Discover the latest developments in the UFC middleweight division. Find out about upcoming fights, rankings, and potential title defenses. Will Dricus du Plessis face Israel Adesanya? Get all the details here.
| Fighters | Upcoming Bouts |
|---|---|
| Robert Whittaker | vs. Paulo Costa |
| Marvin Vettori | vs. Brendan Allen |
| Jared Cannonier | No scheduled bout |
| Roman Dolidze | vs. Nassourdine Imavov |
| Jack Hermansson | vs. Joe Pyfer |
| Paul Craig | No scheduled bout |
| Anthony Hernandez | vs. Roman Kopylov |
| Chris Curtis | Recent fight vs. Marc-André Barriault |
| Caio Borralho | No scheduled bout |
Dricus du Plessis claimed the middleweight title with a split decision victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297. Curtis also secured a split decision win against Barriault, maintaining his position in the rankings.
The UFC middleweight division has witnessed significant changes following UFC 297. With two crucial middleweight bouts on the card, the rankings have been shaken up. Sean Strickland, the reigning champion, put his title on the line against the No.2-ranked Dricus du Plessis. However, following his loss to Strickland at UFC 293, No.1-ranked Israel Adesanya announced a break from MMA. In the upcoming UFC 298, No.3-ranked Robert Whittaker will face No.6-ranked Paulo Costa. Meanwhile, No.4-ranked Jared Cannonier awaits a scheduled bout, and No.5-ranked Marvin Vettori will take on No.7-ranked Brendan Allen at UFC Fight Night 242. The top 10 also includes Roman Dolidze, Khamzat Chimaev, and Jack Hermansson. Dolidze is set to face No.11-ranked Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 235, while Hermansson will fight unranked Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night 236. The bottom end of the top 15 consists of Paul Craig, Anthony Hernandez, Chris Curtis, and Caio Borralho. Craig and Borralho have no scheduled bouts, but Hernandez will face Roman Kopylov at UFC 298, and Curtis recently fought Marc-André Barriault at UFC 297. At UFC 297, du Plessis claimed the middleweight title with a split decision victory over Strickland. Curtis also secured a split decision win against Barriault, maintaining his position in the rankings. The question now arises: Who will challenge for the UFC middleweight title next? Du Plessis expressed his desire to face Adesanya in his first title defense, calling him out in the octagon after his victory. Adesanya responded on Twitter, hinting at a future clash. While nothing is official, it is likely that du Plessis’ first defense will be against Adesanya, possibly at UFC 300. Adesanya aims to make history by becoming a three-time champion in one division, joining Randy Couture.
