Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration

Though it should surprise no one, Charles Oliveira is still far too much to handle for most lightweights on the planet.

In the co-main event of UFC 309 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City, “do Bronx” faced Michael Chandler in a rematch of their 2021 title fight. Oliveira was once again triumphant, this time putting on a clinic in all phases of MMA for four rounds before needing to hold on in the face of a late onslaught from the longtime Bellator star. Oliveira survived and held on to pick up a well-deserved unanimous decision and holds onto his No. 3 spot in our latest lightweight poll. He now figures to be a very interested observer at UFC 311 in January, where the only two men to defeat him in the last seven years, Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan, will square off for the title he once held.

Saturday’s main event featured far less drama, as Jon Jones defended his heavyweight title in a brutal drubbing of former champ Stipe Miocic. “Bones” set the tone early, grounding the former college wrestler with an easy-looking trip takedown and hammering him with elbows for most of Round 1. While Miocic survived, he fared no better in the subsequent rounds, with Jones dominating every minute of the fight before closing things out with a nasty kick to the body late in the third frame. While many fans had clamored for Jones to face interim champ Tom Aspinall rather than the long-inactive Miocic—and the choice to have Jones introduced as the “undisputed champion” raised some eyebrows—that unification bout likely looms early next year if Jones elects to remain at heavyweight. For now, the 37-year-old remains second in Sherdog’s heavyweight rankings behind Aspinall, though there was considerable discussion over whether he should bump the Brit from the top spot.

Jones was not the only ranked heavyweight to see action this weekend, as Marcin Tybura handed Brazilian prospect Jhonata Diniz his first career loss with a blood-soaked ground-and-pound onslaught at UFC 309. At the same time, halfway across the world in Tybura’s native Poland, Philip De Fries extended his string of successful KSW title defenses to an incredible 11 straight with a first-round stomping of Darko Stosic. Tybura remains 10th in the latest heavyweight poll while de Fries moves from No. 12 to No. 11.

In other ranked action on Saturday in Manhattan, Viviane Araujo edged out Karine Silva by decision, prevailing as a substantial underdog and showing some vulnerabilities in the previously surging prospect. Araujo and Silva hold on to their No. 11 and No. 12 spots respectively in the women's flyweight poll.

Finally, at Rizin FF: Landmark Vol. 10 on Saturday in Nagoya, Japan, Ayaka Hamasaki returned after more than two years away and picked up right where she left off, schooling Yu Ri Shim on the ground en route to a second-round submission win. The longtime divisional queen returns to the atomweight rankings at No. 7, and appears poised to be a factor in the title picture even at age 42.

The atomweight rankings are further shaken up this week by the departure of former Invicta FC champ Jillian DeCoursey. “Lionheart” exits the poll after 18 months of inactivity and with no upcoming bout scheduled in the division.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

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