MMA P4P rankings: Shevchenko, Makhachev new No. 1s — but just one unanimous

On Saturday morning, Islam Makhachev awoke as No. 2 on the ESPN males’s pound-for-pound rankings. Valentina Shevchenko was No. 2 on our ladies’s checklist.

By the tip of the day, each had ascended to No. 1 after dominant victories at UFC 322.

Their days weren’t completely parallel, in fact. Shevchenko started the day as ladies’s flyweight champion and retained her title with a unanimous choice win over Zhang Weili, who had vacated her strawweight championship to maneuver up in weight. In Makhachev’s case, he was the one transferring up a division after vacating, however the former light-weight titlist had no hassle dethroning Jack Della Maddalena at welterweight.

One other distinction between the Shevchenko and Makhachev performances: Shevchenko’s opponent, Zhang, was No. 1 within the ESPN rankings on the time, making their struggle a conflict of the highest two ladies in MMA. The fighter Makhachev conquered, Della Maddalena, was ranked eighth amongst males. Maybe that rankings hole is why one voter stored Makhachev at No. 2, beneath his successor as light-weight champion, Ilia Topuria. Shevchenko was a unanimous No. 1.

For the ESPN divisional MMA rankings, click on right here.

Observe: Outcomes are present; rankings are as of Nov. 19. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter will need to have competed over the previous 12 months or will need to have an upcoming struggle booked. Fighters who’ve been dropped for inactivity could be reinstated solely after they compete.

Males’s pound-for-pound rankings

1. Islam Makhachev  

UFC welterweight champion
Earlier rating: 2
File: 28-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Nov. 15
Subsequent: TBD

Makhachev fulfilled his prophecy of changing into a two-division champion by snuffing out the specter of Della Maddalena’s placing with relative ease at UFC 322. The win tied him with Anderson Silva for the longest profitable streak in UFC historical past at 16 and places Makhachev’s identify on the brief checklist of biggest MMA fighters of all time. With an extremely gifted crop of contenders at welterweight, he’ll haven’t any scarcity of opponents. Nonetheless, the struggle everybody needs to see is a conflict with present light-weight champion Ilia Topuria. — Andreas Hale

2. Ilia Topuria  

UFC light-weight champion
Earlier rating: 1
File: 17-0
Final: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28
Subsequent: TBD

After knocking out two of the best featherweights in UFC historical past (Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway) in 2024, it was going to be powerful for Topuria to prime that in 2025. He moved as much as light-weight with the purpose of difficult Makhachev, however with Makhachev transferring up a division, Topuria as an alternative captured the vacant title by knocking out Oliveira at UFC 317. — Hale

3. Merab Dvalishvili  

UFC bantamweight champion
File: 21-4
Final: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Oct. 4
Subsequent: Dec. 6 vs. Petr Yan

Dvalishvili is on one of the vital spectacular runs by means of the UFC’s bantamweight division ever. Not solely did he defeat Sean O’Malley for the second time in 9 months at UFC 316, however he showcased a brand new a part of his sport, ending O’Malley with a third-round guillotine. Since August 2022, Dvalishvili has crushed José Aldo, Yan, Henry Cejudo, O’Malley (twice), Umar Nurmagomedov and Sandhagen. And he’ll defend his title once more, in a rematch with Yan, in December, changing into the one champion in UFC historical past to defend a title 4 occasions in a yr. — Brett Okamoto

T-4. Tom Aspinall  

UFC heavyweight champion
File: 15-3, 1 NC
Final: NC1 vs. Ciryl Gane, Oct. 25
Subsequent: TBD

You can also make a case that Aspinall is probably the most dynamic, skillful, gifted heavyweight the game has seen. He’s dominating opponents in a method that’s unmatched. Nobody can final a spherical with him. He had hoped to show his supremacy towards Jon Jones, however Jones opted to retire, elevating Aspinall from interim champion. His first protection of the undisputed belt ended anticlimactically, as an eye fixed poke resulted in his UFC 321 struggle with Gane being declared a no contest. — Okamoto

T-4. Alex Pereira  

UFC gentle heavyweight champion
File: 13-3
Final: W (TKO1) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 4
Subsequent: TBD

A stellar 2024 cemented Pereira’s place as a star within the UFC, however he confronted arguably his hardest take a look at as gentle heavyweight champion when he stepped into the Octagon with Ankalaev at UFC 313. Pereira had handled strikers, however the query was whether or not he might get the job accomplished towards a gifted grappler. Pereira stored the struggle standing however fell brief by unanimous choice. He modified that final result violently when he met Ankalaev in a rematch at UFC 320. — Hale

6. Khamzat Chimaev  

UFC middleweight champion
File: 15-0
Final: W (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Aug. 16
Subsequent: TBD

After 5 years of hype, Chimaev lastly fought for a championship at UFC 319 — and the end result was one of the vital dominant title struggle performances in UFC historical past. Chimaev didn’t document a end however totally demolished Du Plessis of their five-round bout and answered questions on his cardio alongside the best way. If Chimaev can keep wholesome and compete regularly, there may be nonetheless loads of time for him to rise to the very prime of this checklist. — Okamoto

7. Alexandre Pantoja  

UFC flyweight champion
File: 30-5
Final: W (Sub3) vs. Kai Kara-France, June 28
Subsequent: Dec. 6 vs. Joshua Van

The UFC’s flyweight king has racked up 4 title defenses, together with two in pay-per-view important occasions in 2024. He constructed his profitable streak to eight in his UFC 317 win over Kara-France, whom he had already defeated earlier than. He’ll defend the belt towards Yan at UFC 323. Pantoja is rapidly taking laps across the 125-pound division. — Okamoto

8. Alexander Volkanovski  

UFC featherweight champion
Earlier rating: 9
File: 27-4
Final: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, April 12
Subsequent: TBD

It felt as if the game had began to put in writing Volkanovski’s eulogy following his knockout loss to Topuria in February 2024. Volkanovski observed and made a degree of proving to everybody he nonetheless has a lot left by recapturing the featherweight belt at UFC 314. His age (36) will probably proceed to be a prefight subject, which is ok as a result of Volkanovski enjoys proving folks incorrect. — Okamoto

9. Jack Della Maddalena  

UFC welterweight
Earlier rating: 8
File: 18-3
Final: L (UD) vs. Islam Makhachev, Nov. 15
Subsequent: TBD

Della Maddalena’s retention of a spot within the prime 10 would possibly come as a shock, but it surely speaks to some issues. One, in fact, is there isn’t a disgrace in dropping to Makhachev. And two, this may be the deepest welterweight division in MMA historical past. Della Maddalena’s eight-fight win streak on this division nonetheless means an entire lot. And though Della Maddalena had an off night time at UFC 322, the notion of his expertise hasn’t drastically modified due to it. — Okamoto

T-10. Dricus Du Plessis  

UFC middleweight
File: 23-3
Final: L (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Aug. 16
Subsequent: TBD

Earlier than being smothered by Chimaev and dropping the belt, Du Plessis was operating roughshod over the middleweight division with 11 straight victories, together with 4 in a row over champions or ex-champs (Sean Strickland twice, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker). Can he construct again to a different shot at Chimaev? — Jeff Wagenheim

T-10. Max Holloway  

UFC light-weight
File: 27-8
Final: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19
Subsequent: TBD

Holloway has gained 4 of his previous 5 fights whereas bouncing backwards and forwards between light-weight and featherweight. The one loss was towards Ilia Topuria, who now reigns in Holloway’s present division, light-weight. — Wagenheim

Different fighters receiving votes: Magomed Ankalaev, Umar Nurmagomedov and Arman Tsarukyan.

How our panel voted

Brett Okamoto: 1. Islam Makhacgev; 2. Ilia Topuria; 3. Merab Dvalishvili; 4. Tom Aspinall; 5. Alex Pereira; 6. Alexandre Pantoja; 7. Khamzat Chimaev; 8. Alexander Volkanovski 9. Max Holloway; 10. Umar Nurmagomedov.

Andreas Hale: 1. Makhachev; 2. Topuria; 3. Dvalishvili; 4. Aspinall; 5. Pereira; 6. Chimaev; 7. Pantoja; 8. Volkanovski; 9. Dricus Du Plessis; 10. Holloway.

Ian Parker: 1. Makhachev; 2. Topuria; 3. Dvalishvili; 4. Chimaev; 5. Pereira; 6. Pantoja; 7. Jack Della Maddalena; 8. Aspinall; 9. Volkanovski; 10. Holloway.

Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Topuria; 2. Makhachev; 3. Dvalishvili; 4. Pereira; 5. Pantoja; 6. Chimaev; 7. Aspinall; 8. Volkanovski; 9. Della Maddalena; 10. Arman Tsarukyan.

Andrew Davis: 1. Makhachev; 2. Topuria; 3. Dvalishvili; 4. Chimaev; 5. Aspinall; 6. Pereira; 7. Pantoja; 8. Volkanovski; 9. Magomed Ankalaev; 10. Du Plessis.

Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Makhachev; 2. Topuria; 3. Aspinall; 4. Dvalishvili; 5. Chimaev; 6. Pereira; 7. Pantoja; 8. Volkanovski; 9. Du Plessis; 10. Holloway.

Ladies’s pound-for-pound rankings

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

UFC flyweight champion
Earlier rating: 2
File: 26-4-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Nov. 15
Subsequent: TBD

Shevchenko’s dominance got here underneath query in 2022 and 2023, when she went 1-1-1 in a trilogy with Alexa Grasso. Boy, does that really feel like a very long time in the past now. Shevchenko has greater than reasserted herself as the most effective flyweight on this planet, and now she’s asserted herself because the No. 1 lady on this planet, interval. It wasn’t shocking that she beat Zhang, but it surely was shocking how simple she made it look. — Okamoto

2. Zhang Weili  

UFC flyweight / strawweight
Earlier rating: 1
File: 26-4
Final: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Nov. 15
Subsequent: TBD

It is laborious to maneuver up in weight, particularly on the highest degree. That sounds prefer it must be apparent, however Zhang had been dominant at 115 kilos for thus lengthy, a few of us might need taken without any consideration how huge of a problem transferring to 125 could be. UFC 322 was a foul night time for Zhang, however she would not have many. And if she decides to remain at 125, it definitely appears cheap she’ll fare higher sooner or later. — Okamoto

3. Kayla Harrison  

UFC bantamweight champion
File: 19-1
Final: W (TechSub2) vs. Julianna Peña, June 7
Subsequent: TBD

The longtime face of the PFL is rapidly changing into the face of the UFC’s ladies’s divisions as properly. With a dominant win over Peña at UFC 316, Harrison is 4-0 within the UFC and has the {hardware} so as to add to her two Olympic judo gold medals. She will not have it simple in her first title protection, although, as a result of Nunes is coming again with the belt in her sights. — Okamoto

4. Cris Cyborg  

PFL featherweight
File: 28-2, 1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Larissa Pacheco, Oct. 19, 2024
Subsequent: Dec. 13 vs. Sara Collins

It had been some time since Cyborg had fought an elite opponent in MMA till she met Pacheco in 2024. That was a legit matchup — and lots of inside the business had been predicting Cyborg’s downfall. As a substitute, she took out the PFL’s two-weight champion, upending all of Pacheco’s momentum. One of many authentic pioneers of ladies’s MMA is in some way nonetheless going sturdy, and she or he’ll go for the vacant PFL title towards Collins, an Australian with a 6-0 document however little top-level expertise. — Okamoto

5. Manon Fiorot  

UFC flyweight
File: 13-2
Final: W (TKO1) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius, Oct. 18
Subsequent: TBD

Fiorot fell brief in her problem of Shevchenko, the champ, at UFC 315. However by knocking off Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield in her earlier two fights, Fiorot has proven she has the instruments to turn into champion. — Hale

6. Mackenzie Dern  

UFC strawweight champion
File: 16-5
Final: W (UD) vs. Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 25
Subsequent: TBD

Dern’s rise to the 115-pound throne was really a altering of the guard. She is the division’s first first-time champion since 2019, as a result of the earlier three champs — Zhang Weili, Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas — all had been of their second reigns. Dern, practically a decade into her MMA profession after a number of jiu-jitsu world championships, has gained three fights in a row. — Wagenheim

7. Natalia Silva  

UFC flyweight
File: 19-5-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Might 10
Subsequent: TBD

Silva is trying each bit the a part of a future UFC champion following a dominant show towards Grasso at UFC 315. Silva’s stick-and-move type has pissed off even the very best degree of opponent, and she or he’s obtained youth on her aspect as she will not flip 30 till 2027. — Okamoto

8. Erin Blanchfield  

UFC flyweight
File: 14-2
Final: W (Sub2) vs. Tracy Cortez, Nov. 15
Subsequent: TBD

Blanchfield avenged her 2019 loss to Cortez in emphatic style at UFC 322, submitting her within the second spherical of their rematch. Nonetheless solely 26, Blanchfield continues to evolve with improved placing and suffocating grappling. She should wait her flip for a title alternative, with Natalia Silva probably up subsequent, however Blanchfield’s flip is definitely coming. — Hale

9. Dakota Ditcheva  

PFL flyweight
File: 14-0
Final: W (UD) vs. Sumiko Inaba, July 19
Subsequent: TBD

Not solely did Ditcheva win the PFL’s flyweight season final yr, however she did so in spectacular style — a TKO end over Taila Santos, who as soon as challenged for a UFC title. Ditcheva opened her 2025 marketing campaign by dominating Inaba within the co-main occasion of the primary PFL Champions Collection card in Cape City, South Africa. — Okamoto

10. Julianna Peña  

UFC bantamweight
File: 12-6
Final: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, June 7
Subsequent: TBD

Peña is a two-time ladies’s bantamweight champion, with a kind of reigns made doable by one of many greatest upsets in UFC historical past, her 2021 submission win over Amanda Nunes. Peña’s 4 most up-to-date appearances have all been in title bouts, so she’s constructed for large moments. — Wagenheim

Different fighters receiving votes: Alexa Grasso, Virna Jandiroba, Rose Namajunas and Tatiana Suarez.

How our panel voted

Brett Okamoto: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Zhang Weili; 3. Kayla Harrison; 4. Cris Cyborg; 5. Manon Fiorot; 6. Mackenzie Dern; 7. Natalia Silva; 8. Erin Blanchfield; 9. Rose Namajunas; 10. Virna Jandiroba.

Andreas Hale: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Zhang; 3. Harrison; 4. Cyborg; 5. Silva; 6. Fiorot; 7. Blanchfield; 8. Dakota Ditcheva; 9. Dern; 10. Namajunas.

Ian Parker: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Zhang; 3. Cyborg; 4. Harrison; 5. Dern; 6. Julianna Peña; 7. Fiorot; 8. Jandiroba; 9. Blanchfield; 10. Silva.

Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Harrison; 3. Cyborg; 4. Zhang; 5. Ditcheva; 6. Dern; 7. Alexa Grasso; 8. Peña; 9. Fiorot; 10. Silva.

Andrew Davis: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Harrison; 3. Zhang; 4. Cyborg; 5. Dern; 6. Silva; 7. Fiorot; 8. Blanchfield; 9. Ditcheva; 10. Peña.

Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Zhang; 3. Cyborg; 4. Harrison; 5. Fiorot; 6. Silva; 7. Blanchfield; 8. Tatiana Suarez; 9. Ditcheva; 10. Dern.