What's new at Ludus Martial Arts

We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, March 23: Jon Jones, Dustin Poirier take top positions

With UFC officials finally recognizing that Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0 MMA, 13-0 UFC) is no longer an active fighter, a pair of lists needed new names at the top.

“The Eagle” walked away from the sport while holding the No. 1 position in both the lightweight and pound-for-pound lists in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, leaving openings on both spots. A familiar name returns to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings, with Jon Jones ascending back to a position he held for quite some time before Nurmagomedov’s title run brought that to an end.

Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) will have a chance to further solidify that standing later this year when the longtime UFC light heavyweight champion moves up to heavyweight, where he is expected to challenge the winner of this weekend’s UFC 260 clash between champ Stipe Miocic and challenger Francis Ngannou.

Meanwhile, Dustin Poirier moves to the No. 1 slot at 155 pounds for the first time in his career. The former interim UFC lightweight champion is 7-1 in his last eight official appearances, with a UFC 242 loss to Nurmagomedov in September 2019 standing as the only blemish during that run.

Poirier (27-6 MMA, 19-5 UFC) could potentially fight for the currently vacant UFC lightweight belt sometime later this year, though No. 3 Charles Oliveira and No. 7 Michael Chandler will get that honor first, with “The Diamond” expected to face No. 5 Conor McGregor in a trilogy fight this summer.

Use the drop-down menu above to check out the new look of those two lists following Nurmagomedov’s official departure, as well as other impacts made by this past weekend’s action at UFC on ESPN 21.

UFC free fight: Charles Oliveira rallies to light up Michael Chandler for first title win

Charles Oliveira proved he had championship mettle when he battled through some early adversity against Michael Chandler. Oliveira faced Chandler for the vacant lightweight title in the main event of UFC 262 in May 2021. It took “Do Bronx” 28 octagon appearances to earn his first-career title shot. Round...

Javier Mendez disagrees with Daniel Cormier’s claim that Islam Makhachev more dangerous than Khabib Nurmagomedov

For Javier Mendez, Islam Makhachev is more skilled than Khabib Nurmagomedov but not more dangerous. Daniel Cormier, who also trained under Mendez at American Kickboxing Academy, said UFC lightweight champion Makhachev is even more dangerous than former champ Nurmagomedov was during his prime. Mendez heavily disagrees. “OK, he’s more...

come and try a ludus mma class free!

We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.

With your FREE PASS, you can:

  • Try as many classes as you’d like,
  • Explore the facility
  • Talk to our coaches one-on-one about what you can expect as a member

© Copyright 2024 - Ludus Martial Arts - 730 Beach Blvd, Unit 105, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250.

(904) 374-4186 / ludusmartialarts@gmail.com