Makhachev, Merab show off their dominance
Credit to Author: Brett Okamoto| Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2025 11:20:15 EST
Several fighters in the ESPN divisional rankings competed last weekend at UFC 311. The ones who were ranked highest did what was expected of them.
The two fighters defending championships, lightweight Islam Makhachev and men’s bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili, both put on outstanding performances — but both already were ranked No. 1 in their divisions, so there was nowhere for them to rise.
The only movement in these rankings came at heavyweight, where Jailton Almeida moved up a spot on the strength of his first-round knockout of Serghei Spivac, and at women’s bantamweight, where Ailin Perez entered the top 10 after defeating ranked Karol Rosa.
Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.
Results are current; rankings as of Jan. 21. 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: PFL Super Fights champion
Record: 18-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stipe Miocic, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27, 2024
Next: Feb. 22 vs. Rizvan Kuniev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-11
Last: L (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkov, June 22, 2024
Next: Feb. 1 vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Serghei Spivac, Jan.18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL champion
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 13-4, 3 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Jailton Almeida, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 5, 2024
Next: March 8 vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Aleksandar Rakic, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: March 8 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-5-1
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jamahal Hill, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-3
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Jirí Procházka, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: March 22 vs. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-2
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Israel Adesanya, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: Feb. 8 vs. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-6
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: Feb. 8 vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Robert Whittaker, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: L (Sub4) vs. Dricus du Plessis, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: Feb. 1 vs. Nassourdine Imavov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Fabian Edwards, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Brendan Allen, Sept. 28, 2024
Next: Feb. 1 vs. Israel Adesanya
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: Feb. 15 vs. Gregory Rodrigues
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Kevin Holland, Oct. 5, 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: March 22 vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: March 22 vs. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-6
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Colby Covington, Dec. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Joaquin Buckley, Dec. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 27-1
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael Chandler, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: L (KO5) vs. Max Holloway, April 13, 2024
Next: March 8 vs. Dan Hooker
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: March 8 vs. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-6-1
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Islam Makhachev, Jan. 18, 2025
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: Jan. 25 vs. Paul Hughes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Charles Oliveira, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (KO3) vs. Max Holloway, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (KO3) vs. Ilia Topuria, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: None
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Movsar Evloev, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: Feb. 22 vs. Song Yadong
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2
Last: W (SD) vs. José Aldo, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-5
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Kai Asakura, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Oct. 12, 2024
Next: March 1 vs. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amir Albazi, Nov. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-11, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: Brave CF
Record: 14-0,1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Joevincent So, Dec. 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Oct. 12, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Bruno Silva, Dec. 14, 2024
Next: March 1 vs. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (TechSub2) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington. Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Julianna Peña, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Kayla Harrison, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: Feb. 22 vs. Macy Chiasson
Promotion: None
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29, 2024
Next: Feb. 22 vs. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 18-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ailin Perez, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
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: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas Nov. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Taila Santos, Nov. 29, 2024
Next: TBD
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: 22-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dakota Ditcheva, Nov. 29, 2024
Next: TBD
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 champion
Record: 25-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 13, 2024
Next: Feb. 8 vs. Tatiana Suarez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Tabatha Ricci, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Virna Jandiroba, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Amanda Ribas, Jan. 11, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Jan. 11, 2025
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD