Marvin Vettori has made a huge climb up the UFC middleweight rankings

Marvin Vettori has ascended up the UFC middleweight division ranks.

In the main event of UFC Vegas 16, Vettori stepped up on short notice to battle Jack Hermansson. It was a very intriguing matchup and it was a top-five opponent Vettori had been calling for. Yet, what surprised many, was the fact the Italian dominated the fight and won via a clear-cut decision.

Welcome to the Top 5️⃣!🇮🇹 @MarvinVettori is the face of Italian MMA. #UFCVegas16 pic.twitter.com/2agixOR6F2

— UFC (@ufc) December 6, 2020

Following the win, the UFC rankings have been updated and Vettori climbed eight spots and is now ranked fifth in the division. The only fighters ranked ahead of him are Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, Jared Cannonier, Darren Till and, of course, the champion, Israel Adesanya.

What's next for Marvin Vettori?

Marvin Vettori is in line for a top-five opponent next and called out Darren Till for an all-European showdown. That certainly makes sense, but someone else Vettori has wanted is champion Israel Adesanya.

“It’s just so nice to prove this guy wrong,” Vettori said about Adesanya when speaking to MMA Fighting. “To kind of show him I’m right back in his face. I’m right here, motherf**ker. Just look in my eyes. I’m going to be your worst f**king nightmare until the day you f**king retire. That’s what it is.

“I’m sure he’s feeling it. He didn’t say nothing but he’s feeling the pressure. There’s nobody that’s coming out with such an overwhelming force in this division. With such hunger and will to become the champion. There’s nobody like this. He’s definitely feeling it. If I had to defend the belt against me, I would not feel calm, relaxed. I’d be feeling pretty stressed. I feel like he’s feeling that way, too.”

With the win over Hermansson, Vettori is now 16-4-1 as a pro and on a four-fight winning streak since returning from a USADA suspension. During this run, he has beaten the likes of Hermansson, Karl Roberson, and Andrew Sanchez.

Marvin Vettori believes he's knocking on the door of a rematch with Israel Adesanya 👀 pic.twitter.com/T5vOpeNy81

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 6, 2020

It is likely Marvin Vettori will return sometime in the first half of 2021 against a top-five opponent. The fight against Till makes the most sense and if he wins that, he could very well get the rematch with Adesanya he has been after.