The UFC’s first-ever occasion in Qatar was an enormous success, with the fighters delivering an action-packed spectacle in Doha.
UFC Qatar Energy Rankings
RDX Sports activities‘ Editor-in-Chief and veteran MMA author Simon Head casts his eye over the primary card winners, and presents his Energy Rankings for UFC Qatar.
1. Arman Tsarukyan
While you’re the number-one-ranked fighter in your weight class, and persons are speaking about different fighters getting the following title shot forward of you, it’s time to step up and remind the world why you’re the highest contender within the division.
Arman Tsarukyan did precisely that on Saturday night time, as he produced a superb all-round show to complete Dan Hooker by way of second-round arm-triangle choke submission and cement himself on the head of the record to face Ilia Topuria subsequent 12 months.
Tsarukyan seemed nice on the toes, and wonderful on the mat, as he claimed arguably a very powerful victory of his profession. His win streak now stands at 5, with the final 4 all coming by end. He’s the top-ranked contender, he’s in type, and he’s ending top-drawer opposition. He ought to in all probability be subsequent for the title.
However will he be? That’s the massive query as we head into 2026.
2. Kyoji Horiguchi
Kyoji Horiguchi is again, and he seems to be nearly as good as we’ve ever seen him. The Japanese contender unsuccessfully challenged Demetrious Johnson for the title earlier than finally departing for championship success in RIZIN FF and Bellator, however returned to the UFC after 9 years away and completed Tagir Ulanbekov to remind everybody that he’s nonetheless among the many world’s flyweight elite.
As spectacular as Horiguchi’s efficiency was, it was his post-fight interview that basically grabbed the eye. Normally, teammates aren’t too eager on combating one another, so when he roared a problem down the microphone to his coaching associate and reigning flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, it was refreshing and thrilling in equal measure.
It stays to be seen what number of extra fights Horiguchi will likely be requested to win earlier than he will get a shot on the gold, however ability-wise, he’s adequate to problem now. And with the Japanese star clearly fairly pleased to throw down along with his teammate, a mouthwatering all-American High Group title conflict may not be too distant…
3. Waldo Cortes Acosta
Waldo Cortes Acosta put his No. 6 heavyweight rating in danger in opposition to a harmful unranked fighter as he agreed to step in on simply three days’ discover at UFC Qatar, and he capped a exceptional few weeks by registering a first-round knockout of Shamil Gaziev.
Accepting the struggle appeared like a harmful profession transfer, however he backed his skill, and his knockout energy in MMA gloves, and received his reward as he claimed one other highlight-reel end, and banked a $50,000 Efficiency of the Night time bonus consequently.
Cortes Acosta desires top-five opposition subsequent, as he seems to be to struggle his means into title competition at heavyweight. And whereas his request of a struggle in two weeks’ time at UFC 323 may not be granted, an enormous struggle is unquestionably subsequent for “Salsa Boy”, who plans on blasting his method to the heavyweight title subsequent 12 months.
4. Ian Machado Garry
Taken in isolation, Ian Machado Garry defeating the number-one welterweight contender and former champion Belal Muhammad is a big outcome for him, and for the 170-pound division. However the efficiency didn’t come near matching the Irishman’s daring pre-fight discuss.
Machado Garry vowed to knock out Muhammad, however he didn’t come near doing so, as he was compelled to battle to the scorecards by the dogged former champion.
Make no mistake, Machado Garry was technically far superior to Muhammad on the night time, as he ran out a transparent and deserved winner. However after Michael Morales and Carlos Prates produced highlight-reel performances to defeat the number-two contender and a former champion, respectively, Machado Garry isn’t a slam-dunk option to face new champ Islam Makhachev subsequent.
A knockout to again up his pre-fight discuss might have been sufficient, however a hard-won resolution? The jury’s out.
5. Volkan Oezdemir
Volkan Oezdemir has been a part of the sunshine heavyweight prime 10 ever since he arrived within the division with a win over Ovince Saint Preux again in 2017. And now, after shedding on the scorecards to seemingly 2026 title challengert Carlos Ulberg, Oezdemir bounced again in spectacular type in Qatar.
Oezdemir confronted fellow ranked mild heavyweight Alonzo Menifield, and handled him like an inexperienced prospect as he battered Menifield en path to an 87-second knockout.
It was the kind of efficiency we noticed from Oezdemir when he first burst into the UFC eight years in the past, and it confirmed that he stays a really harmful risk to the world’s greatest at 205 kilos.
He is perhaps a few fights away from a title shot, however after efficiently defending his rating in Doha, Oezdemir wants a struggle with somebody in or across the prime 5 subsequent. If he can win that, a second title shot may not be too distant.
6. Myktybek Orolbai
Myktybek Orolbai’s struggle with Jack Hermansson in Doha seemed a bit of like a cautionary story concerning the risks of transferring weight courses.
Orolbai returned to welterweight as he moved again up after fights at 155, 160 and 165 kilos in his earlier three outings, whereas Hermansson was making an attempt his luck at welterweight after years spent within the middleweight division. It went much better for the previous than the latter.
Orolbai seemed brisker, stronger, and extra highly effective at 170 kilos, whereas Hermansson didn’t look fairly as sharp as he often does, and having to lose that further 15 kilos might have been an element within the pace of his knockout defeat.
Whereas Hermansson could also be reconsidering his transfer to 170, Orolbai’s transfer again as much as welterweight looks like a no brainer. He seemed nice on the weight as he put himself on the right track for a shot at ranked opposition within the new 12 months.
Simon Head is Editor-in-Chief with famend fight sports activities tools firm RDX Sports activities. Take a look at their newest vary of MMA fightwear at the moment.
