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Derek Brunson is a big climber in the UFC middleweight rankings update after his UFC Vegas 22 win over Kevin Holland. Brunson moved up three spots, while Holland’s ranking remained the same as before.
Additionally, a few other changes have transpired in the UFC middleweight rankings due to the latest update. These changes are displayed in the UFC rankings section of the UFC’s official website.
Three other UFC middleweights whose rankings have been affected by Derek Brunson’s UFC Vegas 22 win are Darren Till, Marvin Vettori, and Jack Hermansson. All three fighters dropped down one spot, respectively, in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Brunson is now ranked No. 4 in the UFC middleweight division, while Darren Till is currently No. 5, Marvin Vettori is No. 6, and Jack Hermansson is No. 7. Meanwhile, Brunson’s UFC Vegas 22 opponent, Kevin Holland, is still ranked No. 10.
Neither of the two UFC Vegas 22-headlining stars, Derek Brunson and Kevin Holland, have their next fights booked as of yet. The consensus is that Brunson is likely to be booked against a top five-ranked opponent for his next fight, whereas Holland may receive a lower-ranked opponent as compared to Brunson.
Derek Brunson's quest to win the UFC middleweight title
Derek Brunson’s last loss came at the hands of reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Brunson suffered a first-round TKO loss against Adesanya at UFC 230 in November 2018.
Following the one-sided defeat, Derek Brunson put together an impressive run, amassing a four-fight win streak. Brunson’s winning form has witnessed him defeat Elias Theodorou, Ian Heinisch, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Kevin Holland.
A perennial UFC middleweight contender, Derek Brunson’s most recent win came in his UFC Vegas 22 (March 20, 2021) headlining matchup against Kevin Holland.
The Brunson vs. Holland matchup went the five-round distance, with Brunson utilizing his outstanding grappling skills to outwork his foe and win via unanimous decision.
In the aftermath of his dominant win over a feared and innovative KO artist like Kevin Holland, Brunson has reiterated that he aims to succeed in his quest to capture the UFC middleweight title.
Derek Brunson has time and again suggested that he’d be willing to go up against UFC middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya, the last fighter to defeat him, and is confident that he’d beat the champion in a rematch.
