MMA divisional rankings: Colby Covington, Islam Makhachev hold down higher positions
Colby Covington is back in a place that should feel familiar to him: near the top of the welterweight rankings.
The two-time challenger for the UFC belt spent many months at No. 2 in ESPN’s 170-pound rankings, but he slipped a couple of spots after losing twice to champion Kamaru Usman.
But after a dominant decision win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 on March 5, Covington is back in the second spot, right behind Usman.
Also making a small climb is another superb wrestler, lightweight Islam Makhachev. He made quick work of late replacement Bobby Green on Feb. 26 for his 10th consecutive victory.
Bellator champion Gegard Mousasi moves up a spot at middleweight on the strength of his Feb. 25 knockout of challenger Austin Vanderford. And a couple of fighters — lightweight Arman Tsarukyan and strawweight Amanda Lemos — make their debuts in the ESPN rankings.
For the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings, click here. For a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes, click here.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of March 8.
Heavyweight – Light heavyweight – Middleweight – Welterweight
Lightweight – Men’s featherweight – Men’s bantamweight – Men’s flyweight
Women’s bantamweight – Women’s flyweight – Strawweight
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: L (UD) Francis Ngannou, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Tai Tuivasa, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Chris Daukaus
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-9
Last: W (UD) Marcin Tybura, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: March 19 vs. Tom Aspinall
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO1) Derrick Lewis, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 29-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Valentin Moldavsky, Jan. 29, 2022
Next: May 6 vs. Cheick Kongo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 47-19, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO2) Alexander Volkov, Feb. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 33-7
Last: W (Sub2) Jan Blachowicz, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Jiri Prochazka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-9
Last: L (Sub2) Glover Teixeira, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5
Last: W (TKO1) Ryan Bader, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-3-1
Last: W (KO2) Dominick Reyes, May 1, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Glover Teixeira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Thiago Santos, March 6, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Julius Anglickas, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Corey Anderson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-16
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (UD) Volkan Oezdemir, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: March 12 vs. Thiago Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-9
Last: W (UD) Johnny Walker, Oct. 2, 2021
Next: March 12 vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-1
Last: W (UD) Robert Whittaker, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: W (KO2) Derek Brunson, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: L (UD) Marvin Vettori, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (KO2) Jared Cannonier, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-3
Last: W (SD) Jack Hermansson, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 49-7-2
Last: W (TKO1) Austin Vanderford, Feb. 25, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 18-4-1
Last: L (Sub3) Derek Brunson, Sept. 4, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (SD) Sean Strickland, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 20-4
Last: W (UD) Stephen Thompson, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Nate Diaz, June 12, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7-1
Last: W (Sub1) Michael Chiesa, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: April 16 vs. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Stephen Thompson, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: April 16 vs. Vicente Luque
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: May 13 vs. Michael Page
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-16
Last: L (UD) Colby Covington, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 32-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) Dustin Poirier, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: W (UD) Michael Chandler, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 21-1
Last: W (TKO1) Bobby Green, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7
Last: L (UD) Justin Gaethje, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-14
Last: W (UD) Renato Moicano, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1
Last: W (TKO2) Diego Ferreira, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-2
Last: W (TKO2) Joel Alvarez, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Brian Ortega, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Chan Sung Jung
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub1) Patricio Freire, July 31, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Patricio Freire
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 32-5
Last: L (Sub1) A.J. McKee, July 31, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. A.J. McKee
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Giga Chikadze, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, June 19, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) Sodiq Yusuff, April 10, 2021
Next: March 19 vs. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 16-2
Last: W (UD) Cory Sandhagen, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-3
Last: W (DQ4) Petr Yan, March 6, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-7
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5
Last: L (UD) Jose Aldo, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: W (TKO2) Marlon Moraes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (KO4) Kyoji Horiguchi, Dec. 3, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7-1
Last: W (KO3) Frankie Edgar, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6-2
Last: L (UD) Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 19-3
Last: W (TKO2) Demetrious Johnson, April 7, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Yuya Wakamatsu
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 30-4-1
Last: L (TKO2) Adriano Moraes, April 7, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules)
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0-1
Last: W (UD) Joseph Benavidez, March 6, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Cody Garbrandt, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Askar Askarov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (SD) Rogerio Bontorin, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (Sub2) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Amanda Nunes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (Sub2) Julianna Peña, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Julianna Peña
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Aspen Ladd
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-2
Last: L (UD) Norma Dumont, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) Miesha Tate, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-8
Last: W (Sub2) Macy Chiasson, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 7-2
Last: L (Sub2) Raquel Pennington, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-8
Last: L (UD) Ketlen Vieira, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO4) Lauren Murphy, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Taila Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-9
Last: W (TKO1) Cynthia Calvillo, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: April 23 vs. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (TKO4) Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (SD) Denise Kielholtz, July 16, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 11-1
Last: L (UD) Juliana Velasquez, Dec. 10, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-8-1
Last: L (UD) Katlyn Chookagian, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Roxanne Modafferi, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: W (TKO2) Cynthia Calvillo, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (SD) Zhang Weili, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-2
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (TKO2) Yan Xiaonan, May 22, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1-2
Last: W (SD) Yan Xiaonan, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Marina Rodriguez, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, Oct. 9, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Tecia Torres
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: L (UD) Yan Xiaonan, Nov. 7, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: W (UD) Angela Hill, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: April 9 vs. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: March 26 vs. Michelle Waterson
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 11-1-1
Last: W (SD) Angela Hill, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD