Divisional: Kara-France knocks down the entry door at flyweight
Credit to Author: ESPN| Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 15:08:07 EST
Kai Kara-France had not fought in over a year, and his two most recent trips inside the Octagon had not gone well for him — a knockout loss and then an agonizing split-decision defeat that mired him in his first UFC losing streak. His assignment at UFC 305 last weekend in Perth, Australia, was a fight against Steve Erceg, who was coming off a men’s flyweight title fight and would be fighting in his hometown.
So, the deck was stacked against Kara-France. But he rose to the occasion in a big way, knocking out Erceg in the first round.
As a result, Kara-France returns to Brett Okamoto’s divisional rankings, staking his place in the 125-pound top five.
Dan Hooker also used a high-flying UFC 305 performance — an upset win over Mateusz Gamrot — as a springboard for a rise in the lightweight rankings.
Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of Aug. 20. 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 interim champion
Record: 15-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-10
Last: W (UD) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, June 22, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkov, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 13-3, 3 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Ryan Bader, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: Oct. 19 vs. Francis Ngannou
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Alexandr Romanov, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Marcin Tybura, Aug. 10, 2024
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: Nov. 2 vs. Alexandr Romanov
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jirí Procházka, June 29, 2024
Next: Oct. 5 vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-5-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1
Last: W (KO2) vs. Johnny Walker, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Pereira, April 13, 2024
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: Oct. 26 vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-19
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Anthony Smith, Dec. 9, 2023
Next: Oct. 5 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Johnny Walker, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-20
Last: L (UD) vs. Roman Dolidze, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-2
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Israel Adesanya, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: L (Sub4) vs. Dricus du Plessis, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-6
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Ikram Aliskerov, June 22, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Impa Kasanganay, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 8, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, June 8, 2024
Next: Aug. 24 vs. Caio Borralho
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4
Last: L (MD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
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: Sept. 7 vs. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael “Venom” Page, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Kelvin Gastelum, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: Sept. 7 vs. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7-1
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: Oct. 5 vs. Joaquin Buckley
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
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 24-2, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 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: Oct. 26 vs. Max Holloway
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: Oct. 26 vs. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Yair Rodriguez, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: Sept. 14 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: Oct. 5 vs. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Calvin Kattar, April 13, 2024
Next: Oct. 5 vs. Movsar Evloev
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, March 9, 2024
Next: Sept. 14 vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: Sept. 14 vs. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
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: Oct. 5 vs. Mario Bautista
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17, 2024
Next: Nov. 16 vs. Leandro Higo
Promotion: Rizin champion
Record: 33-5, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Sergio Pettis, June 9, 2024
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
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 25-11, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: None
Record: 13-0,1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Manel Kape, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Alex Perez, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 19-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Muhammad Mokaev, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 19-5-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Perez, April 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: Oct. 5 vs Julianna Peña
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Holly Holm, April 13, 2024
Next: Oct. 5 vs. Ketlen Vieira
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: Sept. 14 vs. Norma Dumont
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Germaine de Randamie, April 6, 2024
Next: Sept. 14 vs. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-4-1, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Macy Chiasson, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Chelsea Chandler, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3-1
Last: Split draw vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: Sept. 14 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4-1
Last: Split draw vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: Sept. 14 vs. Alexa Grasso
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: Nov. 2 vs. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 22-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Liz Carmouche, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: TBD vs. Dakota Ditcheva
Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, April 13, 2024
Next: Sept. 7 vs. Natalia Silva
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Tracy Cortez, July 13, 2024
Next: Nov. 2 vs. Erin Blanchfield
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Maycee Barber, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Virna Jandiroba, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 26-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, April 13, 2024
Next: Sept. 7 vs. Natalia Silva
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 17-4-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Jessica Andrade, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Loopy Godínez, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 17-13
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Luana Pinheiro, May 18, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD