Rankings Show: Who Has the Best Chance To Dethrone Khamzat Chimaev?

MMA Fighting

Vox Media Podcast Network

Sports, News, Sports News

4.5 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The UFC's middleweight division is in a fascinating place right now. Khamzat Chimaev is the brand new middleweight champion after dominating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, which has shaken up the MMA Fighting pound-for-pound rankings. With four contenders vying for the chance to face Chimaev in his first title defense, who has the best chance to get it done? On an all-new edition of the MMA Fighting Rankings Show, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew step in for Alexander K. Lee in the hosting chair to discuss all of the changes going on in the rankings since we last spoke — including the madness at middleweight, Chimaev's rise and du Plessis' fall down the pound-for-pound rankings, and ranking who has the best shot to beat Chimaev in Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho, Reinier de Riddder, and Anthony Hernandez. Additionally, they discuss where Brian Ortega now goes after a terrible week at UFC Shanghai, changes in the featherweight rankings, and who could make a low-key leap up the rankings by the end of the year. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠@m_heckjr⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠@JedKMeshew⁠ Subscribe:⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠ Read More: ⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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1:18.1	You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network. Well, hello there, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition of the MMA fighting
1:38.9	ranking show for this wonderful month of August following UFC 319, UFC Shanghai, and a whole bunch
1:48.3	of craziness that has gone on since we last spoke.
1:50.8	I am Mike Eck.
1:51.7	Yes, I am not my best friend, Algebra K.
1:54.4	Lee, because A.K. is on vacation.
1:56.5	So we're doing things a little bit differently.
1:58.1	We don't have an entire panel fighting back and forth
2:02.8	about how bad Casey's ranking. I mean, how bad some of our rankings are, JK. But
	...

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