New UFC Title Challengers Emerge With Major Updates to Meta UFC Rankings

Two new names have vaulted into the title picture of their respective divisions with the latest update to the Meta UFC rankings.

Dan Hooker is set to welcome former KSW star Salahdine Parnasse to the UFC this Saturday as the final bout scheduled for UFC Paris, and last weekend the world’s leading MMA promotion made its return to Shanghai, China for a UFC Fight Night at the Oriental Sports Center.

UFC Shanghai saw 10 out of its 13 scheduled fights end inside the distance, and a few of those results generated some significant movement in the UFC rankings.

Song Yadong Vaults into Title Mix After Huge UFC Shanghai Upset

The most shocking moment of UFC Shanghai came in the card’s final bout, as Song Yadong secured the biggest win of his career when he upset Umar Nurmagomedov with a second-round knockout.

Nurmagomedov was more than a 6-1 favorite on most books to get his hand raised in Shanghai, which would have given the 30-year-old three-straight wins since Merab Dvalishvili handed him his first loss in their bantamweight title fight at UFC 311.

Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) celebrates after winning a UFC bantamweight title fight against Umar Nurmagomedov (blue gloves) during UFC 311. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Instead, Song now has back-to-back victories after he also submitted former flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau in May, and “Kung Fu Kid” has vaulted up three place to the #3 spot in the Meta UFC bantamweight rankings.

Sean O’Malley (red gloves) fights Song Yadong (blue gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nurmagomedov entered UFC Shanghai as the division’s #2-ranked contender and falls down to #5 after suffering just the second loss of his career.

Will Denise Gomes Challenge Mackenzie Dern for the UFC Strawweight Belt?

The co-main event of UFC Shanghai also produced some major rankings movement at strawweight, as Denis Gomes extended her win streak to five fights when she knocked out former title challenger Yan Xiaonan late in the first round.

Yan Xiaonan during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Yan was slightly favored heading into the matchup but now finds herself on a two-fight skid after she dropped a unanimous decision to Virna Jandiroba in her only outing of 2024, and the 37-year-old also fell five places down to #9 in the Meta UFC strawweight rankings.

Denise Gomes (blue gloves) prepares to fight Angela Hill (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Ibirapuera Arena. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Gomes jumped up five places to #4 following her fifth win in a row, and the Brazilian is likely now on the short list of next contenders for the strawweight belt after Mackenzie Dern successfully kicked off her title reign against Gillian Robertson at UFC 330.

Rei Tsuruya Debuts in Meta UFC Bantamweight Rankings

Although they didn’t generate quite as much attention as the results in the main and co-main events, two bantamweight fighters also saw their stock rise with big wins at UFC Shanghai.

Rei Tsuruya (blue gloves) prepares to fight Joshua Van (not pictured) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sumudaerji took a unanimous decision over Alex Perez in an immediate rematch of their UFC Macau meeting and moved up two places to #11, while Rei Tsuruya debuts in the Meta UFC bantamweight rankings at #13 after submitting Kevin Borjas in the first round.

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