UFC Rankings: Chad Mendes Returns - But Is It High Enough?

The official UFC rankings have been updated following last weekend’s (Sat., July 14, 2018) UFC Fight Night 133 from the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho.

Although Junior dos Santos headlined the event with an uneventful decision win over debuting heavyweight Blagoy Ivanov (for which “JDS” rose one spot to No. 7), perhaps a more significant change on the rankings was the return of former three-time featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes, who re-debuted on the rankings at No. 7 following his first-round technical knockout over Myles Jury in his long-awaited return from a two-year USADA suspension.

“Money” may have a Top 10 spot, yet it may not be enough considering how dominant he looked in his return against a veteran over two-and-a-half years out of the cage. True, he may have lost back-to-back fights versus Conor McGregor and Frankie Edgar – and the time off probably did him some good – but the Team Alpha Male star brings it every time out and has only lost to true legends of the featherweight division. With another win, he should find himself in the top five and above soon.

Also at featherweight, rising prospect Alexander Volkanovski made his debut at No. 11 after beating previous No. 10 Darren Elkins, who fell to No. 13.

Check out the full updated rankings courtesy of UFC.com right here:

POUND-FOR-POUND
1 Daniel Cormier
2 Demetrious Johnson
3 Max Holloway
4 Conor McGregor -1
5 Georges St-Pierre
6 TJ Dillashaw
7 Tyron Woodley +1
8 Stipe Miocic -1
9 Khabib Nurmagomedov
10 Robert Whittaker
11 Cris Cyborg
12 Tony Ferguson
13 Amanda Nunes
14 Cody Garbrandt
15 Rose Namajunas

FLYWEIGHT
Champion: Demetrious Johnson
1 Henry Cejudo
2 Sergio Pettis
3 Joseph Benavidez
4 Ray Borg
5 Jussier Formiga
6 John Moraga
7 Wilson Reis
8 Alexandre Pantoja
9 Dustin Ortiz +1
9 Brandon Moreno
11 Ben Nguyen
12 Matheus Nicolau
13 Tim Elliott
14 Deiveson Figueiredo
15 Ulka Sasaki

BANTAMWEIGHT
Champion: TJ Dillashaw
1 Cody Garbrandt
2 Dominick Cruz
3 Raphael Assuncao
4 Marlon Moraes
5 Jimmie Rivera
6 John Lineker
7 John Dodson
8 Aljamain Sterling
9 Pedro Munhoz +1
10 Cody Stamann -1
11 Rob Font
12 Alejandro Perez +1
13 Thomas Almeida -1
14 Brett Johns
15 Douglas Silva de Andrade *NR

FEATHERWEIGHT
Champion: Max Holloway
1 Brian Ortega
2 Jose Aldo
3 Frankie Edgar
4 Jeremy Stephens
5 Cub Swanson
6 Josh Emmett
7 Chad Mendes *NR
8 Mirsad Bektic -1
9 Chan Sung Jung -1
10 Renato Moicano -1
11 Alexander Volkanovski *NR
12 Ricardo Lamas -1
13 Darren Elkins -3
14 Zabit Magomedsharipov -1
15 Yair Rodriguez