MMA divisional rankings: Heavyweight top 10 is light on changes or impact

February 24, 2026 No Comments

MMA divisional rankings: Heavyweights are big hitters making little impactSerghei Spivac, right, got the better of Ante Delija in a heavyweight clash at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Houston. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLCBrett OkamotoFeb 24, 2026, 08:00 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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Combat sports tend to revolve around their heavyweight divisions to a certain extent, but that has simply not been possible for mixed martial arts in recent years.

The UFC heavyweight division is seriously lacking in depth and activity at the top. Jon Jones became champion three years ago, defended his title once, then retired. Tom Aspinall spent over a year and a half as interim champion before being elevated, and when he finally defended the undisputed title in October, the fight ended prematurely as a no-contest after he suffered eye pokes that required surgery and threaten to end his career.

And so it goes in a weight class that appears to have little going for it at the moment.

Things will come around. The heavyweight division won’t stay in a valley forever. With the state it’s currently in, though, MMA fans will await that day eagerly.

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Houston featured a battle of ranked heavyweights, and Serghei Spivac’s unanimous decision win over Ante Delija produced the only change in the ESPN divisional rankings. Spivac remains at No. 8, while Delija drops out of the top 10. Rizvan Kuniev, who defeated then-ranked Jailton Almeida on Feb. 7, enters the rankings at No. 9, and Derrick Lewis moves down a spot to 10th.

The UFC fight card’s other meeting of ranked fighters, in which Sean Strickland beat Anthony Hernandez by third-round TKO, did not produce any changes in the middleweight top 10.

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 Feb. 24. 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: TBA

3. Curtis Blaydes

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

4. Alexander Volkov

Record: 39-11
Last: W (SD) vs. Jailton Almeida, Oct. 25, 2025
Next: TBA

5. Sergei Pavlovich

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

6. Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Record: 17-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Derrick Lewis, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

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: TBD

9. Rizvan Kuniev

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

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: TBA

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: TBA

4. Carlos Ulberg

Record: 14-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Dominick Reyes, Sept. 27, 2025
Next: TBA

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: TBA

7. Dominick Reyes

Record: 15-5
Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Sept. 27, 2025
Next: TBA

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: TBA

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: TBD

5. Israel Adesanya

Record: 24-5
Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Feb. 1, 2025
Next: March 28 vs. Joe Pyfer

6. Anthony Hernandez

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

7. Caio Borralho

Record: 17-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Sept. 6, 2025
Next: March 7 vs. Reinier de Ridder

8. Brendan Allen

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

9. Reinier de Ridder

Record: 12-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Brendan Allen, Oct. 18, 2025
Next: March 7 vs. Caio Borralho

10. Robert Whittaker

Record: 26-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26, 2025
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: TBA

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: TBA

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: TBA

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: TBA

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Ilia Topuria, UFC champion

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

2. Arman Tsarukyan

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

3. Charles Oliveira

Record: 36-11, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Matqusz Gamrot, Oct. 11, 2025
Next: March 7 vs. Max Holloway

4. Max Holloway

Record: 27-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19, 2025
Next: March 7 vs. Charles Oliveira

5. Justin Gaethje, UFC interim champion

Record: 27-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Paddy Pimblett, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

6. Usman Nurmagomedov, PFL champion

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

7. Benoît Saint Denis

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

8. Mauricio Ruffy

Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Rafael Fiziev, Jan. 31
Next: TBD

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: TBA

FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

1. Alexander Volkanovski, UFC champion

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

2. Diego Lopes

Record: 27-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Jan. 31
Next: TBD

3. Yair Rodriguez

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

4. Lerone Murphy

Record: 17-0-1, 2025
Last: W (KO1) vs. Aaron Pico, Aug. 16, 2025
Next: March 21 vs. Movsar Evloev

5. Aljamain Sterling

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

6. Youssef Zalal

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

7. Patricio Pitbull

Record: 37-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Dan Ige, July 19, 2025
Next: TBA

8. Brian Ortega

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

9. Josh Emmett

Record: 19-6
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Youssef Zalal, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: March 14 vs. Kevin Vallejos

10. Steve Garcia

Record: 19-5
Last: W (TKO1) vs. David Onama, Nov. 1, 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: TBA

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: TBD

7. Song Yadong

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

8. Deiveson Figueiredo

Record: 25-6-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Jan. 24
Next: TBA

9. Marlon Vera

Record: 23-11-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Oct. 18, 2025
Next: Feb. 28 vs. David Martinez

10. Aiemann Zahabi

Record: 14-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Marlon Vera, Oct. 18, 2025
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: TBD

7. Brandon Moreno

Record: 23-9-2
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: Feb. 28 vs. Lone’er Kavanagh

8. Kai Kara-France

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

9. Muhammad Mokaev, Brave CF champion

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

6. Amir Albazi

Record: 17-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi, Feb. 7
Next: TBD

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. Yana Santos

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

6. Macy Chiasson

Record: 10-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Yana Santos, Oct. 4, 2025
Next: Feb. 28 vs. Ailin Perez

7. Ailin Perez

Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: Feb. 28 vs. Macy Chiasson

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. Maycee Barber

Record: 15-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karine Silva, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: March 28 vs. Alexa Grasso

6. Dakota Ditcheva

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

7. Alexa Grasso

Record: 16-5-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, May 10, 2025
Next: March 28 vs. Maycee Barber

8. Jasmine Jasudavicius

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

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: TBA

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: TBA

6. Amanda Lemos

Record: 15-5-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Sept. 13, 2025
Next: March 14 vs. Gillian Robertson

7. Gillian Robertson

Record: 16-8
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Marina Rodriguez, May 3, 2025
Next: March 14 vs. Amanda Lemos

8. Loopy Godínez

Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Aug. 16, 2025
Next: TBA

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: TBA

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