Jose Aldo has returned to a familiar status. Steve Erceg is in a new place.
Both are in the latest ESPN divisional rankings following strong performances at UFC 301 on Saturday. Aldo, a consistent presence in fighter rankings during his two reigns as UFC featherweight champion, defeated Jonathan Martinez to earn a spot in the bantamweight top 10. And Erceg made a strong enough showing in his main event loss to flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja that he injected himself into the rankings.
The only other change to Brett Okamoto’s rankings also came at flyweight, where One Championship belt holder (and former longtime UFC titlist) Demetrious Johnson and his most recent challenger, ex-champ Adriano Moraes, both dropped out because of ineligibility. They most recently fought each other, and it was more than a year ago. Erceg and Alex Perez took their spots.
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 May 7. 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
HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 265 pounds)
1. Tom Aspinall  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Sergei Pavlovich  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: June 22 vs. Alexander Volkov
3. Ciryl Gane  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Curtis Blaydes  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jailton Almeida, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Alexander Volkov  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-10
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: June 22 vs. Sergei Pavlovich
6. Renan Ferreira  
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 13-3, 3 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Ryan Bader, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Serghei Spivac  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Jailton Almeida  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Curtis Blaydes, March 9, 2024
Next: June 1 vs. Alexandr Romanov
9. Vadim Nemkov  
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Bruno Cappelozza, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Tai Tuivasa  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7
Last: L (TechSub1) vs. Marcin Tybura, March 16, 2024
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Alex Pereira  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jamahal Hill, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Jirà Procházka  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Aleksandar Rakic, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Magomed Ankalaev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1
Last: W (KO2) vs. Johnny Walker, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Jamahal Hill  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jamahal Hill, April 13, 2024
Next: June 29 vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
5. Jan Blachowicz  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-10-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Alex Pereira, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Corey Anderson  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Aleksandar Rakić  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (TKO) vs. Jiřà Procházka, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Khalil Rountree Jr.  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-19
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Anthony Smith, Dec. 9, 2023
Next: June 29 vs. Jamahal Hill
9. Johnny Walker  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8
Last: L (KO2) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: June 22 vs. Volkan Oezdemir
10. Anthony Smith  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-19
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Vitor Petrino, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Dricus du Plessis  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Israel Adesanya  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Robert Whittaker  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Paulo Costa, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: June 22 vs. Khamzat Chimaev
4. Jared Cannonier  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Sean Strickland  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-6
Last: L (SD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: June 1 vs. Paulo Costa
6. Marvin Vettori  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Johnny Eblen  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Impa Kasanganay, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Khamzat Chimaev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: June 22 vs. Robert Whittaker
9. Brendan Allen  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Chris Curtis, April 6, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Jack Hermansson  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Joe Pyfer, Feb. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Leon Edwards  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Colby Covington, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Kamaru Usman  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4
Last: L (MD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Belal Muhammad  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Shavkat Rakhmonov  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Stephen Thompson, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Jack Della Maddalena  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Gilbert Burns  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7
Last: L (KO3) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Colby Covington  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Jason Jackson  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-4
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Ray Cooper III, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: June 22 vs. Ramazan Kuramagomedov
9. Sean Brady  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Kelvin Gastelum, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Ian Machado Garry  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Geoff Neal, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Islam Makhachev  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: June 1 vs. Dustin Poirier
2. Arman Tsarukyan  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Charles Oliveira  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-10, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Justin Gaethje  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: L (KO5) vs. Max Holloway, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Dustin Poirier  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-8, 1 NC
Last: W (KO2) vs. Benoit Saint Denis, March 9, 2024
Next: June 1 vs. Islam Makhachev
6. Beneil Dariush  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Mateusz Gamrot  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Rafael Fiziev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Dan Hooker  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Jalin Turner, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Jalin Turner  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Renato Moicano, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Ilia Topuria  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (KO2) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Alexander Volkanovski  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Max Holloway  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-7
Last: W (KO5) vs. Justin Gaethje, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Brian Ortega  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Yair Rodriguez, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Yair Rodriguez  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Patricio Freire  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Josh Emmett  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Movsar Evloev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Arnold Allen  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Movsar Evloev, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Aljamain Sterling  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Calvin Kattar, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Sean O’Malley  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Merab Dvalishvili  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Cory Sandhagen  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: Aug. 3 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
4. Petr Yan  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Song Yadong, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Henry Cejudo  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Patchy Mix  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 19-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Sergio Pettis, Nov. 17, 2023
Next: May 17 vs. Magomed Magomedov
7. Jose Aldo  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 32-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Jonathan Martinez, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Marlon Vera  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 23-9-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Deiveson Figueiredo  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 23-3-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Cody Garbrandt, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Sergio Pettis  
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 23-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Patchy Mix, Nov. 17, 2023
Next: TBD
MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexandre Pantoja  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Steve Erceg, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Brandon Royval  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Brandon Moreno, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Brandon Moreno  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Amir Albazi  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 17-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Kai Kara-France, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Kai Kara-France  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 24-11, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Amir Albazi, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Steve Erceg  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, May 4, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Manel Kape  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 19-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Felipe dos Santos, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Muhammad Mokaev  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 12-0,1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Perez, March 2, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Alex Perez  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 25-8
Last: W (KO1) vs. Matheus Nicolau, April 27, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Matheus Nicolau  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 19-5-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Perez, April 27, 2024
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Raquel Pennington  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Kayla Harrison  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Holly Holm, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Ketlen Vieira  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Holly Holm  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Irene Aldana  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Dec.16, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Sara McMann  
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 14-7
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Leah McCourt, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Norma Dumont  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Germaine de Randamie, April 6, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Pannie Kianzad  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-8
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Macy Chiasson, March 16, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Karol Rosa  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Yana Santos  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexa Grasso  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3-1
Last: Split draw vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Valentina Shevchenko  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4-1
Last: Split draw vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Manon Fiorot  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Erin Blanchfield  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Liz Carmouche  
Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Record: 21-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Juliana Velasquez, April 4, 2024
Next: June 13 vs. Kana Watanabe
6. Maycee Barber  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Jessica Andrade  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Katlyn Cerminara  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Maycee Barber, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Rose Namajunas  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Ribas, March 23, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Viviane Araujo  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Feb. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Zhang Weili  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Amanda Lemos  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Yan Xiaonan  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Tatiana Suarez  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, August 5, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Virna Jandiroba  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Loopy GodÃnez, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Jessica Andrade  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Marina Rodriguez  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Jessica Andrade, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Mackenzie Dern  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Amanda Ribas  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Luana Pinheiro  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Amanda Ribas, Nov. 18, 2023
Next: May 18 vs. Angela Hill