The final UFC and second-to-last PFL events of the year caused key movements in this week’s rankings update.
UFC on ESPN 73 saw the emergence of a new potential No. 1 contender in the flyweight division. Manel Kape made quick work of former title challenger Brandon Royval, finishing the fight by TKO in the first round. Entering the week at No. 6, Kape’s performance chops that number in half, landing at No. 3, as he knocks on the door of a title shot.
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PFL returned to France for its penultimate event of 2025. In the main event, Vadim Nemkov won the vacant heavyweight title by tapping Renan Ferreira in the opening round. Nemkov was unranked in the heavyweight division and now lands at the No. 11 spot after a dominant championship win.
Check out all of the moves in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: MMA Junkie rankings update, Dec. 16: Manel Kape enters top 5
