{"id":4137,"date":"2025-08-20T14:00:32","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T14:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ventil.rs\/blog\/sports\/mma-pound-for-pound-rankings-khamzat-chimaev-has-arrived-but-how-high-in-top-10\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T14:00:32","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T14:00:32","slug":"mma-pound-for-pound-rankings-khamzat-chimaev-has-arrived-but-how-high-in-top-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ventil.rs\/blog\/sports\/mma-pound-for-pound-rankings-khamzat-chimaev-has-arrived-but-how-high-in-top-10\/","title":{"rendered":"MMA pound-for-pound rankings: Khamzat Chimaev has arrived — but how high in top 10?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Aug 20, 2025, 07:52 AM ET<\/span><\/div>\n

Khamzat Chimaev<\/a> has looked the part of a pound-for-pound great from the first time he stepped into the Octagon in 2020. In the opening round of his UFC debut, Chimaev landed 118 strikes, the second most by a middleweight in any round in the promotion’s history.<\/p>\n

Ten days after that dominant win, Chimaev was back at it, building a 68-0 edge in total strikes on his way to winning for the second time. Before two months had passed, he had finished three opponents. The Chimaev hype train was on a roll.<\/p>\n

Things did eventually slow down for Chimaev, because of illness and other issues. But last Saturday he finally got to the place many had long expected him to be — in a title fight.<\/p>\n

Chimaev thrashed Dricus Du Plessis<\/a> in the main event of UFC 319 in Chicago, seizing the middleweight championship<\/a>. As a result, Chimaev is making his debut in the ESPN pound-for-pound rankings. He was so impressive over the weekend that he surges right into the top five.<\/p>\n

For the ESPN divisional MMA rankings, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Note: Results are current; rankings are as of Aug. 20. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed over the past 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Fighters who have been dropped for inactivity can be reinstated only after they compete.<\/i><\/p>\n\n

Men’s pound-for-pound rankings<\/h2>\n