For critics, last week’s UFC 321 was among the “worst cards in UFC history.” However, its impact is being felt across the UFC rankings. Just two days after the event, Dana White & Co. released the latest rankings following the promotion’s 22nd trip to Abu Dhabi, an event the UFC likely isn’t too proud of. At first, the prelims looked promising, but soon after, the main card began to unravel into chaos. Questionable officiating and lackluster performances kept fans restless throughout the night.

However, the biggest disappointment came in the headline bout, where heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane saw their title fight end abruptly in a no-contest after an accidental double eye poke. The sudden finish left more than 13,000 fans inside the arena frustrated and disheartened. Now that the dust has finally settled and the new rankings are out, let’s take a look at who managed to climb the ladder after UFC 321 — and who took a fall.

UFC 321 post-event rankings update

Despite featuring two major heavyweight bouts on the main card, the division only saw movement thanks to prelim standout Valter Walker, who shone under the Abu Dhabi lights at UFC 321. Walker secured his fourth consecutive win under the UFC banner, earning yet another heel hook finish. With that victory, he climbed to No. 14 in the heavyweight rankings. However, the placement has raised eyebrows, as Tai Tuivasa, who’s on a five-fight losing streak, still holds the No. 12 spot. Crazy, right?

Meanwhile, over in the bantamweight division, Dagestani prospect Umar Nurmagomedov officially claimed the No. 1 contender spot, pushing Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan down to No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. On the other hand, his American counterpart Mario Bautista remains at No. 9, despite a strong showing in his recent bout, where he even dropped Umar Nurmagomedov with a well-timed knee.

In the light heavyweight division, things also shifted noticeably. Azamat Murzakanov, the former army veteran turned rising contender, made one of the biggest leaps of the week — climbing three spots to No. 7. His opponent, Aleksandar Rakić, suffered his fourth straight loss and slipped to No. 10. Elsewhere in the division, Khalil Rountree Jr. rose to No. 4, while former champion Jan Błachowicz dropped to No. 5 in the 205-pound standings.

As for the co-main event, it marked the beginning of Mackenzie Dern’s era as strawweight champion. Her win triggered a domino effect across the division, with former champion Zhang Weili and Tatiana Suarez each dropping one spot to No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Former No. 1 contender Virna Jandiroba now sits at No. 3, while Yan Xiaonan and Amanda Lemos round out the top five at No. 4 and No. 5.

However, the latest rankings update wasn’t the only major development. In a tougher turn of events, the promotion also decided to part ways with two fighters from the card.

Two fighters dropped from UFC roster after UFC 321 performances

It wasn’t all down to fate or the judges at UFC 321 — some of the blame falls squarely on the fighters themselves. The promotion billed the card as a blockbuster, featuring two title fights and promising a pay-per-view spectacle. Instead, fans got what Dana White summed up perfectly: “a great showing, shi–y ending.” Both the co-main and main events ended in controversy, leaving the event’s reputation in tatters.

To make matters worse, the aftermath brought more bad news. The UFC has parted ways with two fighters from the card — Kazakhstan’s Azat Maksum and Egypt’s Hamdy Abdelwahab. Abdelwahab’s release in particular raised eyebrows, as he had just picked up a dominant win over Chris Barnett and earned a callout from Valter Walker. Still, with his four-fight deal coming to an end, the promotion reportedly decided against renewing his contract.

Sources indicate that Abdelwahab’s controversial career trajectory inside the UFC played a major role in that decision. Looking at the latest rankings and recent roster cuts, what’s your take on the promotion’s actions? Do you think it’s enough of a damage control move to address the fallout from UFC 321? Drop your thoughts below.