This was Hernandez's second time fighting Allen, as their first fight together took place back in January 2018 at an LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance) event.
Since signing his contract with the UFC, Hernandez has won 8 of his 10 fights. Featured as the main event at UFC on ESPN: Dolidze vs. Hernandez, Fluffy submitted Roman Dolidze towards the end of Round 4. This updated Fluffy's professional MMA record to 15 wins and 2 losses.
UFC 319 Was a Spectacular MMA Event
Since the UFC promotes fights on a regular basis, this list will change as rankings continue to shift and update, so come back after the next fight card to stay in the loop! UFC 319 featured a Middleweight Championship fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.
Who will challenge Khamzat for the belt?
