Divisional: Carla Esparza’s win no thrill ride but still a top-10 boost
Carla Esparza walked out of the Octagon as strawweight champion at the conclusion of the UFC 274 co-main event. The dawn of her second reign should haver been a moment of glory. Instead, Esparza and the woman she dethroned, Rose Namajunas, have taken heat for theirn uneventful five rounds, which are being held up as one of the worst title fights in UFC history.
And yet Esparza did walk away as champ, eight years after she reigned as the UFC’s first 115-pound champ. And for that alone, she has risen in the ESPN strawweight rankings.
A couple of new champs in Bellator — men’s featherweight Patricio Freire and women’s flyweight Liz Carmouche — have moved up as well.
Overall, there is movement in several of the weight classes in the ESPN rankings. But not much dramatic change, despite some of the impactful recent fight results.
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 May 11.
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: Sept. 3 vs. Tai Tuivasa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Chris Daukaus, March 26, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Tom Aspinall
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (Sub1) Alexander Volkov, March 19, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Tai Tuivasa, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Sergei Pavlovich
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-10
Last: L (Sub1) Tom Aspinall, March 19, 2022
Next: June 4 vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 30-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Cheick Kongo, May 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) Curtis Blaydes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: June 4 vs. Alexander Volkov
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: May 14 vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Vadim Nemkov, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD 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: May 14 vs. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Corey Anderson, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Corey Anderson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-16
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) Thiago Silva, March 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-10
Last: L (UD) Magomed Ankalaev, March 12, 2022
Next: TBD
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: July 2 vs. Jared Cannonier
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: July 2 vs. Israel Adesanya
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: July 30 vs. Luke Rockhold
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: July 30 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 49-7-2
Last: W (TKO1) Austin Vanderford, Feb. 25, 2022
Next: June 24 vs. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4-1
Last: L (Sub3) Derek Brunson, Sept. 4, 2021
Next: July 23 vs. Jack Hermansson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (SD) Sean Strickland, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Darren Till
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (UD) Gilbert Burns, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Nate Diaz, June 12, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, April 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Vicente Luque, April 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD
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: 33-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) Justin Gaethje, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (Sub1) Charles Oliveira, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1
Last: W (TKO1) Bobby Green, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: W (KO2) Tony Ferguson, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-14
Last: W (UD) Renato Moicano, March 5, 2022
Next: July 9 vs. Rafael Fiziev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: July 9 vs. Rafael dos Anjos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1
Last: W (TKO2) Diego Ferreira, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: W (TKO2) Joel Alvarez, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (TKO4) Chan Sung Jung, April 9, 2022
Next: July 2 vs. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: July 2 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 33-5
Last: W (UD) A.J. McKee, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) Patricio Freire, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Giga Chikadze, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: June 18 vs. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: June 18 vs. Calvin Kattar
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
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
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 19-7-1
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, April 30, 2022
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
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 19-6
Last: L (UD) Marlon Vera, April 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Dec. 11, 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: UFC
Record: 24-9, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Askar Askarov, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 20-3
Last: W (Sub3) Yuya Wakamatsu, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (Sub2) Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules), March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-6
Last: W (Sub1) Matt Schnell, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
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: May 21 vs. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8
Last: W (UD) Aspen Ladd, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) Miesha Tate, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: May 21 vs. Holly Holm
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-3
Last: L (UD) Raquel Pennington, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-2
Last: W (SD) Norma Dumont, May 7, 2022
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: 23-9
Last: W (Sub1) Amanda Lemos, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
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 champ
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 17-7
Last: W (TKO4) Juliana Velasquez, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-1
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Roxanne Modafferi, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 12-1
Last: L (TKO4) Liz Carmouche, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 19-6
Last: W (SD) Rose Namajunas, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 11-5
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 21-2
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
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: 12-2
Last: W (SD) Tecia Torres, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2-1
Last: L (Sub1) Jessica Andrade, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-9
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD