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FIGHT ODDS

Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Tristen CritchfieldDec 05, 2022
John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration


Stephen Thompson put on quite the show.

Matched up with an opponent willing to engage in his area of strength, “Wonderboy” gradually picked apart a game Kevin Holland in the UFC on ESPN 42 headliner, forcing a corner stoppage after four rounds at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. on Saturday night. Thompson won’t always get a foe so willing to cede top control, but the South Carolina native remains as dangerous as anyone in the welterweight division in a standup battle. After a victory in a bout that figures to garner at least a few “Fight of the Year” votes, Thompson gets to keep his No. 8 ranking at 170 pounds.

Elsewhere, Sergei Pavlovich continued his ascent up the heavyweight ladder with a 54-second thrashing of Tai Tuivasa in a featured bout at UFC on ESPN 42. The Russian has five straight KO/TKO finishes in UFC competition, and with that streak comes a newly-minted No. 3 ranking — just behind Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane. If the oft-discussed Jon Jones heavyweight debut doesn’t come to fruition, Pavlovich appears to be a strong candidate to challenge for championship gold.

Meanwhile, thanks to a creative finish that blended a calf slicer with some ground-and-pound, Roman Dolidze vanquished Jack Hermansson via second-round technical knockout at UFC Orlando. The Georgian has won four straight UFC appearances and and six of seven in the Octagon overall — clearing the way for his middleweight rankings debut at No. 10. There was also some significant flyweight action over the weekend, as Matheus Nicolau made his case for a flyweight title shot with a second-round KO of Matt Schnell, while Jarred Brooks claimed ONE’s 125-pound belt with a five-round verdict over Joshua Pacio. Nicolau isn’t able to climb the rankings, but Brooks enters the poll at No. 12. Finally, Angela Hill makes her way into the strawweight rankings at No. 15 after besting Emily Ducote for her second consecutive victory.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

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