After Jailton Almeida and Johnny Walker get big wins, they’re in
Being one of the 10 best in the world at anything is a notable accomplishment. When it comes to MMA rankings, ESPN acknowledges the top 10 fighters in 11 weight classes, and that sets them apart from the rest of the fighters in the sport.
So if you’re No. 10 in a division, you’re acknowledged as one of the best at that weight. But if you happen to be the 11th, 12th or 13th best, you don’t make the rankings and can easily be confused for just another fighter.
That discrepancy comes into play in these latest ESPN rankings. Three fighters who were ranked No. 10 in his weight class lost last weekend. So they’ve been replaced by three who now own spots among the sport’s elite.
At heavyweight, Jairzinho Rozenstruik has been replaced at No. 10 by the man who defeated him in Saturday’s UFC main event, Jailton Almeida. Anthony Smith, who lost that night’s co-main event to Johnny Walker, has been supplanted by Walker as the 10th-ranked light heavyweight. And at middleweight, Gegard Mousasi is out of the rankings following Friday’s Bellator loss to Fabian Edwards. Taking over the No. 10 spot at 185 pounds is Derek Brunson.
One added note: Even though the consensus best heavyweight, Francis Ngannou, is now under contract with the PFL, he will remain ineligible for the ESPN rankings until after he fights. He was dropped a couple of months ago for inactivity.
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 16. In order to be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed over the past 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Fighters who have been dropped for inactivity can be reinstated only after they compete.
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: 27-1, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) Ciryl Gane, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Curtis Blaydes, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: L (Sub1) Jon Jones, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Sergei Pavlovich, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: L (KO1) Sergei Pavlovich, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) Curtis Blaydes, July 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: W (Sub1) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 36-10
Last: W (TKO1) Alexandr Romanov, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 31-7, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Fedor Emelianenko, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: W (SUB1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, May 13, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-3-1
Last: W (Sub5) Glover Teixeira, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Glover Teixeira, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-9-1
Last: D (SD) Magomed Ankalaev, Dec.10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1-1
Last: D (SD) Jan Blachowicz, Dec. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 16-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Corey Anderson, Nov. 18, 2022
Next: June 16 vs. Yoel Romero
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (TKO3) Jan Blachowicz, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-6, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Vadim Nemkov, Nov. 18, 2022
Next: June 16 vs. Phil Davis
Promotion: PFL
Record: 18-2
Last: W (UD) Thiago Santos, April 1, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: W (SD) Anthony Smith, May 13, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-2
Last: W (TKO2) Alex Pereira, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 7-2
Last: L (TKO2) Israel Adesanya, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: W (UD) Marvin Vettori, Sept. 3, 2022
Next: July 8 vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6-1
Last: W (UD) Roman Dolidze, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: W (SD) Sean Strickland, Dec. 17, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: W (TKO2) Derek Brunson, March 4, 2023
Next: July 8 vs. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Luke Rockhold, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 13-0
Last: W (UD) Anatoly Tokov, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-5
Last: W (UD) Nassourdine Imavov, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: July 1 vs. Abus Magomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: L (TKO2) Dricus Du Plessis, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (MD) Kamaru Usman, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: L (MD) Leon Edwards, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Gilbert Burns, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-0
Last: W (Sub1) Kevin Holland, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 27-0
Last: W (UD) Logan Storley, Feb. 25, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0
Last: W (Sub3) Geoff Neal, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6-1
Last: W (TKO4) Kevin Holland, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (Sub3) Shavkat Rakhmonov, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (TKO2) Belal Muhammad, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: July 8 vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-9, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) Islam Makhachev, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: June 10 vs. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4-1
Last: W (UD) Mateusz Gamrot, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: June 10 vs. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: W (MD) Rafael Fiziev, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-7, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) Michael Chandler, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (Sub3) Dustin Poirier, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Conor McGregor
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-7
Last: L (MD) Justin Gaethje, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-2, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) Jalin Turner, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-14
Last: W (Sub2) Bryan Barberena, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: Aug. 12 vs. Vicente Luque
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: W (UD) Damir Ismagulov, Dec. 17, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-2
Last: L (UD) Islam Makhachev, Feb. 11, 2023
Next: July 8 vs. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-7
Last: W (UD) Arnold Allen, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub2) Josh Emmett, Feb. 11, 2023
Next: July 8 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 35-5
Last: W (UD) Kleber Koike Erbst, Dec. 31, 2022
Next: June 16 vs. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Yair Rodriguez, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Roberto de Souza, Dec. 31, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (Sub2) Yair Rodriguez, Feb. 11, 2023
Next: June 24 vs. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: L (TKO2) Arnold Allen, Oct. 29, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (Sub2) Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 10, 2022
Next: June 24 vs. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-3
Last: W (SD) Henry Cejudo, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: W (UD) Petr Yan, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: W (SD) Marlon Vera, March 25, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: L (UD) Merab Dvalishvili, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8-1
Last: L (SD) Cory Sandhagen, March 25, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-6
Last: W (TKO1) Adrian Yanez, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator interim champion
Record: 18-1
Last: W (KO1) Raufeon Stots, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO5) Ricky Simon, April 29, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-6-2
Last: W (TKO3) Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: July 8 vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 25-4-1
Last: W (UD) Adriano Moraes, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3-1
Last: L (TKO3) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-10, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) Brandon Moreno, July 30, 2022
Next: June 3 vs. Amir Albazi
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: W (Sub1) Alex Perez, July 30, 2022
Next: July 8 vs. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Demetrious Johnson, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: W (KO1) Matheus Nicolau, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3-1
Last: L (KO1) Brandon Royval, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Unsigned
Record: 16-5, 2 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Yuki Motoya, Dec. 31, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (KO3) Alessandro Costa, Dec. 17, 2022
Next: June 3 vs. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (UD) Julianna Peña, July 30, 2022
Next: June 10 vs. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: W (SD) Ketlen Vieira, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3
Last: L (SD) Raquel Pennington, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: W (UD) Yana Santos, March 25, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: W (KO3) Macy Chiasson, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: June 10 vs. Amanda Nunes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Holly Holm, March 25, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 14-6
Last: W (UD) Arlene Blencowe, April 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-3
Last: L (KO3) Irene Aldana, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-2
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3
Last: W (Sub4) Valentina Shevchenko, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (Sub4) Alexa Grasso, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) Katlyn Chookagian, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (Sub2) Jessica Andrade, Feb. 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-11
Last: L (KO1) Yan Xiaonan, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 19-7
Last: W (Sub4) DeAnna Bennett, April 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: L (UD) Manon Fiorot, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: L (UD) Jessica Andrade, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: L (SD) Valentina Shevchenko, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 12-2
Last: L (Sub2) Liz Carmouche, Dec. 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-2
Last: W (Sub2) Carla Esparza, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (Sub2) Zhang Weili, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2-1
Last: W (TKO3) Marina Rodriguez, Nov. 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) Jessica Andrade, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) Marina Rodriguez, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3-2
Last: L (UD) Virna Jandiroba, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (MD) Yan Xiaonan, Oct. 1, 2022
Next: May 20 vs. Angela Hill
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: W (UD) Viviane Araujo, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (SD) Michelle Waterson-Gomez, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD