UFC Rankings 2024: Every Fighter, Every Division

The UFC rankings, introduced in February 2013, are compiled by a panel of members from the media. In these rankings, media members have combined insights to identify the top fighters across all weight classes and the top pound-for-pound fighters. Various UFC fighters are eligible for this honor, demonstrating their prowess across multiple divisions. While division champions and interim champions secure the pinnacle spots in their categories, making them ineligible for divisional votes, their skills can still earn them a coveted place in the pound-for-pound rankings, celebrating the best of the best in UFC.

Men’s pound-for-pound rankings

Islam Makhachev, the reigning lightweight champion, continues to lead the men’s pound-for-pound rankings. The 25-1 record of Makhachev secured his place at the top after he successfully defended his title against Alexander Volkanovski twice, including an impressive head-kick knockout in the rematch at UFC 294. Crowned Fighter of the Year in 2023, the 32-year-old is set for a spring return post-Ramadan, eyeing a showdown with Dustin Poirier.

RankCountryFighterRecordWin StreakWeight classStatusNext fight
1RussiaIslam Makhachev25–113LightweightLightweight Champion
2United StatesJon Jones27–1 (1 NC)5HeavyweightHeavyweight Champion
3EnglandLeon Edwards22–3 (1 NC)4WelterweightWelterweight Champion
4BrazilAlex Pereira9–22Light heavyweightLight heavyweight ChampionJamahal Hill (UFC 300)
5GeorgiaIlia Topuria15–015FeatherweightFeatherweight Champion
6United StatesSean O’Malley18–1 (1 NC)3BantamweightBantamweight Champion
7BrazilCharles Oliveira34–9 (1 NC)1Lightweight#1 in lightweight rankingsArman Tsarukyan
8AustraliaAlexander Volkanovski26–40Featherweight#1 in featherweight rankings
9South AfricaDricus du Plessis21–29MiddleweightMiddleweight Champion
10BrazilAlexandre Pantoja27–55FlyweightFlyweight Champion
11NigeriaIsrael Adesanya24–30Middleweight#2 in middleweight rankings
12EnglandTom Aspinall14–32HeavyweightInterim Heavyweight Champion
13United StatesSean Strickland28–60Middleweight#1 in middleweight rankings
14United StatesMax Holloway25–72Featherweight#2 in featherweight rankingsJustin Gaethje
15United StatesAljamain Sterling23–40Bantamweight#2 in bantamweight rankingsCalvin Kattar

Women’s Pound-for-Pound Rankings

Mexican Alexa Grasso fought two fights against flyweight icon Valentina Shevchenko in 2023, capturing and defending her flyweight title. This victory positions her among the elite female fighters as the year closes. Yet, 2024 looms with formidable opponents like Shevchenko, Blanchfield, and Fiorot eyeing the title. Overcoming these adversaries could solidify her place at the pinnacle of the division. Grasso’s record stands impressively at 16–3–1.

Alexa Grasso
RankCountryFighterRecordWin StreakWeight classStatus
1MexicoAlexa Grasso16–3–10FlyweightFlyweight Champion
2ChinaZhang Weili24–33StrawweightStrawweight Champion
3KyrgyzstanValentina Shevchenko23–4–10Flyweight#1 in flyweight rankings
4United StatesErin Blanchfield12–19Flyweight#2 in flyweight rankings
5United StatesJulianna Peña11–50Bantamweight#1 in bantamweight rankings
6FranceManon Fiorot11–111Flyweight#3 in flyweight rankings
7United StatesRaquel Pennington16–86BantamweightBantamweight Champion
8United StatesRose Namajunas11–60Flyweight#2 in strawweight rankings
9United StatesTatiana Suarez10–010Strawweight#1 in strawweight rankings
10ChinaYan Xiaonan17–3 (1 NC)2Strawweight#5 in flyweight rankings
11BrazilJéssica Andrade25–121Flyweight Strawweight#4 in strawweight rankings
12BrazilAmanda Lemos14–3–11Strawweight#3 in strawweight rankings
13BrazilKetlen Vieira14–31Bantamweight#3 in bantamweight rankings
14MexicoIrene Aldana15–71Bantamweight#4 in bantamweight rankings
15United StatesMaycee Barber14–26Flyweight#4 in flyweight rankings

Heavyweight

In mixed martial arts (MMA), the heavyweight category typically encompasses competitors weighing between 206 and 265 pounds (93.4 to 120.2 kilograms).

Jon Jones
RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CUnited StatesJon Jones27–1 (1 NC)5 (0 def)
ICEnglandTom Aspinall14–32
2FranceCiryl Gane12–21
3RussiaSergei Pavlovich18–20
4United StatesStipe Miocic20–40
5United StatesCurtis Blaydes18–4 (1 NC)1
6RussiaAlexander Volkov37–103
7BrazilJailton Almeida20–30
8MoldovaSerghei Spivac16–40
9AustraliaTai Tuivasa14–60
10PolandMarcin Tybura24–80
11SurinameJairzinho Rozenstruik14–51
12United StatesDerrick Lewis27–12 (1 NC)0
13MoldovaAlexander Romanov17–21
14BrazilMarcos Rogério de Lima22–9–11
15BrazilRodrigo Nascimento11–1 (1 NC)3

Light Heavyweight

The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts (MMA) spans various weight classes across different organizations. In the UFC, fighters in this category weigh between 186 and 205 pounds (84 to 93 kilograms). ONE Championship, referring to it as the cruiserweight division, sets the ceiling at 225.1 pounds (102.1 kilograms). Meanwhile, Road FC aligns with the UFC’s cap at 205 pounds (93 kilograms). This division, positioned between the middleweight and heavyweight categories, is generally recognized for competitors within the 186 to 205-pound range (84 to 93 kilograms). According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the Association of Boxing Commissions, the official limit for light heavyweights is 206 pounds (93 kilograms).

RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CBrazilAlex Pereira9–22 (0 def)
1United StatesJamahal Hill12–1 (1 NC)4
2Czech RepublicJiří Procházka29–4–10
3RussiaMagomed Ankalaev18–1–1 (1 NC)1
4PolandJan Błachowicz29–10–10
5AustriaAleksandar Rakić14–30
6Nikita Krylov30–93
7BrazilJohnny Walker21–8 (1 NC)0
8United StatesKhalil Rountree Jr.13–5 (1 NC)5
9SwitzerlandVolkan Oezdemir19–71
10United StatesAnthony Smith37–190
11United StatesRyan Spann21–90
12United StatesAlonzo Menifield15–3–12
13RussiaAzamat Murzakanov13–013
14United StatesDominick Reyes12–40
15BrazilVitor Petrino11–011

Middleweight

One hundred eighty-five pounds (84 kilograms) is the middleweight limit set by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the Association of Boxing Commissions. Most mixed martial arts websites classify fighters weighing 171 and 185 pounds (77.5 and 84 kilograms) as middleweights. This range also aligns with Shooto’s light heavyweight division, which shares the same weight limit. In mixed martial arts (MMA), the middleweight division encompasses a range of weight classes across various organizations:

  • The UFC’s middleweight category includes fighters weighing between 171 and 185 pounds (77.5 to 84 kilograms).
  • Shooto’s middleweight class is designated for competitors who weigh between 155 and 170 pounds (70.3 to 77.1 kilograms).
  • The ONE Championship’s middleweight division adopts the Pride FC framework, setting the weight ceiling at 205 pounds (93 kilograms).
  • Road FC’s middleweight division caps the weight limit at 185 pounds (84 kilograms).
RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CSouth AfricaDricus du Plessis21–29 (0 def)
1United StatesSean Strickland28–60
2NigeriaIsrael Adesanya24–30
3AustraliaRobert Whittaker25–71
4United StatesJared Cannonier17–62
5ItalyMarvin Vettori19–7–10
6United StatesBrendan Allen23–56
7BrazilPaulo Costa14–30
8FranceNassourdine Imavov13–4 (1 NC)1
9 (T)NorwayJack Hermansson24–81
9 (T)Georgia (country)Roman Dolidze12–30
11United Arab EmiratesKhamzat Chimaev13–013
12United StatesAnthony Hernandez12–2 (1 NC)5
13ScotlandPaul Craig17–7–10
14United StatesChris Curtis31–10 (1 NC)1
15BrazilCaio Borralho15–1 (1 NC)12

Welterweight

The Nevada State Athletic Commission and the Association of Boxing Commissions have established a welterweight limit of 170 pounds (77 kilograms). The welterweight division in mixed martial arts (MMA) varies across organizations regarding weight classes. In the UFC, the welterweight category encompasses fighters weighing between 156 and 170 pounds (71 to 77 kilograms). Meanwhile, the ONE Championship sets the welterweight division’s upper limit at 185 pounds (83.9 kilograms).

RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CEnglandLeon Edwards22–3 (1 NC)4 (2 def)
1NigeriaKamaru Usman20–40
2United StatesBelal Muhammad23–3 (1 NC)5
3KazakhstanShavkat Rakhmonov18–018
4United StatesColby Covington17–40
5AustraliaJack Della Maddalena17–217
6BrazilGilbert Burns22–70
7Republic of IrelandIan Machado Garry14–014
8United StatesSean Brady16–11
9United StatesStephen Thompson17–7–10
10United StatesGeoff Neal15–60
11BrazilVicente Luque22–9–11
12United StatesNeil Magny29–111
13EnglandMichael Page22–22
14United StatesKevin Holland25–11 (1 NC)0
15United StatesMichael Chiesa18–70

Lightweight

Mixed martial arts (MMA) features a lightweight division that varies in weight limits across organizations. In the UFC, lightweight competitors fall within the 146 to 155-pound range (66 to 70 kilograms). Shooto’s lightweight class caps at 145 pounds (65.8 kilograms). The ONE Championship extends its lightweight division to a maximum of 170 pounds (77.1 kilograms), while Road FC sets the limit at 154 pounds (70 kilograms) for its lightweight fighters.

RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CRussiaIslam Makhachev25–113 (2 def)
1BrazilCharles Oliveira34–9 (1 NC)1
2United StatesJustin Gaethje25–42
3United StatesDustin Poirier30–8 (1 NC)1
4ArmeniaArman Tsarukyan21–33
5PolandMateusz Gamrot24–2 (1 NC)3
6United StatesMichael Chandler23–80
7United StatesBeneil Dariush22–6–10
8AzerbaijanRafael Fiziev12–30
9New ZealandDan Hooker23–122
10United StatesJalin Turner14–71
11FranceBenoît Saint Denis13–2 (1 NC)0
12BrazilRafael dos Anjos32–160
13BrazilRenato Moicano18–5–12
14United StatesBobby Green31–15–1 (1 NC)0
15United StatesDrew Dober27–13 (1 NC)0

Featherweight

The featherweight category, as determined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the Association of Boxing Commissions, has a set limit of 145 pounds (66 kilograms). This division varies across mixed martial arts organizations:

  • In the UFC, featherweight fighters range from 136 to 145 pounds (61.7 to 65.8 kilograms).
  • Shooto sets its featherweight ceiling at 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms).
  • The ONE Championship’s featherweight limit extends to 155 pounds (70.3 kilograms).
  • Road FC also caps its featherweight division at 145 pounds (65.5 kilograms).
RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CGeorgiaIlia Topuria15–015 (0 def)
1AustraliaAlexander Volkanovski26–40
2United StatesMax Holloway25–72
3United StatesBrian Ortega16–3 (1 NC)1
4MexicoYair Rodríguez19–5 (1 NC)0
5RussiaMovsar Evloev18–018
6EnglandArnold Allen19–30
7United StatesJosh Emmett19–41
8United StatesCalvin Kattar23–70
9Georgia (country)Giga Chikadze15–31
10United StatesBryce Mitchell16–20
11BrazilEdson Barboza24–112
12United StatesDan Ige18–71
13NigeriaSodiq Yusuff13–30
14EnglandLerone Murphy13–0–15
15United StatesAlex Caceres21–14 (1 NC)0

Bantamweight

The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts bridges the gap between the lighter flyweight category (116–125 lb) and the heavier featherweight class (136–145 lb), encompassing a variety of weight classes across different organizations:

  • The UFC’s bantamweight division includes fighters weighing between 126 and 135 pounds (57.2 to 61.3 kilograms).
  • King of the Cage sets the bantamweight ceiling at 145 pounds (65.8 kilograms).
  • Shooto’s bantamweight category is tailored for competitors weighing up to 125 pounds (56.7 kilograms).
  • The ONE Championship’s bantamweight limit is 145.1 pounds (65.8 kilograms).
  • Road FC’s bantamweight division caps at 135.6 pounds (61.5 kilograms).
RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CUnited StatesSean O’Malley18–1 (1 NC)3(1 def)
1GeorgiaMerab Dvalishvili17–410
2United StatesAljamain Sterling23–40
3United StatesCory Sandhagen17–43
4RussiaPetr Yan17–51
5EcuadorMarlon Vera23–9–10
6United StatesHenry Cejudo16–40
7ChinaSong Yadong21–7–1 (1 NC)0
8BrazilDeiveson Figueiredo22–3–11
9United StatesRob Font20–80
10RussiaUmar Nurmagomedov17–017
11United StatesDominick Cruz24–40
12United StatesKyler Phillips12–23
13United StatesMario Bautista14–26
14United StatesJonathan Martinez19–46
15BrazilPedro Munhoz20–9 (2 NC)0

Flyweight

The flyweight category in boxing encompasses fighters who weigh no more than 51 kilograms (112 pounds) when competing for a title.

RankCountryFighterRecordWin Streak
CBrazilAlexandre Pantoja27–55 (1 def)
1United StatesBrandon Royval16–71
2MexicoBrandon Moreno21–8–20
3IraqAmir Albazi17–16
4New ZealandKai Kara-France24–11 (1 NC)0
5BrazilMatheus Nicolau19–3–10
6PortugalManel Kape19–64
7EnglandMuhammad Mokaev12–0 (1 NC)7
8United StatesAlex Perez24–80
9United StatesTim Elliott20–13–11
10AustraliaSteve Erceg12–111
11United StatesMatt Schnell16–8 (1 NC)0
12RussiaTagir Ulanbekov15–22
13JapanTatsuro Taira15–015
14ChinaSu Mudaerji14–60
15Czech RepublicDavid Dvořák20–60

FAQs:

What are UFC Rankings?

UFC Rankings is a system used to identify and classify fighters in different weight divisions within the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and provide an overall pound-for-pound ranking. These rankings help identify the top fighters in each division and the organization as a whole.

Who is the number 1 UFC fighter?

Islam Makhachev currently holds the title of the #1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

How do rankings work in UFC?

UFC rankings are determined by a panel of media members who vote on who they believe are the top fighters in each weight class and in the overall pound-for-pound rankings. Fighters must be active in the UFC to be eligible for ranking. While a fighter can be ranked in multiple weight divisions, champions and interim champions are automatically placed at the top of their divisions and are not included in the weight class voting. However, they are eligible for pound-for-pound rankings.

What is the pound-for-pound ranking?

The pound-for-pound ranking is a concept applied in combat sports like boxing, wrestling, and mixed martial arts to evaluate fighters across all weight classes on an equal footing, essentially adjusting for differences in weight. Since these athletes don’t face off against each other due to weight class distinctions, determining the best fighter on a pound-for-pound basis is inherently subjective, leading to diverse opinions and rankings.

What is the highest rank in UFC 4?

In UFC 4, a fighter’s highest rank is represented by a 5-star rating, indicating the pinnacle of overall ability within the game.

How often are UFC Rankings updated?

UFC Rankings are typically updated following UFC events, considering fight outcomes and any significant changes in fighters’ performances or statuses.

Why are UFC Rankings important?

UFC Rankings are important for several reasons. They help fans and media understand where fighters stand in their divisions, guide matchmaking decisions, and determine title challengers and potential fights. Rankings also recognize fighters for their achievements and progress within the sport.