The UFC light heavyweight rankings showcase some of the very best 205-pound fighters in the world. The division has often been a home of pound-for-pound talent and is that perfect middle ground between heavyweight-level power and well-rounded skills.
With that in mind, here is the official Sportsnaut top-10 for the UFC’s light heavyweight class.
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Latest UFC light heavyweight top 10
10. Azamat Murzakanvo (13-0)
Russian Azamat Murzakanov has quietly climbed up the 205-pound division in the UFC over the last few years. The heavy-hitter remains unbeaten inside the Octagon after four fights and owns a sparkling 13-0 record overall. If he can score a big win over Nikita Krylov in November, he will push his name into serious title contention early in 2025.
9. Aleksandar Rakic (14-5)
Aleksandar Rakic is a talented 205-pound fighter who is worthy of a spot in our rankings. However, he lands near the back of our top 10 after suffering three straight losses to three of the best light heavyweights on the planet. His most recent came at UFC 308 against Magomed Ankalaev. While he was very competitive in those losses, it has shown he is a very good but not elite competitor in the weight class.
8. Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1)
Even at an advanced age, Jan Blachowicz remains a high-level talent in the light heavyweight division. Unfortunately, he has dealt with a lot of tough luck over the last few years. He earned a draw against current champ Magomed Ankalaev. Then lost a controversial decision to former titlist Alex Pereira. Then he was on the wrong end of another close decision with Carlos Ulberg in March. The Polish fighter is still very good but father-time is having a real effect.
7. Carlos Ulberg (11-1)
Carlos Ulberg stumbled in his 2021 UFC debut but has caught fire since then. He has won eight straight inside the Octagon, including finishes in all but two of those victories. His most impressive victory yet came in March when he went toe-to-toe with former division king Jan Blachowicz. It sent a clear message to the rest of the weight class that “Black Jag” is a real threat and problem for the foreseeable future.
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6. Khalil Rountree (13-6)
It wasn’t long ago that Khalil Rountree had lost three of four and his career seemed to be sputtering into mediocrity. However, since his last defeat in January of 2021, he has won five straight, with four of those wins coming by knockout.
His most recent — and most important — victory came in December at UFC Vegas 83 when he handed top-10 stalwart Anthony Smith a second-round knockout loss. Surprisingly, the victory earned him a title fight in October despite a failed PED test. At UFC 307 he was very competitive early against Alex Pereira. However, the champ’s jab and constant pressure wore him down. He went out on his shield in Round 4 by TKO. The performance helps him keep his spot at No. 7.
5. Nikita Krylov (30-9)
After losing two straight, Ukrainian Nikita Krylov has racked up three straight wins. The most recent was a definitive first-round submission of uber-talented light heavyweight Ryan Spann. For much of his career, “The Miner” has always seemed like a nice but never very good fighter. However, he may be evolving into his best version and could move into title contention in 2025 with the right booking.
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4. Jamahal Hill (12-3)
Following a serious injury that forced him to vacate the title, Jamahal Hill was given a chance to regain his belt at UFC 300 versus Alex Pereira. However, he ended up being the latest victim in the rampage the Brazilian has undertaken since joining the promotion.
To kick off 2025, he had an opportunity to jump into the No. 1 contender spot in a big fight against fellow former champion Jiri Prochazka. However, the American was unable to come up with an answer to the power and unorthodox style of Prochazka’s. Falling by third-round KO. It is why he falls a couple of spots in our latest top 10.
3. Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1)
While Jiri Prochazka may not be the current champion, he is still viewed by many as one of the best fighters in the division. A serious shoulder injury derailed what could have been a memorable title run in 2023. After months of recovering, the Czech star returned at UFC 295 in an attempt to regain his belt. However, he fell to Alex Pereira and then again to the Brazilian at UFC 303.
However, he got a big bounce-back win at UFC 311 when he scored a third-round KO over former champ Jamahal Hill. While he may not get a title shot any time soon, the victory gets him headed in the right direction back toward the top.
2. Alex Pereira (12-3)
Alex Pereira’s UFC story is legendary. After nine fights, he became a two-division champion and scored destructive wins over some of the best fighters of this era, at middleweight and light heavyweight. The 37-year-old has been a revelation for the company and connected with the MMA fanbase with an approach to fighting similar to cage-fighting icon Fedor Emelianenko.
However, no fight is invincible and his fans found that out again at UFC 313 when he was on the wrong end of a razor-thin decision. Dropping his title to Magomed Ankalaev. It was his first loss at 205 pounds.
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1. Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1)
Magomed Anakalaev has been outstanding during his run in the promotion. He has just one surprise loss in 16 appearances and has scored wins over several of the division’s best, including Volkan Oezdemir, Anthony Smith, and Aleksandar Rakic. However, he proved he is the best in the world by scoring a hard-fought win against former division king Alex Pereira at UFC 313.