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#2. Robert Whittaker
While his championship reign may have been shorter than he would've liked, Robert Whittaker is still one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Injuries and other medical issues have hampered Whittaker's career in recent times, but he looks to be back to his best self.
After losing his middleweight title to Israel Adesanya in devastating fashion back in 2019, Whittaker has seemingly come into his own. He secured three consecutive victories over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum to put himself back in title contention. In his recent rematch with Adesanya, 'The Reaper' performed admirably, despite coming out on the losing end of a razor-thin judges' decision.
The Adesanya-Whittaker rivalry proves one thing – they are the two best middleweights in the world. The Australasian duo are head and shoulders above the other contenders at 185 pounds. Considering both fighters' age, a trilogy bout is likely down the line.
Still just 31, Whittaker has more than enough time to reclaim UFC gold. Outside of Adesanya, 'The Reaper' is a nightmare stylistic matchup for anyone he goes up against. He has excellent striking, is extremely durable and, fight IQ-wise, he's among the most intelligent fighters in the world. He is slated to take on fellow former title challenger Marvin Vettori in his next bout.
#1. Alexander Volkanovski – UFC featherweight champion
Alexander Volkanovski is arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now. Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya are currently ahead of Volkanovski atop the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings, likely because both champions have successfully defended their titles more times than 'The Great'.
However, Volkanovski has faced relatively tougher competition during his time at featherweight. En route to winning the belt, he beat the likes of Chad Mendes and former champion Jose Aldo. He subsequently beat Max Holloway twice, cementing his place atop the 145-pound division.
Volkanovski's last two bouts, however, have seen him pull ahead of the rest of the division. The five-round demolition of Brian Ortega at UFC 266 and the striking masterclass he delivered against 'The Korean Zombie' at UFC 273 have earned the Australian titleholder a newfound respect from the fans.
He has vowed to reign over the featherweight division for a long time to come. With numerous contenders on the rise, Volkanovski will be looking to claim a few more title defenses and potentially claim the No.1 spot in the pound-for-pound rankings.
