Jared Cannonier reminded the UFC middleweight class why he is still a force to be reckoned with. In the main event of UFC Vegas 102, the former title challenger defeated Gregory Rodrigues by stoppage in the fourth round. With such a decisive win, many expected a significant shift in the middleweight rankings, at least by a spot or two. However, it appears that Khamzat Chimaev and Israel Adesanya can breathe a sigh of relief.

The most recent middleweight rankings update shows no big changes, indicating that Khamzat Chimaev and Israel Adesanya’s sports are safe for the time being. But this came as a surprise for many as Cannonier overcame Rodrigues’ height advantage and reversed the tide with a vicious elbow in the third round that almost finished the bout.

Though Rodrigues survived the round, the damage was too much, and The Killa Gorilla defeated him in the fourth round to claim victory and also win the Fight of the Night. On the other hand, Israel Adesanya’s recent struggles, including a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia, have led many to believe that the rankings will surely see a dramatic shift.

However, Cannonier stays out of the title picture for the time being, allowing Khamzat Chimaev to keep his current position as the go-to fighter versus champion Dricus Du Plessis. It is worth noting that Imavov too remains a top contender, so the middleweight landscape continues to evolve.

For now, the rankings hold firm, giving both Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev a chance to regroup and plan their next moves in a division that is becoming increasingly unpredictable. But while the rankings saw no significant change now, they did witness major updates just a few days ago when many people saw major rises and drops. Maybe that is why the Dana White-led promotion preferred keeping things stable for a while. So, what were the major changes? Let’s find out!

The major shakeup that possibly stopped Jared Cannonier’s rise

Following UFC Saudi Arabia, the rankings underwent a huge shake-up, with major adjustments across numerous divisions. The most significant change came in the middleweight category, where Israel Adesanya‘s slump continued. The former champion, who was once ranked No. 2, succumbed to a KO in the second round by Nassourdine Imavov, his third loss in a row. As a result, ‘The Last Stylebender’ dropped to No. 4, further separating himself from title contention.

Meanwhile, Imavov capitalized on his dominant performance, moving up three spots to No. 2 and establishing himself as a top contender in the division. The middleweight division also witnessed major exits, with Jack Hermansson and Sharaputdin Magomedov slipping from the top 15. Their exits allowed Roman Kopylov and Bo Nickal to enter the rankings at numbers 14 and 15, respectively. Michel Pereira also benefited, moving up two positions to No. 13.

Meanwhile, the heavyweight class saw a significant departure when Jairzinho Rozenstruik was dropped from the UFC following his loss to Sergei Pavlovich. Shamil Gaziev moved up three spots to No. 11, while Don’Tale Mayes and Jhonata Diniz entered the rankings at Nos. 14 and 15, respectively. With such significant shifts, it is no surprise that the UFC decided to keep people where they are for now. But what do you think? Did Jared Cannonier deserve Israel Adesanya’s spot? Let us know in the comments.