The rankings were refreshed following last weekend’s third UFC event of the year.
Several standout performances from UFC Vegas 113 were recognized after their debut at the 2026 Meta Apex.
However, the overall excitement was somewhat muted, which isn’t surprising given the event featured several fights with back-to-back finishes.
One exception was Alex Pereira, who pushed for a ranking spot after witnessing his former opponent secure three straight knockout wins.
His efforts were rewarded with an updated ranking released on February 10th.
Dustin Jacoby is nearing the record for most finishes inside the Octagon in the light heavyweight division after a successful return last weekend.
Bouncing back from two consecutive defeats, Jacoby has stopped each of his last three opponents.
The American, who has a kickboxing history with Alex Pereira, defeated Julius Walker on Saturday, moving up to 14th in the rankings.
Although Jacoby gained ground, the biggest ranking leap was seen in the heavyweight division.
Despite some fan dissatisfaction with Jaylton Almeida’s performance, his conqueror, Rizvan Kniev, will be unfazed.
By defeating notable names such as Almeida, Kniev surged from unranked to the number six contender spot in the heavyweight rankings.
Mario Bautista delivered a commanding win Saturday but, due to facing a lower-ranked opponent, he moved up just one place to number eight in bantamweight.
His rival, Vinicius Oliveira, saw his winning streak snapped and dropped one spot to 12th.
In the flyweight division, Kyoji Horiguchi has climbed three positions into the top five after securing consecutive victories since his UFC return last year.
Fan Take:
These ranking updates highlight the dynamic shifts within UFC divisions, keeping fight fans engaged with emerging contenders and surprises. It demonstrates how every fight, regardless of hype, can significantly impact the trajectory of fighters’ careers and the evolving landscape of the sport.
