Ilia Topuria Named UFC’s No. 1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter After Crushing UFC 317 Victory
Ilia Topuria is now officially the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, surpassing Islam Makhachev in today’s official rankings release.
The undefeated Spanish-Georgian phenom’s first-round knockout win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 sealed the deal.
Already the featherweight champion, Topuria’s leap to lightweight and dismantling of a former titleholder left no doubt that he belongs at the top of the sport.
He now sits atop the rankings with a perfect 16–0 record and an ever-growing list of finishes.
Updated Pound For Pound Rankings
Here is the simplified UFC Men’s Pound-for-Pound Rankings (July 1, 2025) — with rank and status removed, showing just the fighter, record, and weight class:
| Fighter | Record |
|---|---|
| Ilia Topuria | 17–0 |
| Islam Makhachev | 27–1 |
| Merab Dvalishvili | 20–4 |
| Dricus du Plessis | 23–2 |
| Alexandre Pantoja | 30–5 |
| Alexander Volkanovski | 27–4 |
| Magomed Ankalaev | 20–1–1 (1 NC) |
| Jack Della Maddalena | 18–2 |
| Tom Aspinall | 15–3 |
| Alex Pereira | 12–3 |
Three-Fight KO Run That Changed Everything
In less than eight months, Topuria knocked out three elite names in two divisions Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and now Charles Oliveira in devastating fashion.
This stretch, detailed in Ilia Topuria’s three-fight KO run, is arguably one of the most violent and efficient title runs in recent UFC memory.
Islam Makhachev’s Move Clears the Way
Former pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev has moved up to welterweight, vacating his lightweight dominance to pursue two-division glory.
He’s now set to face Jack Della Maddalena (JDM) in late 2025, possibly November or December.
The highly anticipated matchup is already being discussed across the MMA world, especially after Dana White’s comments in response to fighter criticism (Dana White fires back at Justin Gaethje).
With Makhachev no longer active at 155, the path was clear for Topuria to claim the No. 1 P4P spot — and he didn’t waste time seizing it.
Ilia Topuria’s Last 10 Opponents
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Charles Oliveira | Win |
| Max Holloway | Win |
| Alexander Volkanovski | Win |
| Josh Emmett | Win |
| Bryce Mitchell | Win |
| Jai Herbert | Win |
| Ryan Hall | Win |
| Damon Jackson | Win |
| Youssef Zalal | Win |
| Brian Bouland | Win |
Want a deeper dive? Ilia Topuria made this promise to UFC before winning lightweight title.
The P4P Crown: Manifested?
Topuria’s confidence in his path was evident long before UFC 317. In a now-viral pre-fight quote, he said, “I’ll put P4P number 1 next to my name.” Few believed it would happen this quickly — but the brutal knockout of Charles Oliveira made it undeniable.
The result even had commentators like Joe Rogan ready to travel to Spain for a potential Topuria headliner — and Topuria isn’t short on potential rivalries either.
Ongoing Feuds and Callouts
Topuria has been firing shots at everyone from Paddy Pimblett (Topuria fires shots at Paddy Pimblett) to Sean O’Malley (Sean O’Malley reacts to Topuria).
And let’s not forget the face-off with Pimblett that heated things up after UFC 317 (Dana White slams UFC 317 faceoff between Topuria and Paddy).
In fact, many fans believe this new era of UFC could center around names like Topuria, O’Malley, and even breakout stars like the 23-year-old who dominated UFC 317.
