MMA divisional rankings: Leon Edwards is kicking it at the top of the heap among welterweights
Leon Edwards stunned the MMA world last weekend by knocking out welterweight champion and pound-for-pound No. 1 Kamaru Usman in the final minute of their UFC 278 title bout.
Edwards, who is unbeaten in his last 11 bouts, was down on all three judges’ scorecards and appeared headed for a decision loss before unleashing the head kick that ended Usman’s reign.
For that accomplishment, Edwards now owns the 170-pound belt and the top spot in the ESPN 170-pound rankings.
The other significant movement in these ESPN divisional rankings came at men’s bantamweight, where Marlon Vera and Merab Dvalishvili raised their stock with big wins. Vera knocked out former longtime champ Dominick Cruz on Aug. 13, and Dvalishvili defeated former featherweight champ Jose Aldo by decision.
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 Aug. 24.
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: 17-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Tom Aspinall, July 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) Curtis Blaydes, July 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (TKO1) Derrick Lewis, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-10, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Sergei Pavlovich, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10
Last: W (TKO1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, June 4, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 30-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Cheick Kongo, May 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-3-1
Last: W (Sub5) Glover Teixeira, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8
Last: L (Sub5) Jiri Prochazka, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-9
Last: W (TKO3) Aleksandar Rakic, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO2) Anthony Smith, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Vadim Nemkov, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-3
Last: L (TKO3) Jan Blachowicz, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 11-1, 1 NC
Last: TKO4 Thiago Santos, Aug. 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Corey Anderson, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Corey Anderson
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) Paul Craig, July 23,2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Jared Cannonier, July 2, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Marvin Vettori
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, July 2, 2022
Next: Oct. 15 vs. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Luke Rockhold, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (KO2) Jared Cannonier, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 6-1
Last: W (KO1) Sean Strickland, July 2, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (UD) Gegard Mousasi, June 24, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4
Last: L (KO1) Alex Pereira, July 2, 2022
Next: Oct. 15 vs. Jared Cannonier
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 49-8-2
Last: L (UD) Johnny Eblen, June 24, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 20-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO5) Kamaru Usman, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 20-2
Last: L (KO5) Leon Edwards, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 11-0
Last: W (UD) Gilbert Burns, April 9, 2022
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Nate Diaz
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Vicente Luque, April 16, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Sean Brady
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 15-4
Last: W (KO3) Vicente Luque, Aug. 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) Justin Gaethje, May 7, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Islam Makhachev
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: Oct. 22 vs. Charles Oliveira
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: 26-6
Last: W (KO5) Rafael dos Anjos, July 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-15
Last: L (KO5) Rafael Fiziev, July 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Arman Tsarukyan, June 25, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) Mateusz Gamrot, June 25, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-1
Last: W (UD) Max Holloway, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 33-5
Last: W (UD) A.J. McKee, April 15, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Adam Borics
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Brian Ortega, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Yair Rodriguez, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) Patricio Freire, April 15, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Spike Carlyle
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: W (SD) Calvin Kattar, June 18, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (SD) Josh Emmett, June 18, 2022
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: Sept. 10 vs. TJ Dillashaw
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, April 9, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 20-7-1
Last: W (KO4) Dominick Cruz, Aug. 13, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 15-4
Last: W (UD) Jose Aldo, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 31-8
Last: L (UD) Merab Dvalishvili, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: Sept. 17 vs. Song Yadong
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (KO4) Kyoji Horiguchi, Dec. 3, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: L (UD) Marlon Vera, April 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: L (KO4) Marlon Vera, Aug. 13, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 20-6-2
Last: W (TKO3) Kai Kara-France, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-10, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) Brandon Moreno, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 20-3
Last: W (Sub3) Yuya Wakamatsu, March 26, 2022
Next: Aug. 26 vs. Demetrious Johnson
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (Sub2) Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules), March 26, 2022
Next: Aug. 26 vs. Adriano Moraes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: W (Sub1) Alex Perez, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: W (Sub1) Matt Schnell, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Unsigned
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2-1
Last: W (UD) David Dvorak, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (UD) Julianna Peña, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) Holly Holm, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (SD) Ketlen Vieira, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
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: 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: 23-3
Last: W (SD) Taila Santos, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: W (SD) Amanda Ribas, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: W (Sub1) Amanda Lemos, April 23, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Manon Fiorot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: W (UD) Miesha Tate, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: L (SD) Valentina Shevchenko, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champ
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: Sept. 3 vs. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-13
Last: W (UD) Andrea Lee, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 12-1
Last: L (TKO4) Liz Carmouche, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-6
Last: W (SD) Rose Namajunas, May 7, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-2
Last: W (KO2) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, June 11, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Carla Esparza
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: Oct. 1 vs. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (SD) Tecia Torres, April 9, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-3
Last: L (SD) Katlyn Chookagian, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2-1
Last: L (Sub1) Jessica Andrade, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-10
Last: L (Sub2) Amanda Lemos, July 16
Next: TBD