Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

Jared Cannonier isn’t ready to be relegated to the role of gatekeeper just yet.

Relying on his ample main event experience, “The Killa Gorilla” shook off a rough start and rallied for a fourth-round technical knockout victory against Gregory Rodrigues in the UFC Vegas 102 headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. As a result, Cannonier maintains his place in the middleweight Top 10 while denying entry to Rodrigues, who had won five of his last six UFC appearances heading into the bout.

Elsewhere, 2024 “Comeback Fighter of the Year” Youssef Zalal continued his resurgence in the UFC Vegas 102 co-headliner, as he outmaneuvered battle-tested veteran Calvin Kattar in a unanimous decision triumph. With four straight UFC triumphs to his credit — and seven wins in a row overall — “The Moroccan Devil” enters the featherweight poll at No. 15.

In other action, Angela Hill came out on a the right side of a split decision for a change, fending off a spirited effort from Ketlen Souza in a competitive strawweight affair. As a result, the long-tenured Angie “Overkill” keeps her No. 15 ranking at 115 pounds. Meanwhile, Jacqueline Cavalcante continued her ascent at 135 pounds, sending Julia Avila into retirement with a unanimous decision triumph. In a shallow division, Cavalcante’s modest three-bout winning streak (her other UFC win occurred at a catchweight) allows her to take over the 15th position at bantamweight. In housekeeping news, Aljamain Sterling’s rankings eligibility has expired at bantamweight as he continues to pursue new goals at 145 pounds. With his exit, Rob Font rejoins the bubble at 135 pounds — though his status could change in a hurry depending on what happens at UFC Seattle.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.