The UFC’s two heaviest divisions have seen a rankings shakeup after the promotion’s recent debut event in Saudi Arabia. The co-main event of the night featured a heavyweight clash between Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov with ‘Drago’ coming out on top! Another interesting matchup between Volkan Oezdemir and Johnny Walker saw ‘No Time’ hand the Brazilian his second consecutive stoppage loss.

Now, in the latest ranking update, the two winners have cemented their place in their divisions as possible threats to the champions, Jon Jones and Alex Pereira. As such, let’s take a look at the rankings shake-up and what it could mean for future matchups for ‘Bones’ and ‘Poatan’.

Jon Jones and Alex Pereira receive future challengers with the latest UFC rankings update

According to posts shared on X by John Morgan, “Volkan Oezdemir (@volkan_oezdemir) moves up two spots in the latest light heavyweight rankings update, settling in at No. 7 following his big #UFCSaudiArabia win. The man he beat, Johnny Walker, falls two spots to No. 9.”

Oezdemir finished Walker with a brutal first-round knockout that was also his first victory via finish inside the Octagon since 2019. Now, on a two-fight winning streak and moving up two spots in the rankings, ‘No Time’ may need to wait for the result of the upcoming title clash between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira at UFC 303 to find his target for another run at the 205 lbs crown.

In another update, Mogan shared that, “Volkov (@AlexDragoVolkov) moves up two spots following his #UFCSaudiArabia win, settling at No. 3 in the latest rankings update.The man he beat, Sergei Pavlovich, falls two spots to No. 5.”

‘Drago’ is currently on a 4-fight win streak in the division that began in 2022 and has made a statement with his impressive performance against his former training partner, Pavlovich. In his post-fight interview, Volkov indicated that his goal is to secure the undisputed heavyweight title as he revealed, “I am here all [the] time… Jon Jones will be [a] great fight for me. Like, big reach, big guy. I want to meet him in [the] Octagon…”

With these recent developments, the landscape of the UFC’s heaviest weight classes is evolving, promising thrilling future matchups and possible challenges to the current champions. However, the co-main event winner at UFC Saudi Arabia found himself in a peculiar situation with his former training partner!

Alexander Volkov isn’t sure why Sergei Pavlovich is “mad” at him

Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich’s issues surfaced during their ceremonial weigh-ins and later spilled over into their post-fight interaction that sparked headlines. After the victory, Pavlovich angrily refused to shake Volkov’s hands, and during the post-fight press conference, ‘Drago’ shed some more light on what happened inside the cage.

Volkov stated, “I guess he’s mad at me, I’m not really sure why. I would love to figure out why he’s mad at me, but I’m thinking maybe he just misunderstood something and if he didn’t, then I would love to get to the bottom of it. It’s his fault, not mine, I guess.”

Attempting to clarify the situation, Volkov highlighted the circumstances surrounding the fight announcement and contract negotiations, suggesting a possible misunderstanding about how the matchup came about. ‘Drago’ also stressed that while Pavlovich may have misconstrued their relationship, he remains open to resolving any issues amicably.

In conclusion, as fans await the next chapter in these fighters’ journeys, the drama between Volkov and Pavlovich serves as a reminder of the personal stakes and rivalries that fuel the intensity of MMA! Do you think Alexander Volkov has what it takes to be the king of the UFC heavyweight division after his performance in Saudi Arabia? Share your thoughts in the comments below!