Jack Della Maddalena: A new champion emerges. Alexander Volkanovski: Champion once more.
Recent UFC events, specifically UFC 315 and UFC 314, brought significant changes to the landscape. Jack Della Maddalena successfully challenged and defeated Belal Muhammad to claim the welterweight title, while Alexander Volkanovski secured the vacant featherweight belt in a hard-fought contest against Diego Lopes, becoming a two-time champion.
These results directly influenced the Men`s Pound-for-Pound rankings for May. Belal Muhammad, previously ranked No. 5, dropped sharply by eight positions to No. 13 following his title defense loss. In contrast, Jack Della Maddalena made a dramatic leap from being unranked straight into the No. 9 spot after capturing gold and extending his impressive winning streak to 18. The new champion hasn`t suffered a professional defeat since his initial two bouts in 2016 and has the potential to cause further disruption in the rankings with a potential future clash against Islam Makhachev.
Alexander Volkanovski also saw a notable ascent, climbing from No. 13 to No. 8. After his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, his ranking understandably fell, and many assumed the veteran fighter might continue to decline. However, his inspiring performance against Lopes not only re-established him as a UFC champion but also solidified his return to the top 10, suggesting he can maintain a high ranking for the foreseeable future.
On the women`s side, the rankings also experienced considerable movement thanks to the performances of Natalia Silva and Virna Jandiroba. These Brazilian standouts have bolstered their case for title contention, potentially delaying a highly anticipated Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili superfight. At UFC 315, Silva earned a decisive victory over former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso, while Jandiroba secured her fifth consecutive win with a decision over recent strawweight title challenger Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314.
While a superfight between Zhang and Shevchenko remains a possibility, Silva and Jandiroba have significantly elevated their positions. They have demonstrated they are not only deserving of a championship opportunity but also capable of rapidly climbing the Pound-for-Pound list. Silva soared 11 places to tie at No. 5 with Manon Fiorot, who recently delivered a spirited effort against Shevchenko. Jandiroba also made a substantial jump, gaining seven spots to reach No. 11.
Additionally, since the most recent update in March, former champion Leon Edwards suffered a one-sided defeat at the hands of Sean Brady. While this loss didn`t immediately propel Brady into the rankings (though he did receive votes), it caused Edwards to fall significantly from No. 12 completely out of the top 15.
Meanwhile, Jon Jones`s ranking continues to drop, emphasizing the need for him to return to active competition to maintain his standing.
