Divisional rankings: Again a champ, Demetrious Johnson rises in flyweight top 10
Ciryl Gane and Robert Whittaker both had big victories at UFC Paris earlier this month. But neither of them budges in the latest ESPN divisional MMA rankings.
Gane already was No. 2 in our heavyweight rankings, and he has a loss to the one fighter ahead of him, UFC champion Francis Ngannou. So despite Gane’s excellent performance in a knockout victory over Tai Tuivasa in France, he had nowhere to go in the top 10.
Whittaker faced the same circumstance. He looked strong in his victory over Marvin Vettori that night, but the Australian middleweight already was second in our 185-pound rankings — and has lost twice to the top-ranked champ, Israel Adesanya. So Whittaker stands pat.
But a former longtime UFC champ does make a move in these rankings. Demetrious Johnson, who made 11 successful title defenses during a six-year reign with the UFC men’s flyweight belt, moved up a couple of spots in ESPN’s flyweight rankings on the strength of winning the One Championship title with a Aug. 27 knockout win over Adriano Moraes.
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 Sept. 13.
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: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (KO3) Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 3, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Tom Aspinall, July 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (KO3) Ciryl Gane, Sept. 3, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) Curtis Blaydes, July 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (TKO1) Derrick Lewis, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-10, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Sergei Pavlovich, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10
Last: W (TKO1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, June 4, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 30-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Cheick Kongo, May 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-3-1
Last: W (Sub5) Glover Teixeira, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8
Last: L (Sub5) Jiri Prochazka, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-9
Last: W (TKO3) Aleksandar Rakic, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO2) Anthony Smith, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Vadim Nemkov, April 15, 2022
Next: Nov. 19 vs. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (TKO3) Jan Blachowicz, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1, 1 NC
Last: TKO4 Thiago Santos, Aug. 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Corey Anderson, April 15, 2022
Next: Nov. 19 vs. Corey Anderson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Ryan Spann
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) Paul Craig, July 23,2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Nikita Krylov
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Jared Cannonier, July 2, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: W (UD) Marvin Vettori, Sept. 3, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6-1
Last: L (UD) Robert Whittaker, Sept. 3, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Luke Rockhold, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (KO2) Jared Cannonier, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Dec. 3 vs. Jack Hermansson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 6-1
Last: W (KO1) Sean Strickland, July 2, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (UD) Gegard Mousasi, June 24, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4
Last: L (KO1) Alex Pereira, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 49-8-2
Last: L (UD) Johnny Eblen, June 24, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO5) Kamaru Usman, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-2
Last: L (KO5) Leon Edwards, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-0
Last: W (Sub1) Kevin Holland, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Vicente Luque, April 16, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Sean Brady
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4
Last: W (KO3) Vicente Luque, Aug. 6, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) Justin Gaethje, May 7, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Michael Chandler
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (Sub1) Charles Oliveira, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1
Last: W (TKO1) Bobby Green, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: W (KO2) Tony Ferguson, May 7, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-6
Last: W (KO5) Rafael dos Anjos, July 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-15
Last: L (KO5) Rafael Fiziev, July 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Arman Tsarukyan, June 25, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) Mateusz Gamrot, June 25, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-1
Last: W (UD) Max Holloway, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 33-5
Last: W (UD) A.J. McKee, April 15, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Adam Borics
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Brian Ortega, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Yair Rodriguez, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) Patricio Freire, April 15, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Spike Carlyle
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: W (SD) Calvin Kattar, June 18, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (SD) Josh Emmett, June 18, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. TJ Dillashaw
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, April 9, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7-1
Last: W (KO4) Dominick Cruz, Aug. 13, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4
Last: W (UD) Jose Aldo, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-8
Last: L (UD) Merab Dvalishvili, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: Sept. 17 vs. Song Yadong
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (KO4) Kyoji Horiguchi, Dec. 3, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: L (UD) Marlon Vera, April 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: L (KO4) Marlon Vera, Aug. 13, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 20-6-2
Last: W (TKO3) Kai Kara-France, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 31-4-1
Last: W (KO4) Adriano Moraes, Aug. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 24-10, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) Brandon Moreno, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 20-4
Last: L (KO4) Demetrious Johnson, Aug. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: W (Sub1) Alex Perez, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: Oct. 15 vs. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: W (Sub1) Matt Schnell, May 7, 2022
Next: Oct. 15 vs. Askar Askarov
Promotion: Unsigned
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2-1
Last: W (UD) David Dvorak, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (UD) Julianna Peña, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, July 30, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) Holly Holm, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (SD) Ketlen Vieira, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8
Last: W (UD) Aspen Ladd, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: W (KO3) Macy Chiasson, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-3
Last: L (UD) Raquel Pennington, April 9, 2022
Next: Sept. 17 vs. Sara McMann
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, March 26, 2022
Next: Sept. 17 vs. Aspen Ladd
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-3
Last: L (KO3) Irene Aldana, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-3
Last: W (SD) Taila Santos, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: W (SD) Amanda Ribas, May 14, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Manon Fiorot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: W (Sub1) Amanda Lemos, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: W (UD) Miesha Tate, July 16, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: L (SD) Valentina Shevchenko, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champ
Record: 17-7
Last: W (TKO4) Juliana Velasquez, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-1
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, March 26, 2022
Next: Oct. 22 vs. Katlyn Chookagian
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: Oct. 15 vs. Viviane Araujo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-13
Last: W (UD) Andrea Lee, May 14, 2022
Next: Oct. 15 vs. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 12-1
Last: L (TKO4) Liz Carmouche, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-6
Last: W (SD) Rose Namajunas, May 7, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-2
Last: W (KO2) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, June 11, 2022
Next: Nov. 12 vs. Carla Esparza
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1-2
Last: W (SD) Yan Xiaonan, March 5, 2022
Next: Nov. 5 vs. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Marina Rodriguez, March 5, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (SD) Tecia Torres, April 9, 2022
Next: Oct. 1 vs. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-3
Last: L (SD) Katlyn Chookagian, May 14, 2022
Next: Dec. 3 vs. Tracy Cortez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2-1
Last: L (Sub1) Jessica Andrade, April 23, 2022
Next: Nov. 5 vs. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-10
Last: L (Sub2) Amanda Lemos, July 16
Next: TBD