With the UFC heading into a six-week hiatus ahead of its transition into the new Paramount era, last Saturday’s event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas represented the final opportunity in 2025 for fighters to make waves in their respective divisions and position themselves for bigger opportunities in the new year.
Let’s take a look at who shook up the rankings after UFC Vegas 112.
Kape Making Waves at 125 Pounds
Just one week after Joshua Van dethroned Alexandre Pantoja and Tatsuro Taira overcame Brandon Moreno at UFC 323, Manel Kape (22-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) delivered a timely reminder that he cannot be excluded from any flyweight title discussion. Kape capped the night with a devastating knockout of Brandon Royval in Saturday’s main event at the Apex.
After extending his impressive run to seven wins in his last eight outings, “Starboy” has jumped four spots in the updated flyweight rankings and now sits at No. 2, one place behind former (and currently injured) champion Alexandre Pantoja.
In the immediate aftermath of UFC 323, Taira appeared to be a shoo-in as the first challenger to Van’s newly won title. However, given the dominant nature of Kape’s recent performances and his subsequent social media back-and-forth with the new champion, a title fight for the Angolan contender could be on the cards in the first quarter of 2026.
Vallejos Cracks the Featherweight Rankings
Handed the biggest opportunity of his career to date, Kevin Vallejos (17-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) did not disappoint. The 24-year-old Argentine flattened veteran Giga Chikadze with a spinning elbow in the second round of their co-main event, before sealing the finish with a series of clubbing elbows on the canvas.
With three impressive victories in his debut year on the UFC roster, “El Chino” has validated his considerable potential and now enters the featherweight rankings at No. 13, knocking the defeated Chikadze out of the list entirely.
