Post-UFC 309 rankings update: Jon Jones moves up P4P list as Charles Oliveira kicks Israel Adesanya out, new entrant in bantamweight, and more
UFC 309, held at Madison Square Garden, delivered a night of thrilling fights and notable ranking shifts.
In the main event, Jon Jones defended his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic with a dominant third-round TKO, further solidifying his legacy. With the victory, Jones climbed to No. 2 on the pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings, trailing only Islam Makhachev.
Charles Oliveira’s victory over Michael Chandler in their lightweight rematch saw the Brazilian claim the No. 15 spot in the P4P list, bumping Israel Adesanya out.
Oliveira’s tactical dominance reaffirmed his position as one of the most dangerous fighters in his division, though divisional rankings for both remained unchanged.
Meanwhile, Marcus McGhee debuted in the bantamweight rankings at No. 14 after his victory over Jonathan Martinez. Martinez was removed from the top 15 as a result.
Miocic's retirement led to Shamil Gaziev debuting in the heavyweight rankings at No. 15.
Charles Oliveira criticizes UFC 309 referee over unaddressed illegal strikes by Michael Chandler
Charles Oliveira showcased a dominant performance at UFC 309, defeating Michael Chandler via unanimous decision in the co-main event.
However, controversy overshadowed the fifth round when Chandler, in a desperate attempt to turn the tide, delivered multiple illegal strikes, including hammer fists and elbows to the back of Oliveira’s head. Referee Keith Peterson failed to intervene despite repeated warnings from Oliveira during the fight.
At the post-fight press conference, Oliveira expressed frustration over the unpunished infractions:
"I'm not here to criticize, but I'm going to tell you something. There were a lot of blows to the back of the head, a lot of fence-grabbing. There was also some eye-pokes and I was telling [the referee] what was going on. I kept calling for his attention, and nothing would happen. I would hope that he would intervene, but nothing happened."
Check out Charles Oliveira's comments below (2:08):