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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
Francis Ngannou is back in a familiar place among MMA’s top heavyweights.
The former UFC champion had disappeared from the ESPN divisional rankings while away from the sport pursuing his dream of boxing. But when he resumed his cage fighting career over the weekend at PFL Battle of the Giants, he picked up right where he left off. Ngannou knocked out 2023 PFL season champion Renan Ferreira in the first round, and that performance boosted Ngannou up near the top of the heavyweight rankings.
Ngannou lands at No. 2, beyond only UFC interim champion Tom Aspinall. The UFC’s official champ, Jon Jones, is not in the rankings because he has not fought in over a year and a half. Jones will be eligible to return to the top 10 after next month’s fight against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.
ESPN’s eligibility standards also led to the other change in these divisional rankings, as former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman drops out of the top 10 because he has not competed in over a year.
Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of Oct. 23. 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 interim champion
Record: 15-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Francis Ngannou 
Promotion: PFL Super Fights champion
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Ciryl Gane 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: Dec. 7 vs. Alexander Volkov
4. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 38-10
Last: W (UD) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, June 22, 2024
Next: Dec. 7 vs. Ciryl Gane
6. Sergei Pavlovich
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkov, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Renan Ferreira
Promotion: PFL champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 13-4, 3 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Jailton Almeida
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Alexandr Romanov, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Serghei Spivac
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 17-4
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Marcin Tybura, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Bruno Cappelozza, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Jirí Procházka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-5-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1
Last: W (KO2) vs. Johnny Walker, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Aleksandar Rakic
4. Jamahal Hill
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Pereira, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Corey Anderson
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Aleksandar Rakić
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (TKO) vs. Jiří Procházka, April 13, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Magomed Ankalaev
7. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Volkan Oezdemir
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Johnny Walker, June 22, 2024
Next: Nov. 23 vs. Carlos Ulberg
9. Johnny Walker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Anthony Smith
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-20
Last: L (UD) vs. Roman Dolidze, June 29, 2024
Next: Dec. 7 vs. Dominick Reyes
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Dricus du Plessis
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-2
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Israel Adesanya, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: L (Sub4) vs. Dricus du Plessis, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-6
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Ikram Aliskerov, June 22, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Khamzat Chimaev
5. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Fabian Edwards, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Nassourdine Imavov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Brendan Allen, Sept. 28, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Caio Borralho
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Jared Cannonier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Caio Borralho, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Robert Whittaker
10. Roman Dolidze
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Kevin Holland, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27, 2024
Next: Dec. 7 vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
2. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Stephen Thompson, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: Dec. 7 vs. Belal Muhammad
4. Jack Della Maddalena
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Ian Machado Garry
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael “Venom” Page, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Colby Covington
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Joaquin Buckley
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 20-6
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stephen Thompson, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Geoff Neal
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 16-6
Last: L (SD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Feb.17, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-1
Last: W (Sub5) vs. Dustin Poirier, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
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: Nov. 16 vs. Michael Chandler
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: 30-9, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub5) vs. Islam Makhachev, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Renato Moicano
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Benoît Saint Denis, Sept. 28, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Usman Nurmagomedov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexander Shabliy, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-2, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (KO2) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: Oct. 26 vs. Max Holloway
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: Oct. 26 vs. Ilia Topuria
4. Diego Lopes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Brian Ortega
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Patricio Freire
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Movsar Evloev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: Dec. 7 vs. Aljamain Sterling
10. Arnold Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Umar Nurmagomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Cory Sandhagen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Song Yadong, March 9, 2024
Next: Nov. 23 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
6. Henry Cejudo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: Nov. 23 vs. Petr Yan
8. Mario Bautista
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2
Last: W (SD) vs. José Aldo, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
9. José Aldo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Patchy Mix
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17, 2024
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: Dec. 7 vs. Kai Asakura
2. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Oct. 12, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: Nov. 2 vs. Amir Albazi
4. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-11, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Muhammad Mokaev
Promotion: Brave CF
Record: 13-0,1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Manel Kape, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Tatsuro Taira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Oct. 12, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Steve Erceg
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Muhammad Mokaev, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Alex Perez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Matheus Nicolau
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Perez, April 27, 2024
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Julianna Peña
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington. Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Raquel Pennington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Julianna Peña, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Kayla Harrison
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Kayla Harrison, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Holly Holm
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Norma Dumont
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Macy Chiasson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Karol Rosa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Pannie Kianzad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14, 2024
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: Nov. 2 vs. Rose Namajunas
5. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Natalia Silva
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Taila Santos
Promotion: PFL
Record: 22-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Liz Carmouche, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: Nov. 29 vs. Dakota Ditcheva
8. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Tracy Cortez, July 13, 2024
Next: Nov. 2 vs. Erin Blanchfield
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. Virna Jandiroba
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Virna Jandiroba, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, April 13, 2024
Next: Nov. 23 vs. Tabatha Ricci
5. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Loopy Godínez, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Amanda Ribas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Loopy Godínez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Tabatha Ricci
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Angela Hill, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: Nov. 23 vs. Yan Xiaonan