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Israel Adesanya loses long-held spot in the middleweight division’s top five rankings

Originally posted on HITC | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Mar 31, 2026 12:42 PM ET

Israel Adesanya’s place among the best middleweights in UFC history is already secure.

His reign at the top included plenty of standout performances, helping to build a legacy that goes beyond just his title defences.

Last weekend’s defeat marked his fourth in a row, though there were some positives to take from it. He looked sharp early on but couldn’t see it through, losing by stoppage in the second round.

Despite that setback, Adesanya isn’t planning to fade away quietly. But even he would admit this loss has shifted his position within the division.

Israel Adesanya falls out of middleweight top five after loss to Joe Pyfer

Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images

Although Adesanya hasn’t picked up a win since April 2023, most of his recent losses had come against top names in the middleweight division.

But UFC Seattle signalled a shift. Instead of another matchup with an established name, the former champion was matched with rising contender Joe Pyfer.

After suffering a second-round stoppage, the result carried more weight than his previous defeats. John Morgan reported earlier today that ‘The Last Stylebender’ has slipped from #4 down to #9 in the rankings.

This marks the first time since February 2019 that Adesanya hasn’t been inside the division’s top five – a position he earned after defeating Anderson Silva.

The biggest change following this weekend’s events is Tyrell Fortune breaking into the top ten after an impressive debut win over Marcin Tybura in heavyweight action.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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