Tatsuro Taira is still undefeated but no longer unranked
Credit to Author: ESPN| Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2024 09:21:04 EST
Tatsuro Taira showed over the weekend why he’s one of MMA’s rising young stars. The 24-year-old flyweight from Japan remained undefeated with a second-round TKO of onetime UFC title challenger Alex Perez in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.
As a result, Taira has moved into the ESPN divisional rankings for the first time.
Perez remains in Brett Okamoto’s top 10 as well, because the finish came on an injury. Taira was taking Perez down with a body triangle while clinging to his back, and as Perez fell to the canvas, he injured his right knee, ending the bout.
Falling out of the 125-pound rankings is Tagir Ulanbekov, who was scheduled to fight on Saturday’s card but missed weight by 3½ pounds. His bout with Joshua Van was canceled.
Also departing the divisional rankings: middleweight Marvin Vettori, who last fought June 17, 2023, and has become ineligible because of a year of 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 June 18. 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
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: July 27 vs. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: June 22 vs. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jailton Almeida, March 9, 2024
Next: July 27 vs. Tom Aspinall
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-10
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: June 22 vs. Sergei Pavlovich
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 13-3, 3 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Ryan Bader, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Alexandr Romanov, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Bruno Cappelozza, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-12, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento, May 11, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jamahal Hill, April 13, 2024
Next: June 29 vs. Jirí Procházka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Aleksandar Rakic, April 13, 2024
Next: June 29 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1
Last: W (KO2) vs. Johnny Walker, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: W (KO1) vs. Alex Pereira, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-10-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Alex Pereira, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (TKO) vs. Jiří Procházka, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-19
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Anthony Smith, Dec. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8
Last: L (KO2) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: June 22 vs. Volkan Oezdemir
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-19
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Vitor Petrino, May 4, 2024
Next: June 29 vs. Carlos Ulberg
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: Aug. 17 vs. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: Aug. 17 vs. Dricus du Plessis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-6
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Paulo Costa, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: June 22 vs. Ikram Aliskerov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 15-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Impa Kasanganay, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 14-4, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 8, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 17-7
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, June 8, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Previous ranking: 10
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Previous ranking: Unranked
Last: L (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Colby Covington, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: July 27 vs. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4
Last: L (MD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 6, 2023
Next: July 27 vs. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Stephen Thompson, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7
Last: L (KO3) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-4
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Ray Cooper III, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: June 22 vs. Ramazan Kuramagomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Kelvin Gastelum, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Geoff Neal, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: June 29 vs. Michael “Venom” Page
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-1
Last: W (Sub5) vs. Dustin Poirier, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-10, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: L (KO5) vs. Max Holloway, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub5) vs. Islam Makhachev, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Jalin Turner, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Renato Moicano, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (KO2) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-7
Last: W (KO5) vs. Justin Gaethje, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Yair Rodriguez, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: June 29 vs. Diego Lopes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Movsar Evloev, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: July 27 vs. Giga Chikadze
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Calvin Kattar, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: Aug. 3 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Song Yadong, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Jonathan Martinez, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, March 9, 2024
Next: Aug. 3 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Cody Garbrandt, April 13, 2024
Next: Aug. 3 vs. Marlon Vera
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 23-7
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Patchy Mix, Nov. 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Steve Erceg, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Brandon Moreno, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Felipe dos Santos, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: July 27 vs. Muhammad Mokaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-0,1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Perez, March 2, 2024
Next: July 27 vs. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 16-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Alex Perez, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 19-5-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Perez, April 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 20-13-1
Last: W (TechSub1) vs. Sumudaerji, Dec. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Holly Holm, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 14-7
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Leah McCourt, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Germaine de Randamie, April 6, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-8
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Macy Chiasson, March 16, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3-1
Last: Split draw vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4-1
Last: Split draw vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Record: 22-7
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Kana Watanabe, June 13, 2024
Next: Aug. 2 vs. Taila Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: July 13 vs. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Maycee Barber, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Ribas, March 23, 2024
Next: July 13 vs. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Feb. 3, 2024
Next: July 13 vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Loopy Godínez, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Jessica Andrade, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: Aug. 3 vs. Loopy Godínez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-13
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Luana Pinheiro, May 18, 2024
Next: TBD