Two top 10 fighters face off at UFC 308

The UFC light heavyweight rankings showcase some of the best 205-pound fighters in the world. The division has often been home to pound-for-pound talent and offers the perfect balance between heavyweight-level power and well-rounded skills.

With that in mind, here are Ringside Intel's official top 10 for the UFC's light heavyweight division.

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Current UFC light heavyweight rankings

10. Carlos Ulberg (10-1)

Carlos Ulberg stumbled in his 2021 UFC debut but has since caught fire. He has won six straight times in the Octagon, including all but one win. His most impressive result to date came in May when he scored a knockout victory over Alonzo Menifield in just 12 seconds. “Black Jag” is a fighter worth watching at 205 pounds.

9. Azamat Murzakanvo (13-0)

Russian Azamat Murzakanov is one of the rising stars in the UFC's light heavyweight division. He is undefeated after three fights and has put in impressive performances in his first four fights in the Octagon. Perhaps the best so far was a hard-fought victory over ever-outgoing veteran Dustin Jacoby last April. “The Professional” deserves it and should get a top 10 opponent in his next fight.

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8. Aleksandar Rakic ​​​​(14-3)

Aleksandar Rakic ​​​​was unlucky during his UFC appearance. He has been one of the best fighters at 205 for the last six years. However, injuries and frustrating judges' decisions kept him from getting a title shot. He was on the verge of a title shot last year, but a leg injury in his main event clash with former division king Jan Blachowicz derailed that momentum.

After a long recovery, he got a huge opportunity at UFC 300, facing former champion Jiri Prochazka. Unfortunately, he failed in a wild fight and now suffers two defeats in a row for the first time in his career.

7. Khalil Rountree (13-6)

It wasn't long ago that Khalil Rountree had suffered three out of four defeats and his career seemed to be descending into mediocrity. However, since his last loss in January 2021, he has won five straight times, with four of those wins coming by knockout.

His most recent – ​​and most important – win came at UFC Vegas 83 in December, when he handed top-10 star Anthony Smith a second-round knockout loss. Surprisingly, the October win earned him a title shot despite a failed PED test. At UFC 307, he was very competitive early on against Alex Pereira. However, the champion's jab and constant pressure wore him down. He went out by TKO on his shield in round 4. The performance helps him maintain his position at number 7.

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6. Nikita Krylov (30-9)

After two defeats in a row, Ukrainian Nikita Krylov has won three games in a row. The most recent was a definitive first-round submission of the extremely talented light heavyweight Ryan Spann. For most of his career, “The Miner” always seemed to be a nice fighter, but never a very good one. However, he may be developing into his best version and could move into title contention later in the year with the right booking.

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5. Jan Blachowicz (29.10.1)

Even at his advanced age, Jan Blachowicz remains a top talent in the light heavyweight division. He has lost just twice in nine fights over the last three years, against former title challenger Thiago Santos and recent champion Glover Teixeira. The former champion's draw against Magomed Anakalaev in 2022 was a major setback for both as it left them in a bit of limbo.

He tried to get out of that sticky situation at UFC 291 and potentially set up another title shot, but by a split decision in a hard-fought bout with former middleweight champion Alex Pereira. Where the former division king goes next remains unclear.

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2. Jiri Prochazka (30-5-1)

While “Denisa” may not be the current champion, he is still considered by many to be one of the best fighters in the division. A serious shoulder injury derailed a memorable title run in 2023. After months of recovery, the Czech star returned to UFC 295 to reclaim his belt, but former middleweight king Alex Pereira blocked his return to the top.

Although he scored a surprise win earlier in the year, he failed again in his second win against the Brazilian at UFC 303 in June.

4. Jamahal Hill (12-2)

After a serious injury that forced him to vacate the title, Jamahal Hill was given the chance to regain his title at UFC 300 against Alex Pereira. However, he ended up being the latest victim of the rampage the Brazilian has committed since joining the promotion. It will be interesting to see who “Sweet Dreams” gets in his next fight as he looks to climb the light heavyweight ladder again.

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3. Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1)

Magomed Anakalaev has been outstanding during his rise. After beating Paul Craig an L in his UFC debut, he went undefeated in his next 12 fights. What has hurt the Russian is that he has been unlucky in his last few fights, which ended in a draw and no contest.

In January he faced Johnny Walker in another fight which unfortunately ended in a no contest, but this time it didn't happen. Ankalaev defeated the Brazilian in less than two rounds with a definitive victory. It's probably preparing him for a title shot next.

1. Alex Pereira (10-2)

Alex Pereira's UFC story is becoming legendary. After nine fights, he became a two-division champion, scoring devastating victories over some of the era's best fighters at middleweight and light heavyweight. The 37-year-old has been a revelation for the company, connecting with the MMA fanbase with an approach to fighting similar to that of cage fighting icon Fedor Emelianenko.

At UFC 307, he showed his championship magic as he fought through early adversity from Khalil Rountree, wore down his opponent and scored another spectacular TKO finish. The Brazilian is by far the best light heavyweight in the world.

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