The UFC middleweight rankings have been a place where many of the best MMA fighters over the last decade have resided. From Rich Franklin to Anderson Silva, and on to Israel Adesanya. The 185-pound division has been a place where some legendary competitors have plied their trade.
Curious about who the best middleweights in the world are right now? Then feast your eyes on our latest UFC middleweight rankings.
1. Dricus Du Plessis (23-2)
Dricus Du Plessis has put South African MMA on the map during his short career in the UFC. The rising star has been victorious in every one of his UFC fights and scored finishes. The most impressive came at UFC 290 when he stunned many observers by scoring a shocking knockout win over middleweight great Robert Whittaker.
However, he has continued that hot streak by not only beating division legend Israel Adesanya but also defeating former champion Sean Strickland twice. The most recent came at UFC 312 when he defended his belt for a second straight time. While he has his detractors, there is no doubt Du Plessis is the best middleweight in the world right now.
2. Nassourdine Imavov (16-4)
Nassourdine Imavov continues to quietly creep up our UFC middleweight rankings and is now a top-three fighter in the division. The 28-year-old continues to get better, and for any remaining doubters, he quieted them in a major way at UFC Riyadh when he scored a stunning second-round KO over division legend Israel Adesanya. A case can be made that he should be next in line for the winner of the Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland title rematch.
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3. Khamzat Chimaev (14-0)
The Khamzat Chimaev train continues to chug along dominantly. The Russian has won his first eight fights in the UFC, and if not for battling random illnesses over the last few years, he probably would have fought for the belt already.
In October at UFC 308, he got the biggest test of his career against Robert Whittaker. All “Borz” needed was 3:34 to make the former champion tap for the first time at middleweight, and reportedly dislocated his jaw in the process. Chimaev is a legit force of nature.
4. Sean Strickland (29-7)
Wildman Sean Strickland may not be the flashiest fighter in UFC middleweight history, but at UFC 293, he showed he has a championship skillset when he did the unthinkable and scored one of the biggest upsets in promotion history by defeating weight class legend Israel Adesanya.
However, since then, he has hit a bit of a slump by losing two of his last three, and his one victory was a split decision over Paolo Costa. After his latest defeat at UFC 312 to DDP, the former champ has a lot of work to do if he hopes to fight for middleweight gold again.
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5. Robert Whittaker (26-8)
Robert Whittaker will go down as one of the greatest UFC middleweights ever. He is a former champion that has many division records and has competed in some of its best fights of all time. Unfortunately, the Aussie has a ton of fight miles on his body and it has had an effect in recent years.
He is 3-3 in his last six and an UFC 308 loss to Khamzat Chimaev likely ended his dreams of another title fight. Nevertheless, he remains one of the best middleweights on earth.
6. Israel Adesanya (24-5)
Israel Adesanya is not only one of the best UFC middleweights ever, but when all is said and done, he will be viewed as one of the greatest fighters from his era. His place in UFC history is set, and he is guaranteed a Hall-of-Famer. But “father time” comes for us all, and that has been the case for the former champ over the last few years.
Following his championship loss in July, the hope was that he could bounce back with a win over rising star Nassourdine Imavov. But he looked a step behind in February, and it showed when he was handed a KO loss for just the second time in his MMA career.
7. Caio Borralho (17-1)
Caio Borralho is the fastest-rising fighter in the UFC’s middleweight division. Since a pair of wins on the Contender Series, the Brazilian has won seven straight inside the Octagon. While he had several notable wins on his way to landing a spot in our rankings, his victory over Jared Canonier at UFC Vegas 96 made his case for a top 10 position undeniable.
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8. Jared Cannonier (18-8)
Jared Cannonier is not the flashiest fighter in the UFC middleweight rankings, but he is as well-rounded as any competitor in the division. “The Killa Gorilla” had his shot to take down two-time champ Israel Adesanya in 2022 but came up short. Since then, he split his next four fights and has tumbled down our top 10.
However, with his relevancy on the line, the 40-year-old bounced back with a big win in February over Gregory Rodrigues. In the bout, he showed he is as tough and skilled as ever.
9. Anthony Hernandez (14-2)
Anthony Hernandez has quietly become one of the best middleweights in the world. After losing two of his first three and seeming on the edge of being cut “Fluffy” has reeled off seven straight victories. Arguably, the biggest yet came at UFC Seattle when he scored a co-main event win over Brendan Allen. The 31-year-old is statistically on pace to have the most takedowns in middleweight history and is a big problem at 185 pounds.
10. Reinier de Ridder (20-2)
Reinier de Ridder was a hidden gem in MMA as he grew his notoriety during an impressive run in ONE Championship that saw him win titles in two divisions. While some doubted how good he could be in the sport’s top promotion, he has quieted those concerns. In three bouts inside the Octagon, he has won three straight against name talent, scored finishes in each fight, with the most recent being a dominant win over super prospect Bo Nickal.