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Middleweight
1. Alex Pereira (9-2) | UFC [1]
Pereira has proven to be a quick study in MMA, as he became the ninth two-division champion in promotion history by virtue of a second-round stoppage of Jiri Prochazka in the UFC 295 headliner. It only took “Poatan” seven UFC appearances to capture gold at 185 and 205 pounds after conquering two divisions in Glory Kickboxing, making him one of the most accomplished combat sport athletes in recent memory. Next, the Brazilian will defend his title against former champ Jamahal Hill in the UFC 300 headliner.2. Dricus Du Plessis (21-2) UFC [2]
Du Plessis made it nine consecutive triumphs in the UFC 297 headliner, as he outdueled Sean Strickland over five rounds to claim the middleweight crown in a closely-contested split decision victory. The South African struggled with his opponent’s precise jab early, but he was able to vary his attacks enough down the stretch to get the nod on the scorecards. A showdown with ex-champ Israel Adesanya — a rivalry that was building heat last year — looms as a potentially interesting clash further down the calendar in 2024.3. Sean Strickland (28-6) | UFC [3]
Strickland certainly had his moments in the UFC 297 main event — particularly with his trademark jab — but it ultimately wasn’t enough to combat the varied offense of Dricus Du Plessis, who wrested the middleweight belt from the controversial American with a hard-fought split-decision triumph. Strickland, who had a three-bout winning streak snapped in defeat, doesn’t figure to fall too far from championship contention given the competitive nature of the fight.4. Israel Adesanya (24-3) | UFC [4]
Adesanya authored one of the most perplexing performances by a champion in recent memory, falling to the lightly regarded Sean Strickland via unanimous decision in the UFC 293 headliner in Sydney. “The Last Stylebender” has now lost two of his last three outings at 185 pounds, and it could be some time before the Nigerian-born Kiwi returns to the Octagon.5. Robert Whittaker (25-7) | UFC [5]
After a surprising loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290, Whittaker showed he still has plenty left tank by outpointing former title challenger Paulo Costa in the UFC 298 co-main event. “The Reaper” shook off being wobbled by his opponent in Round 1 and rallied to pull away thanks to superior volume and striking over the bout’s final 10 minutes. While Whittaker is no longer the consensus No. 2 in the division as he was when Israel Adesanya reigned, he’s still clearly one of the top talents at 185 pounds.6. Johnny Eblen (15-0) | Bellator [6]
Eblen got a tougher-than-expected test at PFL vs. Bellator, where he was dropped and hurt in the second stanza before holding on for a split-decision triumph over 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay on Feb. 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While his struggles put a damper on Eblen’s “Best Middleweight in the World” campaign, it was nonetheless encouraging that the American Top Team product was able to persevere through adversity to remain undefeated.7. Jared Cannonier (17-6) | UFC [7]
Even at 39 years old, Jared Cannonier still seems to be improving. The MMA Lab product poured on the volume against Marvin Vettori in the UFC on ESPN 47 headliner, winning a clear-cut unanimous decision and setting a middleweight record for significant strikes landed in the process. “The Killa Gorilla” has won four of his last five Octagon appearances dating back to 2021, with his lone defeat coming at the hands of Israel Adesanya in a 185-pound title bout.8. Marvin Vettori (19-7-1) | UFC [8]
After nearly earning a finish in the opening stanza, Vettori was battered for the next four frames in a unanimous decision loss to Jared Cannonier in the UFC on ESPN 47 main event. “The Italian Dream” may have been too tough for his own good, as he absorbed a UFC middleweight record 241 significant strikes — including numerous heavy right hands from his opponent. Vettori has lost three of his last five outings and may be facing an uphill climb to get back into the middleweight title picture.9. Nassourdine Imavov (13-4, 1 NC) | UFC [9]
Imavov started quickly, then held on for a sometimes-ugly majority decision triumph over Roman Dolidze in the UFC 235 main event on Feb. 3 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. While it is concerning that the Frenchman couldn’t put his fading opponent away after nearly scoring a stoppage in Round 1, Imavov gets a much-needed victory following a winless 2023 and immediately becomes a person of interest in the UFC’s middleweight division.10. Paulo Costa (14-3) | UFC [10]
Costa had Robert Whittaker reeling late in the opening stanza off their co-main event bout at UFC 298, but the Brazilian was unable to capitalize on that moment. Ultimately, Whittaker pulled away down the stretch for a unanimous decision triumph, but Costa was nonetheless competitive in defeat. Still, “Borrachinha” is just 1-3 in the Octagon since 2020, with his lone victory coming against a faded Luke Rockhold in August 2022.Other Contenders: Brendan Allen, Roman Dolidze, Fabian Edwards, Gegard Mousasi, Jack Hermansson.
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