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Rankings Report | Week of February 26, 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 take a look at which spots are on the line at UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev.
Two divisions – flyweight and featherweight - saw updates to their rankings following UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Royval 2.
Flyweight
Flyweight contender Brandon Royval emerged victorious over fan-favorite Brandon Moreno in their main event clash, securing his position as the No. 1 contender in the rankings, a two-spot climb.
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Consequently, Moreno slid down to No. 2, with Amir Albaza taking the No. 3 position.
Featherweight
Brian Ortega's third-round submission of Yair Rodriguez propelled him up the rankings to No. 3, while Rodriguez fell to No. 4 as a result.
Rankings On The Line This Weekend At UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev
There are four fights coming up at UFC APEX this weekend that feature at least one ranked fighter.
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Kicking off the main card is a flyweight showdown between No. 9 contender Matt Schnell and No. 12 Steve Erceg. Schnell has had quite an absence from the Octagon, as his last two scheduled bouts, slated for UFC 289 and 295, were both called off.
Meanwhile, Erceg boasts a clean record in the UFC and aims to extend his impressive 10-fight winning streak this weekend to break into the competitive Top 10 of the division.
Then, No. 16 bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov aims to prolong his remarkable unbeaten run to 17 victories. It's been nearly a year since Nurmagomedov's last appearance at UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Imavov, where he secured a first-round knockout against Raoni Barcelos.
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Now, he is set to face off against the unranked Bekzat Almakhan. While this marks Almakhan's debut in the UFC Octagon, he poses a formidable challenge for Nurmagomedov with his impressive 17-1 professional record. This bantamweight bout promises to be action-packed, as both fighters aim to extend their winning streaks.
In the middle of the main card, we have No.7 flyweight Alex Perez vs No. 8 Muhammad Mokaev. Perez's journey dates back to the first season of Dana White's Contender Series, where he earned his UFC spot with a first-round submission victory over Kevin Gray. Having faced names like Deiveson Figueredo and Alexandre Pantoja, Perez is looking to bounce back from his recent loss against the current flyweight champ.
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On the other hand, "The Punisher" arrives with an impressive unbeaten record, culminating in a third-round submission victory over Tim Elliott at UFC 294. The clash between these fiercely competitive athletes promises to be an action-packed spectacle on Saturday night.
The main event showcases No. 12 heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who takes on the unranked Shamil Gaziev. Rozenstruik recently suffered a first-round submission defeat to Jailton Almeida.
At the same time, Gaziev managed to burst onto the UFC scene with a first-round submission victory on Dana White's Contender Series. He followed this by scoring a first-round TKO triumph over Martin Buday in his promotional debut. Saturday's main event promises an intriguing battle, as Rozenstruik seeks to maintain his ranking against the emerging heavyweight talent.
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