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Rankings Report | Week of February 12, 2024
See Which Fighters Moved Up And Down In The Latest Edition Of The Rankings
The latest updates to the UFC rankings across all divisions are here. Take a look at which fighters moved up and down in the most recent edition and see which rankings are on the line at UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria.
How To Watch UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria In Your Country
Two divisions – featherweight and middleweight - saw updates to their rankings following UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer.
Featherweight
Over the weekend, featherweight contender Dan Ige secured a first-round knockout victory against Andre Fili. His impressive one-and-done shot not only earned him a $50,000 bonus but also propelled him up the featherweight rankings, with Ige now at No. 12, swapping positions with Sodiq Yusuff, who now occupies the No. 13 spot.
Middleweight
Khamzat Chimaev's ranking fell by two positions, allowing Roman Dolidze to move up to No. 9 and Jack Hermansson to climb to No. 10.
Meanwhile, Caio Borralho and Anthony Hernandez exchanged rankings, with Borralho securing the No. 14 spot and Hernandez now positioned at No. 15.
Rankings On The Line This Weekend At UFC 298
At UFC 298 this weekend, thirteen rankings are up for grabs as the event features multiple bouts between ranked fighters.
The opening match of UFC 298 will see No. 15 Andrea Lee face off against the unranked Miranda Maverick. Both flyweights are entering the bout off recent victories, and the winner will likely have a ranking next week. It will be intriguing to see which fighter emerges victorious and climbs up the rankings.
The preliminary fight between heavyweights No. 15 Marcos Rogerio de Lima and unranked Justin Tafa is scheduled for Saturday night. Despite de Lima's experience against some formidable opponents, Tafa has impressively scored knockouts in all of his UFC wins. It will be intriguing to see if de Lima can withstand Tafa's powerful strikes and defend his spot in the rankings.
UFC 298 Breakdown | Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria
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UFC 298 Breakdown | Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria
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Closing out the prelims will be the match between No. 3 Amanda Lemos and No. 7 Mackenzie Dern. Originally scheduled to face Tatiana Suarez, former title challenger Lemos now finds herself up against Dern, who has stepped in as a replacement. This presents another significant test for Dern, who in her previous fight faced former champion Jessica Andrade and suffered a TKO defeat. It will be intriguing to observe what lessons Dern has gleaned from that experience and how she applies them in her bout against Lemos.
MORE UFC 298: Dom Cruz Breaks Down Main Event | MMA Coaches React | Merab Ahead | Co-Main Preview
Opening the main card is No. 15 Anthony Hernandez versus rising star Roman Kopylov. Both middleweights will look to build on their five-fight win streaks, and while Hernandez will fight to keep his spot in the rankings, Kopylov will look to steal it as he comes in last minute to replace Ikram Aliskerov. Both athletes are essentially in their prime, and it will be a banger of a fight to open up the main card.
This weekend, No. 2 Merab Dvalishvili and No. 3 Henry Cejudo will battle it out. Dvalishvili enters the match riding a nine-fight winning streak, while Cejudo is coming off a recent loss. Both fighters possess exceptional all-around skills, but if Dvalishvili can maintain his relentless pressure and avoid Cejudo's strikes, he stands a chance to secure a victory through attrition. Conversely, if Cejudo can leverage his wrestling defensively and capitalize on openings for his strikes, he could potentially notch another win in his illustrious career.
Next up, No. 8 Geoff Neal and No. 10 Ian Machado Garry are set to face off. Neal enters the bout with a 7-3 UFC record, with his most recent defeat against Shavkat Rakhmonov. On the other hand, Garry boasts an unblemished UFC record of 6-0 and hopes to extend it to 7-0 on Saturday night, aiming to further ascend the welterweight rankings.
There's been significant activity in the middleweight division, and it appears it will persist as the co-main event features No. 3 middleweight Robert Whittaker facing off against No. 6 Paulo Costa. Whittaker, the former middleweight champion, is coming off a loss to current champion Dricus Du Plessis, while Costa has been absent from the Octagon since his UFC 278 victory over Luke Rockhold.
Whittaker is widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded middleweights in the sport, while Costa is recognized for his formidable power. This bout promises to be an exciting opportunity for both fighters to make a push back towards the top.
With the featherweight championship up for grabs this weekend, reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski will once again strive to defend his title, this time against No. 3 ranked contender Illia Topuria.
Ilia Topuria Sits Down With Jon Anik | UFC 298
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Ilia Topuria Sits Down With Jon Anik | UFC 298
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Topuria enters the Octagon undefeated, having most recently secured a victory over Josh Emmett in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria. Meanwhile, Volkanovski's last outing saw him challenging for the lightweight title, but he fell short after suffering a first-round knockout loss to Islam Makhachev.
The upcoming fight promises excitement as fans await to see if Volkanovski can retain his status as the featherweight champion or if a new titleholder is crowned.
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria took place live from Honda Center in Anaheim, California on February 17, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
