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The Superfan's Unofficial Karate Combat Rankings - Post-KC38 Update

Including a Pound-for-Pound List of the Best Full-Contact Karatekas in the World
by Mac Tyson • 2023. May 18

These are the Post-KC38 Rankings:

Bantamweight:

  1. Eoghan Chelmiah (C)

  2. Jesus Lopez

  3. Abdessalam Ameknassi

  4. Gabriel Stankunas

  5. Ilies Mardhi

  6. Robbie Lavoie

Lightweight:

  1. Luiz Rocha (C)

  2. Edgars Skrivers

  3. Bruno Souza

  4. Gabriel Varga

  5. Bruno Roberto de Assis

  6. Andres Madera

Welterweight:

  1. Josh Quayhagen (C)

  2. Rafael Aghayev (IC)

  3. Fernando Moreno Paz

  4. Kenji Grillon

  5. Dionicio Gustavo

  6. Jorge Perez

Middleweight:

  1. Ross Levine (C)

  2. Shahin Atamov

  3. Raymond Daniels

  4. Igor De Castañeda

  5. Franklin Mina

  6. Adrian Hadribeaj

Men’s P4P:

  1. Luiz Rocha

  2. Josh Quayhagen

  3. Ross Levine

  4. Rafael Aghayev

  5. Edgars Skrivers

  6. Eoghan Chelmiah

Women's P4P:

  1. Omaira Molina

  2. Christina Kavakopoulou

  3. Melinda Fábián

  4. Sthefanie Oliveira

  5. Fabiola Esquivel

  6. Ana Luisa Ferreira

Fighters who haven't fought or haven't been scheduled to fight in a period of 5 events or more will be removed from the rankings.

Explaining the Rank Changes Post-KC38

At Karate Combat 38, newcomer Adrian Hadribeaj stepped up to fight former UFC Fighter Sasha Palatnikov on two weeks notice and with a meniscus injury. Despite this he was still able to use his Traditional Blitz Fighting Style to a hard fought Unanimous Decision Victory. Taking the #6 Middleweight Ranking.

After losing his 2nd fight to #2 ranked Lightweight Edgar Skrivers, Bruno Souza bounces back into the win column with a win over top ranked lightweight Bruno Assis. Gaining the #3 Lightweight Ranking.

Melinda Fábián joins the Women’s P4P Rankings at #3 with a Unanimous Decision Victory over Erica Santos

In Kenji Grillon’s debut he fought Nikos Gidakos, a 3-fight Pit veteran with Kickboxing experience, and won in dominant fashion. At KC38 he once again fought another experienced opponent in Jorge Perez (who has a win over former Top 10 UFC Fighter James Vick) and again won in dominant fashion. These performances have earned him the #4 ranking in the Welterweight division.

Former Welterweight Title Challenger Dionicio Gustavo works his way back into the rankings at number 5 with a win over Davy Dona.

Robbie Lavoie enters the Bantamweight Rankings at #6 with a win over Damian Villa.