Divisional: Ground control rockets Merab Dvalishvili, Valentina Shevchenko to top
Credit to Author: Brett Okamoto| Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2024 14:09:41 EST
Last weekend’s UFC 306 transformed the ESPN divisional rankings into a game of leapfrog.
Merab Dvalishvili and Valentina Shevchenko both went into their title fights ranked No. 2 in their weight classes behind the defending champions. And now, after Dvalishvili took the men’s bantamweight belt away from Sean O’Malley and Shevchenko dethroned Alexa Grasso at women’s flyweight, the new champs sit at the top of their divisions in the rankings.
The winning strategies of Dvalishvili and Shevchenko were similar: Both utilized their ground games to dominate. Dvalishvili, the UFC’s active leader in takedowns with 85 in his Octagon career, scored six takedowns on 15 attempts, piling up over 10 minutes of control time. Shevchenko was even more efficient, landing eight of her 12 takedown tries and controlling position for 16:04 of her 25 minutes inside the cage.
Saturday’s fights at Sphere in Las Vegas also boosted some other fighters in the rankings. Diego Lopes makes his debut in the featherweight top 10 on the strength of defeating Brian Ortega, a onetime title challenger. And Norma Dumont moves up into the top five at women’s bantamweight after beating Irene Aldana.
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 Sept. 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 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: Dec. 7 vs. Dominick Reyes
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: Oct. 19 vs. Fabian Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 8, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Caio Borralho, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
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 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: 17-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael “Venom” Page, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
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: Nov. 16 vs. Michael Chandler
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: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexander Shabliy, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-2, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
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
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 26-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 19-4
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 18-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
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: Oct. 12 vs. Tatsuro Taira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: Nov. 2 vs. Amir Albazi
Promotion: UFC
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: Oct. 12 vs. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Muhammad Mokaev, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
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
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
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
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 24-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 16-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14, 2024
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: Nov. 2 vs. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL
Record: 22-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Liz Carmouche, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: TBD vs. Dakota Ditcheva
Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Tracy Cortez, July 13, 2024
Next: Nov. 2 vs. Erin Blanchfield
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
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Jessica Andrade, April 13, 2024
Next: Oct. 5 vs. Iasmin Lucindo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Loopy Godínez, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Angela Hill, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD