In the ever-shifting MMA landscape, ranking the world’s greatest fighters might seem like a fool’s errand, but that’s exactly we’ve set out to do with the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. Here, our esteemed panel sorts out the movers and shakers from every division to provide you with the most definitive list of the best fighters on the planet.

With that, let’s take a look at the three biggest rankings storylines from this past six-week cycle.

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Islam Makhachev is inevitable

UFC 280 was expected to have a major impact on the rankings with two title fights and multiple contenders in action and no fighter claimed new territory quite like Islam Makhachev.

Long considered to be a future world champion (one of our panelists has had Makhachev at No. 1 on his ballot since this past January), Makhachev fulfilled his destiny in no uncertain terms with a dominant performance against Charles Oliveira to capture the UFC lightweight title. Makhachev outworked Oliveira on the feet, then went to his vaunted wrestling game to out-grapple Oliveira — the UFC’s leader in career submission wins — and force a tap in the second round.

Oliveira’s run to the top of the 155-pound division and his performance in a trio of title fights belong in the pantheon of exciting career peaks, but there’s a reason Makhachev entered UFC 280’s main event as the favorite. Like his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undefeated champion who he’s drawn endless comparisons to, Makhachev has gone about his business with machine-like efficiency and his style all but guarantees a long run at the top for as long as he chooses to defend his title.

“All but guarantees” is an important disclaimer here as Makhachev already has a pair of intriguing challengers lined up. Immediately after Makhachev’s win, he and Nurmagomedov invited UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski into the cage to set up a duel of top five pound-for-pound fighters that would take place in Perth, Australia, next February. Should Makhachev end up with a more traditional challenger, it should be Beneil Dariush, who moved into a tie for the No. 3 spot with a win over Mateusz Gamrot that extended his current win streak to eight. Dariush might not be the man to put an abrupt end to the new champion’s reign, but he’s unquestionably earned the right to try.

Is Sean O’Malley the second-best bantamweight in the world?

The question has to be asked.

Sean O’Malley now has a win over Petr Yan in the record books, controversial or otherwise. And with that, he makes a huge jump in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, vaulting into a tie with Yan for the No. 2 spot after previously not appearing on a single one of our panel’s ballots. That’s pretty impressive given that some wondered if O’Malley even deserved to be matched up with a former bantamweight champion in the first place.

Since authoring a highlight-reel finish on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017 that earned him a UFC contract and sent Snoop Dogg into hysterics, O’Malley has been a favorite son of the promotion and a fast-rising star due to his own self-promotion skills, but his resume was missing that big name to mark him as a true contender. Marlon Vera put him away with strikes and a key matchup with veteran Pedro Munhoz ended in a no contest after O’Malley accidentally scraped Munhoz’s eye.

Now O’Malley has a signature win and whether the majority of viewers agreed with the judges or not, he proved that he belongs to be ranked among the best of the best at 135 pounds.

Speaking of which…

Aljamain Sterling’s weird, wild title reign continues

It wasn’t enough for Aljamain Sterling to become the first fighter in UFC history to win a title by disqualification. Nor was it enough for him to then defend that title with a narrow split decision over Petr Yan, whose foul play was responsible for Sterling becoming champion in the first place.

No, Sterling, had to add to his bizarre time at the top with a one-sided win against a physically compromised T.J. Dillashaw, who we now know was competing with one good arm.

There’s nothing illegitimate about Sterling’s second successful title defense. The man went in there and got the job done, putting away a two-time bantamweight champion with GOAT aspirations, and leaving Abu Dhabi with gold firmly around his waist. Who knows? Maybe the fight would have gone the same way regardless

We’ll never know the answer though because Dillashaw decided to just (pardon the pun) wing it and everyone responsible for examining his health before the fight apparently decided to go along with the charade despite Dillashaw later admitting that his shoulder repeatedly popped out during fight camp. Regardless, Sterling stays at the top of the charts, while Dillashaw drops to No. 5, his lowest spot since returning to the rankings last year.

Given that Dillashaw hasn’t had a convincing win since beating Cody Garbrandt a second time in August 2018, it’s fair to wonder how much longer Dillashaw will be able to maintain that lofty ranking.

Manon Fiorot and Alexa Grasso state their case

UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko might soon have her first challengers from France or Mexico.

Both Manon Fiorot and Alexa Grasso made strong, if not overwhelming, statements this rankings cycle, scoring high-profile decision wins over Katlyn Chookagian and Viviane Araujo, respectively. For Fiorot, she made it past the 125-pound division’s official gatekeeper to move into our top five; for Grasso, she gained valuable experience and improved to 4-0 as a flyweight by winning her first five-round fight.

Neither woman is going to have anything close to favorable odds when the time comes to fight Shevchenko, so it’s understandable that neither is in a rush to call her out. In all likelihood, they’ll have to fight each other for their chance to be Shevchenko’s eighth challenger, though you can’t count out the winner of a Jan. 21 bout between Jessica Andrade and Lauren Murphy possibly setting up a rematch.

For now, let’s appreciate a division in which the top fighters regularly throw down with one another as opposed to attempting to squat on spots, which keeps it constantly moving even if it inevitably leads to a collision with a “Bullet” train.

Check out the complete October rankings below.

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Heavyweight