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Heavyweight
1. Francis Ngannou (17-3) | UFC [1]
Ngannou displayed a significant step in his evolution at UFC 270, as he relied on takedowns and positional control to grind out a unanimous decision win over Ciryl Gane to unify the heavyweight title at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. While it wasn’t the most thrilling performance, the effort speaks volumes about Ngannou’s resolve, when in previous fights he struggled to do anything of note when forced to go past the second round. After being sidelined for the remainder of 2022 due to knee surgery, Ngannou was unable to come to terms with the UFC for a deal to defend his heavyweight crown against Jon Jones. As a result, he was stripped of his belt and granted his release, making him one of the most coveted free agents in combat sports. If “The Predator” doesn’t book an MMA bout by July 22, his rankings eligibility will expire.2. Jon Jones (27-1, 1 NC) UFC [NR]
After a three-year absence, Jones looked as strong as ever in a new division, authoring a first-round submission triumph against Ciryl Gane in the UFC 285 headliner on March 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In victory, “Bones” staked his claim to GOAT status while adding heavyweight gold to his trophy case. The longtime light heavyweight king has set his sights on a showdown with ex-heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic for his first title defense, with UFC 290 looking like an ideal landing spot for the bout.3. Ciryl Gane (11-2) | UFC [2]
Gane offered little resistance against Jon Jones at UFC 285, succumbing to a guillotine choke just 2:04 into the opening round of their heavyweight championship headliner at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 4. His interim title victory aside, “Bon Gamin” is now 0-2 in fights where the undisputed belt is at stake, and in both cases his wrestling has emerged as a glaring weakness. The Frenchman nonetheless has a skillset that can cause problems for much of the division, and as a relatively newcomer to MMA, it’s not inconceivable to envision him making considerable improvements in the coming years.4. Sergei Pavlovich (17-1) | UFC [3]
Pavlovich authored a frightening performance at UFC on ESPN 42, battering and dropping Tai Tuivasa on multiple occasions en route to a first-round stoppage victory. The Russian has won five straight via knockout or technical knockout since falling to Alistair Overeem in his UFC debut — including wins over Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis in less than a minute apiece. The Eagles MMA representative is as fearsome a finisher as there is in the heavyweight division, and he appears to be knocking on the door of a title shot. He can make his case in a main-event matchup with Curtis Blaydes on April 22.5. Tai Tuivasa (14-5) | UFC [4]
In what was billed as a heavyweight slugfest, Tuivasa was overwhelmed by the punching power of Sergei Pavlovich en route to a 54-second knockout loss at UFC on ESPN 42 in Orlando. After compiling a five-bout winning streak from October 2020 to February 2022, “Bam Bam” has suffered back-to-back KO defeats at the hands of Pavlovich and Ciryl Gane. The affable Aussie has proven in the past that he can bounce back from a losing streak, and he figures to remain one of the most popular fighters in the organization regardless of what the future might hold.6. Curtis Blaydes (17-3, 1 NC) | UFC [5]
For the second consecutive fight, Blaydes faced a rising contender in the heavyweight division at UFC Fight Night 208 in London. Though he was once again victorious, the method was not what “Razor” would have preferred, as the bout ended when Tom Aspinall suffered an apparent knee injury just 15 seconds into Round 1. That unfortunate ending aside, Blaydes is still 7-1 in the UFC’s heavyweight division since 2019 — with his lone loss during that stretch coming via KO against Derrick Lewis. Blaydes will get a chance to solidify himself as a title contender when he faces Sergei Pavlovich on April 22.7. Tom Aspinall (12-3) | UFC [6]
Aspinall entered UFC Fight Night 208 with a chance to cement himself as perhaps the top contender in the heavyweight division with a victory over Curtis Blaydes. Instead, a knee injury short-circuited those hopes 15 seconds after the headlining bout began. Not only does Aspinall see an eight-fight professional winning streak—including five victories in UFC competition—come to an end, but he could be facing a lengthy road to recovery before he returns to the Octagon.8. Alexander Volkov (35-10) | UFC [7]
Volkov returned to the win column in emphatic fashion at UFC Fight Night 207, when he dispatched Jairzinho Rozenstruik with power punches 2:12 into the opening round of their heavyweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The former Bellator and M-1 Global champion flashed the power in his hands in earning his 23rd career KO/TKO victory, and he maintains his relevance in the division. Volkov will next face Alexander Romanov at UFC Fight Night 221.9. Marcin Tybura (24-7) | UFC [8]
Tybura’s UFC Fight Night 218 matchup with Blagoy Ivanov was predictably ugly, but as has often been the case, the Pole thrived in that situation, earning a three-round verdict over a notoriously durable adversary. The former M-1 Global champion has quietly been victorious in seven of his last eight Octagon appearances, a run that includes triumphs over the likes of Ivanov, Alexander Romanov, Ben Rothwell and Sergey Spivak.10. Sergey Spivak (16-3) UFC [9]
Spivak made a statement to the rest of the heavyweight division at UFC Fight Night 218, as he tossed Derrick Lewis all over the Octagon en route to an impressive first-round submission triumph. “The Polar Bear” has now won three straight fights — all inside the distance — and six of his last seven within the Las Vegas-based promotion. While his callout of Jon Jones was probably a little ambitious, Spivak certainly deserves another ranked opponent in his next outing.Other Contenders: Ryan Bader, Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Philip De Fries, Valentin Moldavsky.
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