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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. 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. That process concluded in May 2023, when Ngannou signed a deal with the Professional Fighters League. “The Predator” isn’t supposed to compete for the organization until 2024 as he pursues a pro boxing match, so his rankings eligibility will expire on July 22.2. Jon Jones (27-1, 1 NC) UFC [2]
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 will next focus on a UFC 295 showdown with ex-heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden for his first title defense.3. Sergei Pavlovich (18-1) | UFC [3]
Pavlovich flashed his prodigious power yet again in the UFC Fight Night 222 headliner, overwhelming Curtis Blaydes en route to a first-round technical knockout victory at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. That makes six consecutive first-round KO/TKO victories for the heavy-handed Russian, who cannot be ignored as a top-flight championship contender in the heavyweight division. He’ll likely have to wait for the UFC to book Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic first, however.4. Ciryl Gane (11-2) | UFC [4]
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. He’ll look to rebound when he meets Sergey Spivak in the UFC Paris main event on Sept. 2.5. Curtis Blaydes (17-4, 1 NC) | UFC [5]
For the second time in his UFC tenure, Blaydes’ rise to title contention was derailed by an opponent with otherworldly knockout power. “Razor” saw a three-bout winning streak come to an end in the UFC Fight Night 222 main event, where he was stopped by Sergei Pavlovich inside of a round. As it stands, Blaydes’ four UFC defeats are as follows: Pavlovich, Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou (twice). Next, he’ll look to slow the momentum of surging Brazilian Jailton Almeida at UFC Sao Paulo on Nov. 4.6. 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. After a year on the sidelines, Aspinall will return to action on home soil against Marcin Tybura at UFC Fight Night 224 in London.7. Alexander Volkov (36-10) | UFC [7]
Volkov essentially pitched a shutout against Alexander Romanov, as he thwarted his foe’s takedown attempts before earning a technical knockout stoppage from back mount 2:16 into the opening round of their encounter at UFC Fight Night 221. The former Bellator and M-1 Global heavyweight king has won three of his last four Octagon appearances and remains a solid litmus test for anyone hoping to make a move in the division’s Top 10.8. Tai Tuivasa (14-5) | UFC [8]
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.9. Marcin Tybura (24-7) | UFC [9]
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. He’ll face a stern test when he meets the returning Tom Aspinall at UFC Fight Night 224 in London on July 22.10. Sergey Spivak (16-3) UFC [10]
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: Jailton Almeida, Ryan Bader, Derrick Lewis, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Philip De Fries.
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