MMA
Rankings Shakeup: Mackenzie Dern undisputed No. 1 with Zhang Weili exit, blue-chip contender closing in
Published
1 month agoon
And you know what? She's right.
It's August 2026. Zhang Weili hasn't fought at 115 pounds since February 2025. 18 months. And, as far as we know, she doesn't have a booking on the horizon.
By the MMA Fighting Rankings Committee by-laws, it's official: Due to inactivity, Zhang must be removed from the divisional rankings. Rules rule.
In actuality, the timing couldn't work out better because Dern just recorded her first successful title defense with a convincing decision win over Gillian Robertson in this past Saturday's UFC 330 co-main event. No, Dern didn't beat Zhang to win the title, instead capturing it by beating Virna Jandiroba after Zhang moved up to flyweight to chase Valentina Shevchenko, but she is now a reigning and defending champion and Zhang is nowhere to be seen.
Our own Jed Meshew already had Dern ranked above Zhang, but with Zhang ineligible to receive votes at strawweight, the panel has no choice but to follow Jed's lead and crown Dern as the unanimous No. 1 fighter in her division. Look, we'd all love to see Zhang—still No. 2 in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings—come back and give Dern a chance to properly take the torch. Until that happens, Dern has earned her spot.
Even if Zhang doesn't come back, there are several intriguing challengers in line to test Dern. There's Tatiana Suarez, who previously fought for the title, and then there are up-and-comers Fatima Kline and Alexia Thainara, both of whom make big jumps with their recent wins.
Kline is 10-1 with her lone loss coming to Jasmine Jasudavicius in a short-notice contest at 125 pounds. In her natural weight class, Kline has never lost, and she's coming off of two impressive wins over Tabatha Ricci and Angela Hill that have her up eight spots on the charts since our June update.
Thainara—who moves from No. 12 to No. 7—is on a 13-fight win streak since her last loss in 2019, a stretch of success that includes a 4-0 UFC mark. Either her or Kline could be next for Dern if the Zhang matchup isn't meant to be.
Check out the latest MMA Fighting strawweight rankings below.
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 2 Mackenzie Dern def. No. 6 Gillian Robertson, No. 14 Fatima Kline def. No. 10 Tabatha Ricci, No. 12 Alexia Thainara def. No. 7 Amanda Lemos
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 4 Yan Xiaonan vs. No. 13 Denise Gomes (UFC Shanghai, Aug. 29)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Talita Alencar (1), Piera Rodriguez (1)
Falling out of the rankings: No. 1 Zhang Weili (inactivity at 115 pounds)
You may like
MMA
Khamzat Chimaev, Colby Covington finally set to settle long-running feud
Published
17 minutes agoon
September 30, 2026
Chimaev and Colby
Covington are finally set to square off.
Real American Freestyle announced Wednesday that the former
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder and
former interim champion will collide for the cruiserweight
crossover championship at RAF Abu Dhabi on Nov. 14. The event will
take place at Etihad Arena.
Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Colby Covington for the RAF
cruiserweight crossover title in Abu Dhabi
Covington captured RAF's inaugural cruiserweight crossover
championship by defeating Arman
Tsarukyan at RAF 11. Chimaev later called for a match against
“Chaos†after his recent victory over Gilbert
Burns. That bout served as the co-headliner at RAF 13, where
Covington defended his title against Belal
Muhammad.
The feud between Covington and Chimaev dates back to Covington's
time in the UFC, and the bad blood continues to this day.
RAF Abu Dhabi will also feature Arman
Tsarukyan, Henry
Cejudo, Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev,
with their opponents yet to be announced.
The inaugural RAF Abu Dhabi event marks the start of a five-year
partnership between Real American Freestyle, the Department of
Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the UAE
Wrestling Federation.
YOUR
#RAFABUDHABI MAIN EVENT IS SET! 🔥Khamzat
Chimaev vs Colby
Covington for the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship on
Nov 14 at Etihad Arena
#inAbuDhabiRegister your interest via link in bio. pic.twitter.com/ekAZW31rkz
— Real American Freestyle (@RAFWrestlingUSA)
September 29, 2026
MMA
Jiri Prochazka vs. unbeaten Navajo Stirling headlines UFC Qatar
Published
3 hours agoon
September 30, 2026
MMA
Dana White gives encouraging update on Raoni Barcelos
Published
5 hours agoon
September 30, 2026
White has addressed Raoni
Barcelos' concerning stoppage loss to Raul Rosas
Jr.
Barcelos was ahead on the judges' scorecards heading into the fifth
round of his
Ultimate Fighting Championship main event against Rosas Jr. at
Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Sept. 26. However, the Brazilian appeared
to lose consciousness during a wrestling exchange against the
Octagon wall, prompting the referee to stop the
UFC Vegas 121 headliner. He was later removed from the Octagon
on a stretcher.
Raoni Barcelos is conscious and walking as doctors await test
results
Barcelos was transported to a hospital, where he subsequently
regained consciousness. According to White, Barcelos is lucid and
able to walk while awaiting test results to determine what caused
the episode.
White said all pre-fight medicals were triple-checked before the
event. According to the UFC CEO, three ambulances and six doctors
were present at Meta APEX when Barcelos lost consciousness. White
also said Barcelos was sent directly to a Level I trauma center
rather than Valley Hospital.
“All the pre-fight medicals were triple-checked; everything was
good,†White said at the
Dana White's Contender Series Season 10
Week 8 post-fight presser. “There were six doctors here that
night, three ambulances. He was taken straight to the trauma
center, not to Valley. Everything was done the right way and the
outcome was good.â€
As for whether Barcelos will fight again, White said his primary
concern is the 39-year-old's health.
Khamzat Chimaev, Colby Covington finally set to settle long-running feud
Derek Chisora Slams Dana White Regarding Fighter Treatment Issues
Jiri Prochazka vs. unbeaten Navajo Stirling headlines UFC Qatar
Trending
-
Boxing1 day agoJose Benavidez Sr Declares Unbeatable Welterweight Champion in Boxing News
-
MMA2 days agoValter Walker says Josh Hokit won’t call him out for one reason
-
Boxing2 days agoMike Tyson vs. Larry Holmes: The Underrated Crown Jewel of Boxing History
-
MMA1 day agoPaul Felder: ‘I thought he had a heart attack’ at UFC Vegas 121
-
MMA2 days agoUFC newcomer Luis Hernandez wants to ‘pull a Kevin Holland’
-
MMA2 days agoChris Curtis claims the UFC isn’t giving him Luis Hernandez matchup
-
Boxing2 days agoArturo Torres Collapses After Fatal TKO: Shocking Video Highlights Tragic Boxing Incident
-
Boxing1 day agoAnthony Joshua Teams Up with Top Trainer for Anticipated Tyson Fury Showdown


