John
Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration

Justin
Gaethje is a bridesmaid no more.

After coming up short on the biggest stage on two occasions, “The
Highlight” became an undisputed UFC champion for the first time in
his career by authoring perhaps his best performance to date. By
shutting down Ilia
Topuria’s race to GOAT status in the UFC White House main event
with a fourth-round stoppage victory, Gaethje single-handedly
altered the entire course of the UFC’s lightweight division. While
there’s a distinct possibility that Gaethje decides to end his
career on a high note, his ascent to the No. 1 ranking is well
deserved. Topuria, meanwhile, stays put at No. 2 and seems more
likely to remain at 155 pounds for the foreseeable future.

Another key component of the lightweight picture is the previously
top-ranked Islam
Makhachev, who hasn’t competed in the division since January
2025 and is awaiting his first 170-pound title defense. With little
to no chance of a return to 155 pounds in the near future,
Makhachev exits the poll entirely.

In the evening’s co-headliner, Ciryl Gane
extinguished Alex
Pereira’s dreams of becoming the UFC’s first ever
three-division champion, and he did so in emphatic fashion with a
second-round technical knockout victory. Gane becomes a two-time
interim champion in victory, but he has unfinished business to
handle. The win should set up a rematch with current undisputed
heavyweight king Tom
Aspinall, as soon as the Brit fully recovers from the eye
injury he suffered in their first meeting this past October. As for
the big man rankings, a majority of the Sherdog.com staff was
impressed enough with “Bon Gamin” to vote him to the No. 1 position
ahead of Aspinall and former foe Francis
Ngannou.

Also at heavyweight, title hopeful Josh Hokit
kept his momentum going by wearing down Derrick
Lewis on the mat and on the feet en route to a second-round
technical knockout victory. “The Incredible Hok” is now 4-0 in UFC
competition, and with back-to-back wins over Lewis and Curtis
Blaydes, looks like an emerging contender at heavyweight. For
now, he stays put at No. 7 in the divisional poll. As for Lewis, a
pair of lackluster showings jettison the promotion’s all-time KO
leader from the heavyweight rankings. Taking his place is
Australian prospect Brando
Pericic, who has finished his first three UFC opponents by KO
or TKO.

Sean
O’Malley made a statement against Aiemann
Zahabi, ending the Tristar Gym product’s seven-bout promotional
winning streak with a walk-off technical knockout victory in a
bantamweight pairing. After a pair of discouraging losses in title
bouts to Merab
Dvalishvili, “Suga” has rebounded to post back-to-back triumphs
over Zahabi and Yadong
Song. If Petr Yan bests
Merab
Dvalishvili in their expected trilogy bout, O’Malley could have
a legitimate claim at another 135-pound title shot.

Elsewhere, Mauricio
Ruffy capitalized on a mismatch, as he overwhelmed a past-his
prime Michael
Chandler, putting the ex-Bellator champ away with a spinning
wheel kick and follow-up punches in the opening stanza of their
lightweight clash. Chandler, who has lost six of his last seven
Octagon appearances, isn’t the feather in the cap he once was — but
with the rest of the movement at 155 pounds, Ruffy climbs to No. 9
in the latest update.

To kick off the card, Diego Lopes
weathered a rough start, rallying for a second-round technical
knockout victory over Steve
Garcia in a featherweight tilt. By ending his opponent’s
seven-bout promotional winning streak, Lopes is able to maintain
his No. 3 ranking at 145 pounds. However, another title shot might
be difficult to come by as long as Alexander
Volkanovski reigns atop the division. There is one change on
the featherweight bubble, as 2024 PFL champ Timur
Khizriev has reached his inactivity threshold. His exit clears
the way for Aaron Pico
to join the poll at No. 15.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

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