MMA divisional rankings: Mackenzie Dern, Islam Makhachev solidify spots

August 18, 2026 No Comments

Mackenzie Dern, Islam Makhachev solidify positions in divisional top 10sBrett OkamotoAug 18, 2026, 09:00 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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There were two title fights at UFC 330 on Saturday, and both the main and co-main events pitted a champion against a challenger also ranked by ESPN in the division’s top 10.

In both cases, the reigning champ — Islam Makhachev at welterweight, Mackenzie Dern at strawweight — retained their belt, with challengers Ian Machado Garry and Gillian Robertson persevering to the final horn.

As a result, all four fighters remain right where they were in the rankings before the weekend. Makhachev and Machado Garry are Nos. 1 and 2 at 170 pounds, and Dern is No. 2 at 115, with Robertson ranked fifth. No other ranked fighters were in action.

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 Aug. 18. 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. Ciryl Gane, UFC interim champion

Record: 14-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, June 14
Next: TBA

2. Tom Aspinall, UFC champion

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

3. Francis Ngannou

Record: 19-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Philipe Lins, May 16
Next: TBA

4. Alexander Volkov

Record: 40-11
Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, May 9
Next: TBA

5. Sergei Pavlovich

Record: 21-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Tallison Teixeira, May 30
Next: TBA

6. Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Record: 17-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkov, May 9
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Curtis Blaydes

7. Vadim Nemkov, PFL champion

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

8. Josh Hokit

Record: 10-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Derrick Lewis, June 14
Next: TBA

9. Serghei Spivac

Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Ante Delija, Feb. 21
Next: Aug. 22 vs. Victor Petrino

10. Curtis Blaydes

Record: 19-6, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Josh Hokit, April 11
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

1. Alex Pereira

Record: 13-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, June 14
Next: TBA

2. Magomed Ankalaev

Record: 22-2-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO5) vs. Bogdan Guskov, July 25
Next: TBA

3. Carlos Ulberg, UFC champion

Record: 15-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jirí Procházka, April 11
Next: TBA

4. Jirí Procházka

Record: 32-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, April 11
Next: TBA

5. Khalil Rountree Jr.

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

6. Navajo Stirling

Record: 11-0
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Jan Blachowicz, Aug. 1
Next: TBA

7. Paulo Costa

Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Azamat Murzakanov, April 11
Next: TBA

8. Azamat Murzakanov

Record: 16-1
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Paulo Costa, April 11
Next: TBA

9. Dominick Reyes

Record: 16-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Johnny Walker, April 11
Next: TBA

10. Jan Blachowicz

Record: 29-12-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Navajo Stirling, Aug. 1
Next: TBA

MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

1. Sean Strickland, UFC champion

Record: 31-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, May 9
Next: TBA

2. Khamzat Chimaev

Record: 15-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, May 9
Next: TBA

3. Dricus du Plessis

Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, July 18
Next: TBA

4. Nassourdine Imavov

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

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: Aug. 22 vs. Gregory Rodrigues

7. Brendan Allen

Record: 27-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan, June 6
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: Aug. 22 vs. Roman Dolidze

WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

1. Islam Makhachev, UFC champion

Record: 29-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Aug. 15
Next: TBA

2. Ian Machado Garry

Record: 17-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Islam Makhachev, Aug. 15
Next: TBA

3. Carlos Prates

Record: 24-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, May 2
Next: TBA

4. Michael Morales

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

5. Jack Della Maddalena

Record: 18-4
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Carlos Prates, May 2
Next: TBA

6. Sean Brady

Record: 19-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, May 9
Next: TBA

7. Gabriel Bonfim

Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, June 6
Next: TBA

8. Joaquin Buckley

Record: 21-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, May 9
Next: TBA

9. Belal Muhammad

Record: 24-6, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Gabriel Bonfim, June 6
Next: TBA

10. Yaroslav Amosov

Record: 30-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Joel Alvarez, May 9
Next: TBA

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Justin Gaethje, UFC champion

Record: 28-5
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Ilia Topuria, June 14
Next: TBA

2. Ilia Topuria

Record: 17-1
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Justin Gaethje, June 14
Next: TBA

3. Arman Tsarukyan

Record: 23-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Dan Hooker, Nov. 22, 2025
Next: Sept. 19 vs. Mauricio Ruffy

4. Usman Nurmagomedov, PFL champion

Record: 22-0, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Archie Colgan, July 31
Next: TBA

5. Charles Oliveira

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

6. Max Holloway

Record: 28-9
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Conor McGregor, July 11
Next: TBA

7. Paddy Pimblett

Record: 24-4
Last: W (TechSub1) vs. Benoit Saint Denis, July 11
Next: TBA

8. Benoît Saint Denis

Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TechSub1) vs. Paddy Pimblett, July 11
Next: TBA

9. Mauricio Ruffy

Record: 14-2
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Michael Chandler, June 14
Next: Sept. 19 vs. Mauricio Ruffy

10. Quillan Salkilld

Record: 26-5, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 8
Next: TBA

FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

1. Alexander Volkanovski, UFC champion

Record: 28-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Jan. 31
Next: Oct. 24 vs. Movsar Evloev

2. Movsar Evloev

Record: 20-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Lerone Murphy, March 21
Next: Oct. 24 vs. Movsar Evloev

3. Diego Lopes

Record: 28-8
Last: W (KO2) vs. Steve Garcia, June 14
Next: TBA

4. Aljamain Sterling

Record: 26-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Youssef Zalal, April 25
Next: TBA

5. Lerone Murphy

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

6. Jean Silva

Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 24
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Yair Rodriguez

7. Kevin Vallejos

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

8. Steve Garcia

Record: 19-6
Last: L (KO2) vs. Diego Lopes, June 14
Next: TBA

9. Arnold Allen

Record: 21-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Melquizael Costa, May 16
Next: TBA

10. Youssef Zalal

Record: 18-6-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, April 25
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: Oct. 24 vs. Merab Dvalishvili

2. Merab Dvalishvili

Record: 21-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: Oct. 24 vs. Petr Yan

3. Sean O’Malley

Record: 20-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Aiemann Zahabi, June 14
Next: TBA

4. Umar Nurmagomedov

Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 24
Next: Aug. 29 vs. Song Yadong

5. Mario Bautista

Record: 18-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, July 11
Next: TBA

6. Cory Sandhagen

Record: 18-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Mario Bautista, July 11
Next: TBA

7. Song Yadong

Record: 23-8-1, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, May 30
Next: Aug. 29 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

8. Aiemann Zahabi

Record: 14-3
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Sean O’Malley, June 14
Next: TBA

9. Deiveson Figueiredo

Record: 25-7-1
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Song Yadong, May 30
Next: TBA

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: 17-2
Last: W (TKO5) vs. Tatsuro Taira, May 9
Next: Sept. 19 vs. Alexandre Pantoja

2. Alexandre Pantoja

Record: 30-6
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Joshua Van, Dec. 6, 2025
Next: Sept. 19 vs. Joshua Van

3. Manel Kape

Record: 23-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi, June 20
Next: TBA

4. Brandon Royval

Record: 18-9
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Lone’er Kavanagh, July 11
Next: TBA

5. Tatsuro Taira

Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO5) vs. Joshua Van, May 9
Next: TBA

6. Kyoji Horiguchi

Record: 36-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Manel Kape, June 20
Next: TBA

7. Lone’er Kavanagh

Record: 10-2
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brandon Royval, July 11
Next: TBA

8. Brandon Moreno

Record: 23-10-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Lone’er Kavanagh, Feb. 28
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Joseph Morales

9. Muhammad Mokaev, Brave CF champion

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

10. Asu Almabayev

Record: 24-3
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Charles Johnson, June 27
Next: TBA

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Joselyne Edwards

Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, April 25
Next: TBA

2. Norma Dumont

Record: 13-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Joselyn Edwards, April 25
Next: TBA

3. Ketlen Vieira

Record: 16-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti, May 16
Next: Aug. 22 vs. Cris Cyborg

4. Ailin Perez

Record: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Macy Chiasson, Feb. 28
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: 11-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Ailin Perez, Feb. 28
Next: TBA

7. Luana Santos

Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, June 20
Next: TBA

8. Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Record: 10-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, May 16
Next: TBA

9. Karol Rosa

Record: 19-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Luana Santos, June 20
Next: TBA

10. Nora Cornolle

Record: 9-4
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Joselyne Edwards, Feb. 21
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: Sept. 12 vs. Alexa Grasso

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: Oct. 17 vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius

5. Alexa Grasso

Record: 17-5-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Maycee Barber, March 28
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Manon Fiorot

6. Dakota Ditcheva

Record: 16-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Denis Kielholtz, July 31
Next: TBA

7. Maycee Barber

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

8. Jasmine Jasudavicius

Record: 15-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Karine Silva, April 18
Next: Oct. 17 vs. Erin Blanchfield

9. Rose Namajunas

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

10. Liz Carmouche

Record: 26-8
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Viviane Araujo, June 27
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: 17-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Gillian Robertson, Aug. 15
Next: TBA

3. Virna Jandiroba

Record: 23-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Tabatha Ricci, April 4
Next: TBA

4. Tatiana Suarez

Record: 13-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Loopy Godinez, April 11
Next: TBA

5. Gillian Robertson

Record: 17-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 15
Next: TBA

6. Loopy Godínez

Record: 14-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Tatiana Suarez, April 11
Next: TBA

7. Fatima Kline

Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Tabatha Ricci, July 18
Next: TBA

8. Alexia Thainara

Record: 15-1-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Aug. 8
Next: TBA

9. Amanda Lemos

Record: 15-7-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexia Thainara, Aug. 8
Next: TBA

10. Tabatha Ricci

Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Fatima Kline, July 18
Next: TBA

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