Divisional: Alexandre Pantoja’s takeover is among big changes
Credit to Author: Brett Okamoto| Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:55:03 EST
Alexandre Pantoja had defeated Brandon Moreno twice before, but last Saturday at UFC 290, Moreno really put Pantoja to the test in their men’s flyweight title bout.
Pantoja passed the best, though by the slimmest of margins, in a split-decision victory that made him the champion.
With that ascension, Pantoja also takes over the top spot among 125-pound men in the latest ESPN divisional rankings.
There’s also a change at the top of the women’s bantamweight top 10, caused by the retirement of Amanda Nunes, who reigned in that UFC division as well as featherweight. With “The Lioness” gone, everyone else in the rankings moves up a spot. Julianna Peña takes over at No. 1, and Pannie Kianzad claims the final spot.
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 July 12. 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: Nov. 11 vs. Stipe Miocic
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: Sept. 2 vs. Serghei Spivac
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: July 22 vs. Marcin Tybura
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: W (Sub1) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: Sept. 2 vs. Ciryl Gane
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 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: July 29 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1-1
Last: D (SD) Jan Blachowicz, Dec. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 17-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Yoel Romero, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 17-6, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) Phil Davis, June 16, 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
Record: 36-18
Last: L (UD) Johnny Walker, May 13, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 24-7, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Corey Anderson, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8
Last: L (Sub1) Nikita Krylov, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-2
Last: W (TKO2) Alex Pereira, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 7-2
Last: L (TKO2) Israel Adesanya, April 8, 2023
Next: July 29 vs. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 20-2
Last: W (TKO2) Robert Whittaker, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD vs. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 24-7
Last: L (TKO2) Dricus Du Plessis, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) Marvin Vettori, Jube 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 19-7-1
Last: L (UD) Jared Cannonier, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Luke Rockhold, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: July 29 vs. Ikram Aliskerov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 13-0
Last: W (UD) Anatoly Tokov, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: Sept. 23 vs. Fabian Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-5
Last: W (TKO2) Abus Magomedov, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
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: July 29 vs. Michel Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (Sub3) Shavkat Rakhmonov, March 4, 2023
Next: Aug. 19 vs. Ian Garry
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (TKO2) Belal Muhammad, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-9, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Beneil Dariush, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5-1
Last: L (TKO1) Charles Oliveira, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: W (MD) Rafael Fiziev, March 18, 2023
Next: July 29 vs. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-7, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) Michael Chandler, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: July 29 vs. Justin Gaethje
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
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 20-3
Last: W (TKO3) Joachim Silva, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-14
Last: W (Sub2) Bryan Barberena, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: Aug. 12 vs. Vicente Luque
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-2
Last: W (TKO3) Yair Rodriguez, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-7
Last: W (UD) Arnold Allen, April 15, 2023
Next: Aug. 26 vs. Chan Sung Jung
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) Alexander Volkanovski, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 35-6
Last: L (UD) Sergio Pettis, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
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: July 30 vs. Patricky Freire
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (UD) Josh Emmett, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: L (UD) Ilia Topuria, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
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 champion
Record: 23-3
Last: W (SD) Henry Cejudo, May 6, 2023
Next: Aug. 19 vs. Sean O’Malley
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: Aug. 19 vs. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: W (SD) Marlon Vera, March 25, 2023
Next: Aug. 5 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: L (UD) Merab Dvalishvili, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Patricio Freire, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD vs. Patchy Mix
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8-1
Last: L (SD) Cory Sandhagen, March 25, 2023
Next: Aug. 19 vs. Pedro Munhoz
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 vs. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 26-5
Last: W (SD) Brandon Moreno, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 21-7-2
Last: L (SD) Alexandre Pantoja, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 25-4-1
Last: W (UD) Adriano Moraes, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 21-3-1
Last: L (TKO3) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (SD) Kai Kara-France, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-11, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Amir Albazi, June 3, 2023
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Manel Kape
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: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) David Dvorak, Dec. 17, 2022
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 11-5
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 15-8
Last: W (SD) Ketlen Vieira, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 13-3
Last: L (SD) Raquel Pennington, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: July 22 vs. Pannie Kianzad
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 15-6
Last: W (UD) Yana Santos, March 25, 2023
Next: July 15 vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 14-7
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 14-6
Last: W (UD) Arlene Blencowe, April 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 8-3
Last: L (KO3) Irene Aldana, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 9-2
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, April 22, 2023
Next: July 15 vs. Chelsea Chandler
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 16-6
Last: W (UD) Lina Lansberg, April 26, 2022
Next: July 22 vs. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3
Last: W (Sub4) Valentina Shevchenko, March 4, 2023
Next: Sept. 16 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (Sub4) Alexa Grasso, March 4, 2023
Next: Sept. 16. vs. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) Katlyn Chookagian, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: Sept. 2 vs. Rose Namajunas
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: Aug. 5 vs. Tatiana Suarez
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: Bellator
Record: 12-2
Last: L (Sub2) Liz Carmouche, Dec. 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9-1
Last: W (UD) Casey O’Neill, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-2
Last: W (Sub2) Carla Esparza, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: Aug. 19 vs. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (Sub2) Zhang Weili, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2-1
Last: W (TKO3) Marina Rodriguez, Nov. 5, 2022
Next: Aug. 19 vs. Zhang Weili
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: 13-3
Last: W (UD) Angela Hill, May 20, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (TKO2) Maycee Barber, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (SD) Michelle Waterson-Gomez, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-11
Last: L (SD) Luana Pinheiro, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD