UFC featherweight rankings: Alexander Volkanovski returns to No. 1 spot after UFC 314
With that in mind, here is the official Sportsnaut top 10 for the organization's featherweight class.
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1. Alexander Volkanovski (27-4)
Alexander Volkanovski has solidified his place as the best featherweight of all time. However, trips up in weight for a second title and the rise of Ilia Topuria led to three straight losses for 'The Great' and speculation that his best days were behind him.
With Topuria choosing to leave the division and move up to lightweight, the Australian was gifted another chance at the 145-pound belt at UFC 314 when he faced Diego Lopes for the vacant title. In April, the legend turned back the clock one more time and proved he is still an elite fighter to become a two-time featherweight champ.
2. Movsar Evloev (19-0)
Movsar Evloev has been outstanding to begin his UFC career. He has won his first nine inside the Octagon and scored wins over proven featherweight veterans like Hakeem Dawodu and Dan Ige. He took another step closer to title contention when he scored a hard-fought victory over former bantamweight king Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310. While it wasn't easy, he was under pressure in a big moment and came through looking like a future title challenger.
3. Diego Lopes (26-7)
After making his UFC debut in a very difficult short-notice clash with Movsar Evloev, Diego Lopes has caught fire inside the Octagon. He has won five straight and scored wins over top 15 stalwarts Sodiq Yusuff, Dan Ige, and, most recently, a UFC 306 win over former title challenger Brian Ortega.
That is why he fought for gold at UFC 314. While he gave a solid effort, his loss to Alexander Volkanovski showed he still has some work to do if he wants to be a UFC champion one day.
4. Lerone Murphy (16-0-1)
England's Lerone Murphy has quietly become one of the best 145-pound fighters in the world. 'The Miracle' has won eight straight inside the Octagon, and none was bigger than his latest victory at UFC Vegas 105 over Josh Emmett. The American has been a stalwart of the top 10 for years, so scoring a win over one of the weight class's elite went a long way toward proving the undefeated has serious title contender potential
5. Yair Rodriguez (19-5)
After a period where he battled injuries and some tough losses, there was doubt as to whether Yair Rodriguez would ever reach his potential. He quieted all the uncertainty with massive wins over Brian Ortega and Josh Emmett. The latter made him the new interim champion. However, his reign was short-lived as Alexander Volkanovski took back the undisputed spot at UFC 290.
He then followed that up with another decisive loss in his home country to Brian Ortega in February. He entered UFC 314 in a must-win situation if he ever wanted to fight for UFC gold again. In a big fight welcoming Patricio Pitbull to the UFC, 'El Pantera' posted a dominant win to get his name back in the championship conversation.
6. Josh Emmett (19-5)
Over the last five years, few fighters at 145 pounds have been better and more consistent than Josh Emmett. Over his 15-fight UFC career, he has scored huge wins over fights like Shane Burgos, Calvin Kattar, Dan Ige and Bryce Mitchell. However, at 40, Father Time is tapping on his shoulder. While he is still a very good fighter, he has lost three of his last four fights, and his dream of one day fighting for UFC gold is done.
7. Arnold Allen (20-3)
There are few fighters who have been better than Arnold Allen over the last decade. His recent 11-fight win streak was one of the best in division history, and it turned him into one of the United Kingdom's top fighters. However, his title-contender hopes were derailed in a decisive loss to Max Holloway.
That was followed up by another setback to Movsar Evloev. However, he bounced back at UFC 304 with an important victory over talented striker Giga Chikadze.
8. Jean Silva (16-2)
If there were any doubts about how good Jean Silva is, he sent a massive message to the division at UFC 314. He passed a huge test by completely shutting down Bryce Mitchell's grappling and pummeled him on the feet. But even better, instead of getting another knockout win, he actually submitted the American. He has won 13 straight overall and all five in the Octagon. 'Lord' is a problem.
9. Aljamain Sterling (24-5)
After an outstanding run at bantamweight that should land him a run in the UFC Hall of Fame one day, Aljamain Sterling made the jump to featherweight in 2024. While he has split his first two in the division, he has faced elite-level competition in Calvin Kattar (win) and Movsar Evloev (loss). While he may never fight for gold at 145 pounds, he will be a big problem for any fighter in the top 10 for as long as he stays in it.
10. Youssef Zalal (17-5-1)
After losing three straight and being on the brink of being cut, Youssef Zalal has caught fire over the last three years. In that time, he has won seven straight, with the biggest yet coming in February when he scored a definitive win over top 15 stalwart Calvin Kattar.
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