Khamzat Chimaev's first Octagon appearance of 2023 was a big one for him.
In addition to earning him the No. 9 spot in the ESPN middleweight rankings, Chimaev's split decision win over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 also propelled him to the front of the line of 185-pound title challengers. Chimaev (13-0), also ESPN's No. 4 ranked welterweight, is expected to be the first fighter to challenge recently crowned middleweight champ Sean Strickland for the belt.
With Chimaev moving into the middleweight top 10, Derek Brunson falls to No. 10 while Roman Dolidze is now unranked.
In the women's flyweight rankings, Katlyn Chookagian falls out of the top 10 due to inactivity. As a result, Rose Namajunas, Lauren Murphy, and Juliana Velasquez each move up one spot and Maycee Barber, ESPN's No. 9 ranked strawweight, enters the flyweight rankings at No. 10.
For the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings, click here. For a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes, click here.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of Oct. 11. 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. Jon Jones 
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 27-1, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Ciryl Gane, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Sergei Pavlovich
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Tom Aspinall
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-10
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Tai Tuivasa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Alexander Volkov, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Serghei Spivac
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Ryan Bader
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 31-7, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Jailton Almeida
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Derrick Lewis, Nov. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Jamahal Hill
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Glover Teixeira, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 9-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jirí Procházka, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-10-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Alex Pereira, July 29, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Aleksandar Rakic
4. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1-1
Last: NC vs. Johnny Walker, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 17-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Yoel Romero, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Corey Anderson
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 17-6, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) vs. Phil Davis, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Nikita Krylov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Ryan Spann, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Johnny Walker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: NC vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Anthony Smith
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-18
Last: W (SD) vs. Ryan Spann, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Phil Davis
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 24-7, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Corey Anderson, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Dricus du Plessis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Robert Whittaker, July 8, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Sean Strickland
3. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-7
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Jared Cannonier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Israel Adesanya, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Dricus Du Plessis
6. Marvin Vettori
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Fabian Edwards, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Paulo Costa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Luke Rockhold, Aug. 20, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Khamzat Chimaev 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Derek Brunson 
Promotion: PFL
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 23-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, March 4, 2023
Next: Nov. 24 vs. Ray Cooper III
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, March 18, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Colby Covington
2. Kamaru Usman
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4
Last: L (MD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Yaroslav Amosov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 27-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Logan Storley, Feb. 25, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Jason Jackson
7. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Geoff Neal, March 4, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Stephen Thompson
8. Stephen Thompson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6-1
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Kevin Holland, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
9. Geoff Neal
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Belal Muhammad, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Kelvin Gastelum
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-9, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4
Last: W (KO2) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5-1
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 10, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Arman Tsarukyan
5. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-8, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) vs. Justin Gaethje, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Michael Chandler
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Dustin Poirier, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Rafael Fiziev, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Rafael Fiziev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Arman Tsarukyan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Joaquim Silva, June 17, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Beneil Dariush
10. Usman Nurmagomedov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 17-0, 1 NC
Last: No contest vs. Brent Primus, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
MEN'S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-3
Last: L (KO1) vs. Islam Makhachev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: Feb. 17 vs. Ilia Topuria
2. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (KO3) vs. Chan Sung Jung, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Patricio Freire
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 35-7
Last: L (KO1) vs. Chihiro Suzuki, July 30, 2023
Next: TBD
5. A.J. McKee
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Roberto de Souza, Dec. 31, 2022
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Sidney Outlaw
6. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Josh Emmett, June 24, 2023
Next: Feb. 17 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Ilia Topuria, June 24, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Giga Chikadze
8. Arnold Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Max Holloway, April 15, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Movsar Evloev
9. Calvin Kattar
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Arnold Allen, Oct. 29, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Movsar Evloev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, May 6, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Arnold Allen
MEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Sean O'Malley
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD in March vs. Marlon Vera
2. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Sean O'Malley, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Petr Yan, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Henry Cejudo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Cory Sandhagen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Patricio Freire, June 16, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Patchy Mix
8. Marlon Vera
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Pedro Munhoz, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD in March vs. Sean O'Malley
9. Patchy Mix
Promotion: Bellator interim champion
Record: 18-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Raufeon Stots, April 22, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Sergio Pettis
10. Rob Font
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
MEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Brandon Moreno, July 8, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Brandon Royval
2. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Demetrious Johnson
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 25-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Adriano Moraes, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3-1
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Brandon Moreno, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Rob Font
5. Amir Albazi
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Kai Kara-France, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-11, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Amir Albazi, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Adriano Moraes
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Demetrious Johnson, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: W (KO1) vs. Matheus Nicolau, April 15, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Alexandre Pantoja
9. Matheus Nicolau
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, April 15, 2023
Next: Jan. 13 vs. Manel Kape
10. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Felipe dos Santos, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: Jan. 13 vs. Matheus Nicolau
WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Raquel Pennington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: W (SD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
2. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Holly Holm
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, July 15, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Amanda Nunes, June 10, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Karol Rosa
5. Sara McMann
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 14-7
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Leah McCourt, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Norma Dumont
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Chelsea Chandler, July 15, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Pannie Kianzad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Karol Rosa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Yana Santos, July 1, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Irene Aldana
9. Yana Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Josiane Nunes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Zarah Fairn, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3-1
Last: Split draw vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4-1
Last: Split draw vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Manon Fiorot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Erin Blanchfield
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-7
Last: W (TKO5) vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-12
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 11-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Lauren Murphy
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 16-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Juliana Velasquez
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 12-2
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Liz Carmouche, Dec. 9, 2022
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Paula Cristina
10. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Carla Esparza
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Zhang Weili, Nov. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jessica Andrade, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Tatiana Suarez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, August 5, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Virna Jandiroba
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Jessica Andrade, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Luana Pinheiro
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, April 8, 2023
Next: Nov. 18 vs. Amanda Ribas