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. After a pair of elite 185-pound fighters headlined UFC Paris over the weekend, take a look at our updated top 10 at middleweight.
10. Brendan Allen (25-7)
Brendan Allen was on fire and seemed primed for a title shot after winning seven straight. However, he was given a schedule against the best 185 had to offer, and he took a pair of tough losses to Anthony Hernandez and Nassourdine Imaov. However, at UFC 318, he bounced back in a big way with a hard-fought victory over former title challenger Marvin Vettori. The win showed he remains one of the 10 best middleweights in the world.
9. Robert Whittaker (26-9)
Robert Whittaker will go down as one of the greatest UFC middleweights ever. He is a former champion who 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 3-4 in his last seven, with the most recent being a tough split decision loss to former ONE star Renier de Ridder. The setback probably puts to rest the idea of fighting for middleweight gold ever again before his UFC career comes to a close.
8. Caio Borralho (17-1)
Caio Borralho is one of the fastest-rising fighters in the UFC’s middleweight division. Following a pair of wins on the Contender Series, the Brazilian won seven straight inside the Octagon, including over Jared Cannonier at UFC Vegas 96. However, his hot streak was put to a stop in September when it looked like he was a level below top contender Nassourdine Imavov. It was a major setback, but the Brazilian remains an elite talent at 185.
7. Reinier de Ridder (21-2)
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 four bouts inside the Octagon, he has won four straight against name talent and scored finishes in three of them.
However, his most recent victory was the best yet as he outworked and outpointed division legend Robert Whittaker in the main event of the company’s trip to Abu Dhabi. The Dutch fighter is becoming a problem at 185.
Related: UFC tonight – Watch times, fight card, and latest betting odds for this week’s UFC card
6. Anthony Hernandez (15-2)
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 eight straight victories. After beating Brendan Allen in February, he followed that up with an absolutely dominant win over Roman Dolidze in a main event clash in August.
5. 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.
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.
Related: How UFC Scoring Works – Everything You Need To Know About Winning Fights Inside The Octagon
3. Nassourdine Imavov (16-4)
Nassourdine Imavov has been on a tear over the last year that makes him completely worthy of a title opportunity in his next fight. He is unbeaten in his last five, and has scored wins over several top-10 fighters, including middleweight legend Israel Adesanya. In September, he got another main event opportunity and out-skilled and outpointed the fastest rising star, Caio Borralho. It was, arguably, his most impressive win yet.
Related: UFC Deaths – Taking a look into the ugly and violent side of cage fighting
2. Dricus Du Plessis (23-3)
Dricus Du Plessis has put South African MMA on the map during his career in the UFC. The middleweight star has been victorious in every one of his UFC fights and beat champions and legends en route to becoming a pound-for-pound fighter. However, he met his match at UFC 319 in Chimaev. After being dominated by “Borz,” the former champ may have to win a fight or two to get a second crack at the belt.
1. Khamzat Chimaev (15-0)
The Khamzat Chimaev train has reached the top of the mountain after a dominant run in the Octagon. “Borz” has become one of the sport’s most popular stars, but he got the chance to prove he is one of its best at UFC 319. And he dominantly did that over former middleweight king Dricus Du Plessis. The Chechen is an absolute monster and one of the scariest fighters on the planet.
Also Read: Khamzat Chimaev next fight – When will ‘Borz’ return to the Octagon?
