MMA divisional rankings: Lightweight top 10 welcomes a Nurmagomedov
Credit to Author: ESPN| Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:02:49 EST
A Nurmagomedov is back in the ESPN lightweight rankings.
That is a familiar place for the Dagestani family. Khabib Nurmagomedov resided there for years during his UFC championship career, which ended at 29-0 with his retirement in 2020. Now comes his cousin, Bellator champion Usman Nurmagomedov, who is also undefeated.
Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) defended his title with a dominant victory over ex-champ Brent Primus in the main event of Bellator 300. The one-sided performance over the weekend boosted him into the latest divisional rankings.
That’s the most significant change in these top 10s, although another Bellator 300 winner made a small move upward. Liz Carmouche defended her women’s flyweight title with a fifth-round TKO of Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, and that boosted her up one spot.
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 Oct. 11. 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 champion
Record: 27-1, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Ciryl Gane, March 4, 2023
Next: Nov. 11 vs. Stipe Miocic
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Marcin Tybura, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-10
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Alexander Volkov, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 31-7, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik, May 13, 2023
Next: Nov. 4 vs. Derrick Lewis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Glover Teixeira, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Jan Blachowicz, July 29, 2023
Next: Nov. 11 vs. Jirí Procházka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-10-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Alex Pereira, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1-1
Last: D (SD) vs. Jan Blachowicz, Dec. 10, 2022
Next: Oct. 21 vs. Johnny Walker
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 17-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Yoel Romero, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 17-6, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) vs. Phil Davis, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Ryan Spann, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Anthony Smith, May 13, 2023
Next: Oct. 21 vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-18
Last: W (SD) vs. Ryan Spann, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 24-7, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Corey Anderson, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Robert Whittaker, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-7
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Israel Adesanya, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Fabian Edwards, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Luke Rockhold, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL
Record: 23-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, March 4, 2023
Next: Nov. 24 vs. Ray Cooper III
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, March 18, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, March 18, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Colby Covington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: L (MD) vs. Leon Edwards, March 18, 2023
Next: Oct. 21 vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-0
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Kevin Holland, Sept. 10, 2022
Next: Oct. 21 vs. Kamaru Usman
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 27-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Logan Storley, Feb. 25, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Jason Jackson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Geoff Neal, March 4, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Stephen Thompson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6-1
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Kevin Holland, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Belal Muhammad, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 11, 2023
Next: Oct. 21 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-9, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4
Last: W (KO2) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5-1
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-8, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) vs. Justin Gaethje, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Dustin Poirier, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Rafael Fiziev, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 20-3
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Joaquim Silva, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Brent Primus, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD vs. Alexander Shabliy–Patricky Freire winner
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-2
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Yair Rodriguez, July 8, 2023
Next: Oct. 21 vs. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (KO3) vs. Chan Sung Jung, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 35-7
Last: L (KO1) vs. Chihiro Suzuki, July 30, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Roberto de Souza, Dec. 31, 2022
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Sidney Outlaw
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Josh Emmett, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Ilia Topuria, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Max Holloway, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Arnold Allen, Oct. 29, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Sean O’Malley, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Petr Yan, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Patricio Freire, June 16, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Patchy Mix
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Pedro Munhoz, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator interim champion
Record: 18-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Raufeon Stots, April 22, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Brandon Moreno, July 8, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 25-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Adriano Moraes, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3-1
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Brandon Moreno, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Rob Font
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Kai Kara-France, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-11, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Amir Albazi, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Demetrious Johnson, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: W (KO1) vs. Matheus Nicolau, April 15, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Felipe dos Santos, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: W (SD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, July 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Amanda Nunes, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 14-7
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Leah McCourt, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Chelsea Chandler, July 15, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Yana Santos, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Zarah Fairn, Jan. 21, 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: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 20-7
Last: W (TKO5) vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 24-12
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: Nov. 11 vs. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 12-2
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Liz Carmouche, Dec. 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Zhang Weili, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jessica Andrade, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, August 5, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Angela Hill, May 20, 2023
Next: Nov. 11 vs. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, April 8, 2023
Next: TBD