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Jon Jones celebrates after winning during the UFC heavyweight championship fight against Ciryl Gane in 2023.
UFC 298 was no different as Ilia Topuria’s stunning second-round knockout win Saturday, February 17 over Alexander Volkanovski at the Honda Center in Anaheim saw him rocket up the pound-for-pound charts.
The UFC has 15 fighters it regards as the best in its roster, regardless of weight class.
As of the last update, here is the current top-15:
1. Jon Jones
2. Kamaru Usman
3. Francis Ngannou
4. Israel Adesanya
5. Alexander Volkanovski
6. Stipe Miocic
7. Robert Whittaker
8. Dustin Poirier
9. Max Holloway
10. Petr Yan
11. Jan Blachowicz
12. Aljamain Sterling
13. Ilia Topuria
14. Conor McGregor
15. Charles Oliveira
Out of all the names listed above, it is Topuria’s who is new to the list.
Topuria announced himself as a key player in mixed martial arts when he knocked out Volkanovski and then called out Conor McGregor in his post-fight interview.
“Conor McGregor, if you still have some balls, I will be waiting for you,” Topuria said on the ESPN broadcast after the official confirmation of his win.
Since Saturday, Topuria’s fame has escalated as he received praise from one of the world’s best-known soccer teams Real Madrid, and even graced the cover of Spain’s biggest sports publication MARCA.
“Congratulations on your historic triumph for Spanish sport,” the soccer club, which is home to stars like Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham, tweeted.
“We are proud that a great Real Madrid fan like you has become UFC world champion.”
MMA Junkie reporter Danny Segura, meanwhile, tweeted the MARCA cover story that featured Topuria.
“As mainstream as it gets,” Segura said.
MARCA, the biggest sports publication in Spain, had Ilia Topuria as the cover of their daily publication.
The fact that a soccer player is not on the cover is insane. Those who follow MARCA know how crazy this is. As mainstream as it gets.
In the world of combat sports and UFC, there is a rising star named Topuria. He has recently called for a fight against McGregor, hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Irishman and become a crossover superstar. However, even if the McGregor fight doesn’t happen, Topuria has the potential to make a name for himself.
Another potential opponent for Topuria could emerge in April. Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje are set to battle it out in their ‘BMF’ title bout at UFC 300. While this fight is in the lightweight division, if Holloway is victorious, he could earn a shot at Topuria’s featherweight title.
Moving on to the pound-for-pound rankings, former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has dropped to No.13. Strickland had a successful run when he took the title from Israel Adesanya in September 2023. However, in his first defense, he faced Dricus du Plessis and suffered a split decision loss on January 20, 2024.
Du Plessis, on the other hand, has been climbing up the rankings and currently holds the No.9 spot. The future of the middleweight division is uncertain, but potential matchups that could generate significant revenue include du Plessis vs. Adesanya and Strickland vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
Looking ahead, the UFC has two upcoming Fight Night events. The first will take place on February 24 in Mexico City, followed by another event on March 2 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The next pay-per-view show, which could shake up the pound-for-pound rankings, is scheduled for March 9. Sean O’Malley and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera will headline UFC 299 in Florida.
In conclusion, the world of combat sports and UFC is constantly evolving. Topuria, Holloway, Strickland, and du Plessis are all fighters to keep an eye on as they navigate their respective divisions. The upcoming events promise excitement and potential shifts in the pound-for-pound rankings.
According to the Source heavy.com