Image: John Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Middleweight
1. Israel Adesanya (24-2) | UFC [1]
Adesanya restored order to the middleweight division with a massive second-round knockout of Alex Pereira in the UFC 287 headliner. Not only did “The Last Stylebender” regain the belt he lost to his rival at UFC 281 last November, but he earned his first victory in the pair’s combat sports series — which now spans four bouts across kickboxing and MMA. Adesanya’s eight title fight victories rank second all-time at 185 pounds, and he has victories over the top five UFC middleweights currently ranked below him: Pereira, Robert Whittaker, Jared Cannonier, Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa.2. Alex Pereira (7-2) | UFC [2]
Pereira started out with a strong game plan in his middleweight championship rematch against Israel Adesanya at UFC 287, as he buckled his opponent repeatedly with a steady stream of calf kicks. That ultimately gave way to reckless aggression, however, and “Poatan” paid for it in the form of a brutal second-round knockout loss in Miami on April 8. Pereira still holds a 3-1 edge in the overall series with Adesanya, but don’t expect a trilogy to be imminent because the Brazilian announced shortly after the event that he is headed to the light heavyweight division.3. Robert Whittaker (24-6) | UFC [3]
While Israel Adesanya may have his number, Whittaker still remains a step above the rest of the UFC’s middleweight division. “The Reaper” proved that once again in the UFC Fight Night 209 co-main event, as he cruised to a clear-cut unanimous verdict over former title challenger Marvin Vettori at Accor Arena in Paris. The ex-champ has teased an eventual move to 205 pounds, but considering how successful he remains at middleweight against opponents not named Adesanya, that transition might not come to fruition just yet. After proposed clash against Paulo Costa at UFC 284 failed to materialize due to contract issues for his opponent, Whittaker has been booked against Dricus Du Plessis in a title eliminator at UFC 290.4. Jared Cannonier (16-6) | UFC [4]
After coming up short in his bid for middleweight gold against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276, Cannonier rebounded with a split-decision triumph against Sean Strickland in the UFC Fight Night 216 headliner. In a matchup where neither fighter made a definitive statement, Cannonier’s leg kicks, body work and occasional flurries of power punches were enough to earn the nod from two of three cageside judges. While “The Killa Gorilla” will undoubtedly take the victory, it wasn’t the type of performance that will significantly boost his status in the middleweight division. Next, he’ll face Marvin Vettori in the UFC on ESPN 46 headliner.5. Johnny Eblen (13-0) | Bellator [5]
Eblen authored a complete performance — including a massive suplex in Round 5 — in his first middleweight title defense, taking a five-round verdict over Anatoly Tokov in the Bellator 290 co-main event. After a solid run as a prospect, the American Top Team product has made a leap in his last three outings with impressive victories over Tokov, Gegard Mousasi and John Salter. In the midst of his prime at 31 years old, Eblen has the look of a someone who could have a lengthy reign in Bellator at 185 pounds.6. Marvin Vettori (19-6-1) | UFC [6]
A balanced standup attack and intelligent movement carried Vettori to a unanimous decision triumph against former training partner Roman Dolidze in main card matchup at UFC 286 in London. With the victory, “The Italian Dream” rebounds from a loss to Robert Whittaker in his lone appearance of 2022 and maintains his standing in the middleweight division. Since 2019, Vettori is 7-2 in UFC competition, with his only losses during that time coming to opponents who have held 185-pound gold: Whittaker and Israel Adesanya. Vettori will return to action against Jared Cannonier in the UFC on ESPN 46 main event on June 17.7. Paulo Costa (14-2) | UFC [7]
Costa returned to the win column for the first time since 2019 at UFC 278, as he captured a unanimous decision against former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold in the evening’s co-main event at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was an encouraging step forward for the Brazilian following back-to-back defeats and issues making weight in his previous Octagon appearance. However, ongoing contract issues with the promotion eventually led to Costa backing out of a proposed showdown against Robert Whittaker at UFC 284. After agreeing to terms on a new deal with the promotion, “Borrachinha” is targeting a number of big matchups for the remainder of 2023.8. Sean Strickland (26-5) | UFC [8]
Strickland proved himself to be a company man by stepping in on less than a week’s notice to face Nassourdine Imavov in the UFC Fight Night 217 main event, and even better for him, he earned a unanimous decision victory to snap a two-bout losing streak. That triumph came at 205 pounds, so it won’t factor too much into his standing in the middleweight division. However, it’s never a bad idea to endear yourself to UFC brass, which Strickland did by helping salvage the promotion’s first card of 2023. Strickland will get another featured spot when he faces Abus Magomedov in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card on July 19. Roman Dolidze (12-2) | UFC [9]
Dolidze’s four-fight Octagon winning streak came to an end at UFC 286, as he dropped a unanimous verdict against former middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori in London on March 18. Dolidze was competitive throughout and often had his opponent on his heels, but Vettori was just a little more well-rounded in a bout that was contested almost exclusively on the feet. Considering the close nature of the defeat, the 34-year-old Georgian figures to be in line for another ranked foe in his next appearances.10. Dricus Du Plessis (19-2) UFC [10]
Du Plessis rarely looks pretty in victory, but the South African has been undeniably effective thus far during his UFC tenure. That continued at UFC 285, where he rallied for a second-round stoppage victory over veteran gatekeeper Derek Brunson at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The former KSW champion has won seven straight fights — including five in a row in UFC competition. That sets him up for a title eliminator bout against ex-champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 290.Other Contenders: Chris Curtis, Fabian Edwards, Gegard Mousasi, Derek Brunson, Jack Hermansson.
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