MMA Rankings: Gaethje tops lightweight after White House conquest
Gaethje tops lightweight rankings; Gane defends interim belt; Strickland upsets Chimaev.
Justin Gaethje has finally reached the summit of the lightweight division. 1 lightweight after his victory over Ilia Topuria at UFC White House, ending a five-year climb marked by near-misses and resilience. The rankings reshuffle the lightweight hierarchy, with Gaethje now positioned to dictate future title defenses and contender matchups.
His rise comes after years of being the bridesmaid in elite fights, a narrative that now shifts to one of undisputed dominance. Ciryl Gane, meanwhile, reinforced his interim heavyweight status by defending against Alex Pereira at the same event. Gane’s decision victory kept him in the title picture while Pereira absorbed another setback in his quest for a second heavyweight strap.
