Divisional rankings: Grasso, Pyfer elevate their standing in knockout performances

April 1, 2026 No Comments

MMA divisional rankings: Grasso, Pyfer elevate with emphatic finishesAlexa Grasso climbs in the women’s flyweight rankings after a first-round knockout of Maycee Barber, who was ranked two spots ahead of her in the ESPN divisional rankings. Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCBrett OkamotoMar 31, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose

Brett Okamoto has stated on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.

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The fighting life of a dethroned champion can turn into a redemption story or a free fall. Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle saw both unfold.

The main event pitted two-time former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya against rising Joe Pyfer, and Pyfer scored a second-round knockout for his fourth straight victory. For Adesanya, 36, it was a fourth loss in a row, the past three by finish. He has not won a fight since 2023, when he was in his second reign as champ.

Contrast that result with that of the co-main event, in which former women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso ended a three-fight winless streak by producing one of the most stirring knockouts in recent memory, finishing fellow top-10 fighter Maycee Barber in the first round. Grasso is suddenly riding high again.

Grasso swaps places with Barber in the women’s 125-pound rankings. At middleweight, Pyfer enters the top 10 for the first time at No. 8, and Adesanya falls three spots to No. 9.

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 March 31. 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 (up to 265 pounds)

1. Tom Aspinall, UFC champion

Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: NC1 vs. Ciryl Gane, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: TBA

2. Ciryl Gane

Record: 13-2, 1 NC
Last: NC1 vs. Tom Aspinall, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: June 14 vs. Alex Pereira

3. Curtis Blaydes

Record: 19-5, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Josh Hokit

4. Alexander Volkov

Record: 39-11
Last: W (SD) vs. Jailton Almeida, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: May 9 vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta

5. Sergei Pavlovich

Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Aug. 23, 2025
Next: May 30 vs. Tallison Teixeira

6. Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Record: 17-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Derrick Lewis, Jan. 24
Next: May 9 vs. Alexander Volkov

7. Vadim Nemkov, PFL champion

Record: 20-2
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Dec. 13, 2025
Next: TBA

8. Serghei Spivac

Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Ante Delija, Feb. 21
Next: TBA

9. Rizvan Kuniev

Record: 13-1-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Jailton Almeida, Feb. 7
Next: TBA

10. Derrick Lewis

Record: 29-13, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

1. Alex Pereira, UFC champion

Record: 13-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: June 14 vs. Ciryl Gane

2. Magomed Ankalaev

Record: 21-2-1, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Jirí Procházka

Record: 32-5-1
Last: W (KO3) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 4, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Carlos Ulberg

4. Carlos Ulberg

Record: 14-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Dominick Reyes, Sept. 27, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Jirí Procházka

5. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Record: 14-7, 1 NC
Last: L (KO3) vs. Jirí Procházka, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: TBA

6. Azamat Murzakanov

Record: 16-0
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Aleksandar Rakić, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Paulo Costa

7. Dominick Reyes

Record: 15-5
Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Sept. 27, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Johnny Walker

8. Aleksandar Rakic

Record: 14-6
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Azamat Murzakanov, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: TBA

9. Jamahal Hill

Record: 12-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., June 21, 2025
Next: TBA

10. Corey Anderson, PFL champion

Record: 29-12, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov, Oct. 3, 2025
Next: TBA

MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

1. Khamzat Chimaev, UFC champion

Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Aug. 16, 2025
Next: May 9 vs. Sean Strickland

2. Dricus Du Plessis

Record: 23-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Aug. 16, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Nassourdine Imavov

Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: W (US) vs. Caio Borralho, Sept. 6, 2025
Next: TBA

4. Sean Strickland

Record: 30-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Anthony Hernandez, Feb. 21
Next: May 9 vs. Khamzat Chimaev

5. Caio Borralho

Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, March 7
Next: TBA

6. Anthony Hernandez

Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Sean Strickland, Feb. 21
Next: TBA

7. Brendan Allen

Record: 26-7
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Reinier de Ridder, Oct. 18, 2025
Next: TBA

8. Joe Pyfer

Record: 16-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Israel Adesanya, March 28
Next: TBA

9. Israel Adesanya

Record: 24-6
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Joe Pyfer, March 28
Next: TBA

10. Reinier de Ridder

Record: 12-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Caio Borralho, March 7
Next: TBA

WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

1. Islam Makhachev, UFC champion

Record: 28-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: TBA

2. Jack Della Maddalena

Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Islam Makhachev, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: May 2 vs. Carlos Prates

3. Ian Machado Garry

Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, Nov. 22, 2025
Next: TBA

4. Michael Morales

Record: 19-0
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sean Brady, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Belal Muhammad

Record: 24-5, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Nov. 22, 2025
Next: June 6 vs. Gabriel Bonfim

6. Kamaru Usman

Record: 21-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14, 2025
Next: TBA

7. Sean Brady

Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Michael Morales, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: April 25 vs. Joaquin Buckley

8. Carlos Prates

Record: 23-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Leon Edwards, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: May 2 vs. Jack Della Maddalena

9. Joaquin Buckley

Record: 21-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14, 2025
Next: April 25 vs. Sean Brady

10. Gabriel Bonfim

Record: 19-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Randy Brown, Nov. 8, 2025
Next: June 6 vs. Belal Muhammad

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Ilia Topuria, UFC champion

Record: 17-0
Last: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28, 2025
Next: June 14 vs. Justin Gaethje

2. Arman Tsarukyan

Record: 23-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Dan Hooker, Nov. 22, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Charles Oliveira

Record: 37-11, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Max Holloway, March 7
Next: TBA

4. Max Holloway

Record: 27-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Charles Oliveira, March 7
Next: TBA

5. Justin Gaethje, UFC interim champion

Record: 27-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Paddy Pimblett, Jan. 24
Next: June 14 vs. Ilia Topuria

6. Usman Nurmagomedov, PFL champion

Record: 21-0, 1 NC
Last: W (TechSub3) vs. Alfie Davis, Feb. 7
Next: TBA

7. Benoît Saint Denis

Record: 17-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Dan Hooker, Jan. 31
Next: TBA

8. Mauricio Ruffy

Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Rafael Fiziev, Jan. 31
Next: June 14 vs. Michael Chandler

9. Paddy Pimblett

Record: 23-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Justin Gaethje, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

10. Mateusz Gamrot

Record: 25-4, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Charles Oliveira, Oct. 11, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Esteban Ribovics

FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

1. Alexander Volkanovski, UFC champion

Record: 28-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Jan. 31
Next: TBA

2. Movsar Evloev

Record: 20-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Lerone Murphy, March 21
Next: TBA

3. Diego Lopes

Record: 27-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Jan. 31
Next: June 14 vs. Steve Garcia

4. Yair Rodriguez

Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Patricio Pitbull, April 12, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Lerone Murphy

Record: 17-1-1
Last: L (MD) vs. Movsar Evloev, March 21
Next: TBA

6. Aljamain Sterling

Record: 25-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Aug. 23, 2025
Next: April 25 vs. Youssef Zalal

7. Youssef Zalal

Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Josh Emmett, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: April 25 vs. Aljamain Sterling

8. Patricio Pitbull

Record: 37-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Dan Ige, July 19, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Aaron Pico

9. Kevin Vallejos

Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Josh Emmett, March 14
Next: TBA

10. Brian Ortega

Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Aug. 23, 2025
Next: TBA

MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Petr Yan, UFC champion

Record: 20-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: TBA

2. Merab Dvalishvili

Record: 21-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Sean O’Malley

Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Song Yadong, Jan. 24
Next: June 14 vs. Aiemann Zahabi

4. Umar Nurmagomedov

Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

5. Cory Sandhagen

Record: 18-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: TBA

6. Mario Bautista

Record: 17-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Vinicius Oliveira, Feb. 7
Next: TBA

7. Song Yadong

Record: 22-8-1, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, Jan. 24
Next: May 30 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

8. Deiveson Figueiredo

Record: 25-6-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Jan. 24
Next: May 30 vs. Song Yadong

9. Aiemann Zahabi

Record: 14-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Marlon Vera, Oct. 18, 2025
Next: June 14 vs. Sean O’Malley

10. David Martinez

Record: 14-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, Feb. 28
Next: TBA

MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Joshua Van, UFC champion

Record: 16-2
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Tatsuro Taira

2. Alexandre Pantoja

Record: 30-6
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Joshua Van, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Tatsuro Taira

Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Brandon Moreno, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Joshua Van

4. Manel Kape

Record: 22-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, Dec. 13, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Brandon Royval

Record: 17-9
Last: L (KO1) vs. Manel Kape, Dec. 13, 2025
Next: TBA

6. Kyoji Horiguchi

Record: 36-5, 1 NC
Last:. W (UD) vs. Amir Albazi, Feb. 7
Next: TBA

7. Lone’er Kavanagh

Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Brandon Moreno, Feb. 28
Next: TBA

8. Brandon Moreno

Record: 23-10-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Lone’er Kavanagh, Feb. 28
Next: TBA

9. Kai Kara-France

Record: 25-12, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, June 28, 2025
Next: TBA

10. Muhammad Mokaev, Brave CF champion

Record: 15-0, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Gerard Burns, Nov. 7, 2025
Next: May 16 vs. Adriano Moraes

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Kayla Harrison, UFC champion

Record: 19-1
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Julianna Peña, June 7, 2025
Next: TBA

2. Julianna Peña

Record: 12-6
Last: L (TechSub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, June 7, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Norma Dumont

Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Ketlan Vieira, Nov. 1, 2025
Next: TBA

4. Ketlen Vieira

Record: 15-5
Last: L (SD) vs. Norma Dumont, Nov. 1, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Ailin Perez

Record: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Macy Chiasson, Feb. 28
Next: TBA

6. Yana Santos

Record: 17-8, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Macy Chiasson, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: TBA

7. Macy Chiasson

Record: 11-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Ailin Perez, Feb. 28
Next: TBA

8. Karol Rosa

Record: 19-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Nora Cornolle Aug. 2, 2025
Next: TBA

9. Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, Nov. 8, 2025
Next: TBA

10. Mayra Bueno Silva

Record: 10-6-1, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti, Nov. 8, 2025
Next: TBA

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Valentina Shevchenko, UFC champion

Record: 26-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: TBA

2. Manon Fiorot

Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius, Oct. 18, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Natalia Silva

Record: 20-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

4. Erin Blanchfield

Record: 14-2
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tracy Cortez, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Alexa Grasso

Record: 17-5-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Maycee Barber, March 28
Next: TBA

6. Dakota Ditcheva

Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Sumiko Inaba, July 19, 2025
Next: TBA

7. Maycee Barber

Record: 15-3
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alexa Grasso, March 28
Next: TBA

8. Jasmine Jasudavicius

Record: 14-4
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Manon Fiorot, Oct. 18, 2025
Next: April 18 vs. Karine Silva

9. Rose Namajunas

Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

10. Liz Carmouche

Record: 25-8
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jena Bishop, Aug. 15, 2025
Next: TBA

STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)

1. Zhang Weili

Record: 26-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Nov. 15, 2025
Next: TBA

2. Mackenzie Dern, UFC champion

Record: 16-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: TBA

3. Virna Jandiroba

Record: 22-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: April 4 vs. Tabatha Ricci

4. Yan Xiaonan

Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Virna Jandiroba, April 12, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Tatiana Suarez

Record: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Sept. 13, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Loopy Godinez

6. Gillian Robertson

Record: 17-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, March 14
Next: TBA

7. Amanda Lemos

Record: 15-6-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Gillian Robertson, March 14
Next: TBA

8. Loopy Godínez

Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Aug. 16, 2025
Next: April 11 vs. Tatiana Suarez

9. Iasmin Lucindo

Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Angela Hill, Aug. 9, 2025
Next: TBA

10. Tabatha Ricci

Record: 12-3
Last: W (KO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, July 26, 2025
Next: April 4 vs. Virna Jandiroba

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