{"id":335483,"date":"2025-12-09T22:36:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T22:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/335483\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T22:36:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T22:36:14","slug":"new-ufc-champions-hit-pound-for-pound-list-after-ufc-323-big-winners-crack-rankings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/335483\/","title":{"rendered":"New UFC champions hit pound-for-pound list after UFC 323, big winners crack rankings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"59\">A busy night of action at UFC 323 produced a number of notable changes to the UFC rankings, and several fighters broke into the Top 15 of their divisions. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5c\">The final PPV event of the ESPN era was loaded with major names and exciting fights, and two titles changed hands in the main and co-main events when Joshua Van won the flyweight belt from Alexandre Pantoja via injury TKO and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/ufc-323-live-updates-ufc-results-highlights-round-by-round-scoring\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Petr Yan reclaimed the bantamweight belt <\/a>in his rematch with Merab Dvalishvili. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5f\">Several former champions were also in action on the UFC 323 main card, but Yan was the only one who managed to get his hand raised and return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ufc.com\/rankings\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the promotion\u2019s pound-for-pound rankings<\/a> in the process. <\/p>\n<p>Pound-For-Pound Rankings Shift After UFC 323<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5l\">Yan\u2019s victory sees the now two-time bantamweight king rejoin the UFC pound-for-pound list at #6, while Dvalishvili dropped down five places to #8. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5o\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-fighter-rebounds-failed-ufc-bid-savage-face-plant-ko\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MMA fighter rebounds from failed UFC bid with savage face plant finish<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5r\">Pantoja remains above Van in the pound-for-pound rankings following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-323-title-fight-cut-short-alexandre-pantoja-disgusting-arm-break\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the gruesome result of their fight<\/a>, but he did fall four places down to the #9 spot. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Van broke into the rankings for the first time and sits at #11, ahead of former UFC titleholders Dricus du Plessis, Magomed Ankalaev, Jack Della Maddalena, and top-ranked lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/01kc2bxyrmhp2w8p739a.jpg\" alt=\"Petr Yan (blue gloves)  reacts after the fight against Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena.\" title=\"Petr Yan (blue gloves)  reacts after the fight against Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena.\" width=\"4953\" height=\"3302\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"60\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Petr Yan (blue gloves)  reacts after the fight against Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"64\">All four of those fighters fell in the pound-for-pound rankings after UFC 323, but UFC Heavyweight Champion <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/dana-white-confusingly-clarifies-position-tom-aspinall-ufc-321-eye-poke\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tom Aspinall moved up one spot<\/a> to #7. Fellow UFC titleholders Alex Pereira and Alexander Volkanovski also jumped up two places each to to fill out the final two spaces of the Top 5, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-champion-khamzat-chimaev-changing-weight-classes-next-fight\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">middleweight king Khamzat Chimaev <\/a>is now ranked at #3 after moving up one spot. <\/p>\n<p>New UFC Fighters Break Into Divisional Top 15<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6a\">Outside of the pound-for-pound list and now-former Champions Pantoja and Dvalishvili dropping down to #1 contender status at flyweight and bantamweight, two-time flyweight titleholder Brandon Moreno dropped from #2 to #4 following a controversial loss to Tatsuro Taira. <\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6d\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/incredible-main-event-bautista-oliveira-first-ufc-fight-night-paramount\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Incredible main event reportedly set for first UFC Fight Night on Paramount<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6g\">Taira is now ranked at #3 and could be next in line to challenge for the flyweight belt, depending on the recovery timeline for Pantoja\u2019s injured arm. There was also some major movement in the lightweight Top 15 after UFC 323, as Manuel Torres debuts at #13 after upsetting Grant Dawson and Fares Ziam finally joins the rankings following his sixth-straight win.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/01kc2bwh57ggbtb308kt.jpg\" alt=\"Payton Talbott (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Henry Cejudo (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena.\" title=\"Payton Talbott (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Henry Cejudo (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena.\" width=\"5044\" height=\"3362\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6p\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Payton Talbott (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Henry Cejudo (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6t\">Maycee Barber did not move up in the women\u2019s flyweight rankings for defeating Karine Silva but did join the women\u2019s pound-for-pound list at #15, and Payton Talbott also cracked the bantamweight Top 15 and debuts at #12 after sending former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-legend-henry-cejudo-hilarious-shoutout-retirement-fight\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">two-division UFC titleholder Henry Cejudo<\/a> into retirement. <\/p>\n<p>More MMA Knockout News<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6z\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/dana-white-draws-critical-conclusion-about-henry-cejudo-s-ufc-323-retirement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dana White draws critical conclusion about Henry Cejudo&#8217;s UFC 323 retirement<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"72\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-324-adds-top-ranked-fighters-kick-off-new-paramount-deal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC 324 adds two more top-ranked fighters to kick off new Paramount deal<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"75\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/tai-tuivasa-end-losing-skid-tallison-teixeira-ko-artist-ufc-325\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC fan favorite aims to end losing skid against towering KO artist at UFC 325<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"78\">\u2022 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-champion-tom-aspinall-scary-update-eye-injuries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Champion Tom Aspinall shares scary update on eye injuries<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7b\">Stick with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMAKnockout<\/a>\u00a0for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-21\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7e\">Follow MMAKnockout on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MMAKnockoutSI\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/UFCKnockout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mmaknockoutsi\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A busy night of action at UFC 323 produced a number of notable changes to the UFC rankings,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":335484,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[444],"tags":[49,48,641,638,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-335483","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mma","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-fighting","11":"tag-mma","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335483\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}