David Brown’s UFC rankings with Xplainations updated for 2.28.21

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In deciding how to rank, I look at head-to-head matchups first, then fights over the last few years, giving more credence to recent ones. The level of competition is considered, and MMA math only plays a small part in the process.


MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

 

dB rankings

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov (C)

2. Jon Jones

3. Israel Adesanya (C)

4. Kamaru Usman (C)

5. Stipe Miocic (C)

6. Alexander Volkanovski (C)

7. Deiveson Figueiredo (C)

8. Petr Yan (C)

9. Jan Blachowicz (C)

10. Robert Whittaker

11. Dustin Poirier

12. Max Holloway

13. Francis Ngannou

14. Justin Gaethje

15. Colby Covington

 

UFC rankings

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov (C)

2. Jon Jones

3. Israel Adesanya (C)

4. Stipe Miocic (C)

5. Kamaru Usman (C)

6. Alexander Volkanovski (C)

7. Dustin Poirier

8. Max Holloway

9. Deiveson Figueiredo (C)

10. Petr Yan (C)

11. Justin Gaethje

12. Robert Whittaker

13. Francis Ngannou

14. Jan Blachowicz (C)

15. Conor McGregor -3


X: Poirier moves up based on being the uncrowned LW champion after kicking McGregor’s legs numb before the KO; the trilogy can’t be far away.
FLYWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO

1. Brandon Moreno

2. Askar Askarov

3. Joseph Benavidez

4. Alex Perez

5. Alexandre Pantoja +1

6. Brandon Royval -1

7. Manel Kape *

8. Matt Schnell

9. Kai Kara France -2

10. Rogerio Bontorin -1

11. David Dvorak -1

12. Tim Elliott -1

13. Raulian Paiva -1

14. Amir Albazi *

15. Su Mudaerji *

 

UFC rankings

Champion: DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO

1. Brandon Moreno

2. Joseph Benavidez

3. Askar Askarov

4. Alex Perez

5. Alexandre Pantoja

6. Brandon Royval

7. Matt Schnell

8. Kai Kara France

9. Rogerio Bontorin

10. David Dvorak

11. Raulian Paiva

12. Tim Elliott

13. Amir Albazi

14. Su Mudaerji

15. Tyson Nam

 

Out of the rankings: Zhalgas Zhumagulov, Tyson Nam, Tagir Ulanbekov

X: Three new faces are in as UFC continues rebuilding the FLW division with new talent. I might have Kape too high after his UFC debut, but he gave Pantoja all he could handle.


BANTAMWEIGHT

 

dB rankings

Champion: PETR YAN

1. Aljamain Sterling

2. Cory Sandhagen

3. Rob Font +2

4. Marlon Moraes +2

5. Jose Aldo -2

6. Frankie Edgar -2

7. Pedro Munhoz

8. Cody Garbrandt

9. Jimmie Rivera

10. Cody Stamann

11. Raphael Assuncao

12. Ricky Simon *

13. Merab Dvalishvili

14. Song Yadong

15. Marlon Vera

 

UFC rankings

Champion: PETR YAN

1. Aljamain Sterling

2. Cory Sandhagen

3. Rob Font

4. Cody Garbrandt

5. Jose Aldo

6. Marlon Moraes

7. Frankie Edgar

8. Pedro Munhoz

9. Raphael Assuncao

10. Jimmie Rivera

11. Dominick Cruz

12. Merab Dvalishvili

13. Cody Stamann

14. Song Yadong

15. Marlon Vera

Out of the rankings: Casey Kenney

Closing in on rankings: Raoni Barcelos

Note: T.J. Dillashaw is still not eligible to be ranked coming off suspension.

X: Simon makes a big jump, but he looked great against Kelleher and already has a win over Dvalishvili.


FEATHERWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI

1. Max Holloway

2. Brian Ortega

3. Zabit Magomedsharipov

4. Yair Rodriguez

5. Chan Sung Jung

6. Calvin Kattar

7. Arnold Allen

8. Jeremy Stephens

9. Josh Emmett

10. Shane Burgos

11. Sodiq Yusuff

12. Dan Inge

13. Edson Barboza

14. Bryce Mitchell

15. Movsar Evloev *

 

UFC rankings

Champion: ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI

1. Max Holloway

2. Brian Ortega

3. Zabit Magomedsharipov

4. Yair Rodriguez

5. Chan Sung Jung

6. Calvin Kattar

7. Josh Emmett

8. Jeremy Stephens

9. Dan Ige

10. Sodiq Yusuff

11. Arnold Allen

12. Shane Burgos

13. Bryce Mitchell

14. Edson Barboza

15. Movsar Evloev

Out of the rankings: Ryan Hall

Closing in on rankings: Giga Chikadze

X: Evloev earn the nod over Hall by staying unbeaten while the other stays inactive.


LIGHTWEIGHT

 

dB rankings

Champion: KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV

1. Dustin Poirier

2. Justin Gaethje

3. Charles Oliveira

4. Tony Ferguson

5. Michael Chandler +5

6. Rafael dos Anjos

7. Conor McGregor +2

8. Beneil Dariush +5

9. Diego Ferreira -1

10. Dan Hooker -5

11. Paul Felder -4

12. Al Iaquinta -1

13. Kevin Lee -1

14. Drew Dober

15. Islam Makhachev

 

UFC rankings

Champion: KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV

1. Dustin Poirier

2. Justin Gaethje

3. Charles Oliveira

4. Michael Chandler

5. Tony Ferguson

6. Conor McGregor

7. Rafael dos Anjos

8. Dan Hooker

9. Beneil Dariush

10. Paul Felder

11. Kevin Lee

12. Diego Ferreira

13. Al Iaquinta

14. Islam Makhachev

15. Gregor Gillespie

Closing in on rankings: Leonardo Santos, Rafael Fiziev

X: Dariush deservedly re-enters the top 10 years after his first appearance with a second win over Ferreira, while Chandler’s rise pushes hooker and Felder back. Why UFC has Lee ranked two spots higher than Iaquinta – who beat him twice, and both have been inactive – is a mystery.


WELTERWEIGHT

 

dB rankings

Champion: KAMARU USMAN

1. Colby Covington

2. Gilbert Burns

3. Leon Edwards

4. Tyron Woodley

5. Stephen Thompson

6. Demian Maia

7. Jorge Masvidal

8. Michael Chiesa

9. Vicente Luque

10. Geoff Neal +1

11. Neil Magny -1

12. Li Jingliang *

13. Belal Muhammad

14. James Krause

15. Santiago Ponzinibbio *

 

UFC rankings

Champion: KAMARU USMAN

1. Colby Covington

2. Gilbert Burns

3. Leon Edwards

4. Jorge Masvidal

5. Stephen Thompson

6. Michael Chiesa

7. Tyron Woodley

8. Demian Maia

9. Neil Magny

10. Vicente Luque

11. Geoff Neal

12. Li Jingliang

13. Belal Muhammad

14. Khamzat Chimaev

15. Robbie Lawler

Out of the rankings: Anthony Pettis (signed with PFL)

Closing in on rankings: Sean Brady, Miguel Baeza 

X: Ponzinibbio barely re-enters the rankings after two years off and a loss, but his seven-fight win streak before that keeps him hanging. Meanwhile, Li re-enters the top 15 with momentum.


MIDDLEWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: ISRAEL ADESANYA

1. Robert Whittaker

2. Paulo Costa

3. Jared Cannonier

4. Marvin Vettori

5. Jack Hermansson

6. Darren Till

7. Kelvin Gastelum

8. Derek Brunson

9. Uriah Hall

10. Kevin Holland

11. Jacare Souza

12. Chris Weidman

13. Omari Akhmedov

14, Edmen Shahbazyan

15. Brad Tavares *

 

UFC rankings

Champion: ISRAEL ADESANYA

1. Robert Whittaker

2. Paulo Costa

3. Jared Cannonier

4. Darren Till

5. Marvin Vettori

6. Jack Hermansson

7. Derek Brunson

8. Kelvin Gastelum

9. Uriah Hall

10. Kevin Holland

11. Chris Weidman

12, Edmen Shahbazyan

13. Omari Akhmedov

14. Brad Taveras

15. Sean Strickland

Out of the rankings: Ian Heinisch

X: Tavares re-enters the top 15 with a win Heinisch’s loss to Gastelum, who I admittedly might have ranked too high, but Brunson, Hall and/or Holland are poised to jump ahead with anther W.


LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: JAN BLACHOWICZ

1. Glover Teixeira

2. Thiago Santos

3. Dominick Reyes

4. Jiri Prochazka

5. Aleksandar Rakic

6. Magomed Ankalaev +4

7. Anthony Smith -1

8. Volkan Oezdemir -1

9. Nikita Krylov -1

10. Johnny Walker -1

11. Misha Cirkunov

12. Jimmy Crute

13. Ryan Spann

14. Paul Craig

15. Jamahal Hill

 

UFC rankings

Champion: JAN BLACHOWICZ

1. Glover Teixeira

2. Thiago Santos

3. Dominick Reyes

4. Aleksandar Rakic

5. Jiri Prochazka

6. Anthony Smith

7. Magomed Ankalaev

8. Volkan Oezdemir

9. Nikita Krylov

10. Johnny Walker

11. Misha Cirkunov

12. Jimmy Crute

13. Ryan Spann

14. Paul Craig

15. Jamahal Hill

 
HEAVYWEIGHT
 
 

dB rankings

Champion: STIPE MIOCIC

1. Francis Ngannou

2. Derrick Lewis +2

3. Curtis Blaydes -1

4. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

5. Alexander Volkov +1

6. Alistair Overeem -1 **

7. Ciryl Gane

8. Augusto Sakai

9. Shamil Abdurakhimov

10. Walt Harris

11. Marcin Tybura +1

12. Sergei Pavlovich +1

13. Junior dos Santos +1 **

14. Chris Daukaus *

15. Tom Aspinall *

 

UFC rankings

Champion: STIPE MIOCIC

1. Francis Ngannou

2. Derrick Lewis

3. Curtis Blaydes

4. Ciryl Gane

5. Alexander Volkov

6. Jairzinho Rozenstruik

7. Alistair Overeem

8. Shamil Abdurakhimov

9. Augusto Sakai

10. Chris Daukaus

11. Walt Harris

12. Junior dos Santos

13. Sergei Pavlovich

14. Blagoy Ivanov

15. Marcin Tybyra


X: You could justify ranking “The Black Beast” No. 1 since he has a win over Ngannou, but that was hardly impressive and you can’t overlook the way Ngannou has thrashed his competition since then. Gane was solid but unspectacular in bearing the listless Rozenstruik. Daukaus kicks Oleinik out of the rankings, while Aspinall cuts short Arlovski’s latest rebirth.
WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
 

dB rankings

1. Amanda Nunes

2. Valentina Shevchenko

3. Weili Zhang

4. Rose Namajunas

5. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

6. Jessica Andrade

7. Germaine De Randamie

8. Holly Holm

9. Aspen Ladd

10. Katlyn Chookagian

11. Jennifer Maia

12. Lauren Murphy

13. Cynthia Calvillo

14. Yan Xiaonan

15. Yana Kunitskaya *

 

UFC rankings

1. Amanda Nunes

2. Valentina Shevchenko

3. Weili Zhang

4. Rose Namajunas

5. Jessica Andrade

6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

7. Germaine De Randamie

8. Holly Holm

9. Aspen Ladd

10. Katlyn Chookagian

11. Nina Ansaroff

12. Xiaonan Yan

13. Carla Esparza

14. Cynthia Calvillo

15. Claudia Gadelha


Out of the rankings: Joanne Calderwood

X: Kunitskaya doesn’t look spectacular in the cage, but you can’t argue with her results, as the former Invicta title holder is 4-1 at BW in the UFC.


WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: WEILI ZHANG

1. Rose Namajunas

2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

3. Xiaonan Yan

4. Nina Ansaroff

5. Claudia Gadelha

6. Carla Esparza

7. Marina Rodriguez

8. Michelle Waterson

9. Amanda Ribas

10. Mackenzie Dern

11. Tecia Torres

12. Virna Jandiroba

13. Angela Hill

14. Brianna Van Buren

15. Livinha Souza

 

UFC rankings

Champion: WEILI ZHANG

1. Rose Namajunas

2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

3. Yan Xiaonan

4. Carla Esparza

5. Nina Ansaroff

6. Claudia Gadelha

7. Michelle Waterson

8. Marina Rodriguez

9. Tecia Torres

9. Amanda Ribas

11. Mackenzie Dern

12. Angela Hill

13. Virna Jandiroba

14. Felice Herrig

15. Livinha Souza


X: No changes this month.
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO

1. Jessica Andrade

2. Katlyn Chookagian

3. Jennifer Maia

4. Lauren Murphy

5. Cynthia Calvillo

6. Joanne Calderwood

7. Jessica Eye

8. Viviane Araujo

9. Roxanne Modafferi

10. Alexa Grasso +5

11. Antonina Shevchenko

12. Alexis Davis * **

13. Andrea Lee -3

14. Talia Santos

15. Maycee Barber -2

 

UFC rankings

Champion: VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO

1. Jessica Andrade

2. Katlyn Chookagian

3. Lauren Murphy

4. Jennifer Maia

5. Cynthia Calvillo

6. Joanne Calderwood

7. Viviane Araujo

8. Jessica Eye

9. Roxanne Modafferi

10. Alexa Grasso

11. Alexis Davis

12. Andrea Lee

13. Antonina Shevchenko

14. Talia Santos

15. Maycee Barber

Out of the rankings: Montana De La Rosa

Closing in on rankings: Miranda Maverick

X: Grasso continues marching up the FLW rankings, this time at Barber’s expense, while Davis returns.


WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT
 

dB rankings

Champion: AMANDA NUNES

1. Germaine de Randamie

2. Holly Holm

3. Aspen Ladd

4. Irene Aldana +1

5. Yana Kunitskaya +2

6. Ketlen Vieira

7. Julianna Pena +1

8. Marion Reneau +1

9. Sara McMann +1

10. Lina Lansberg +1

11. Macy Chiasson +1

12. Pannie Kianzad +1

13. Karol Rosa *

14. Sijara Eubanks

15. Julia Avila

 

UFC rankings

Champion: AMANDA NUNES

1. Germaine de Randamie

2. Holly Holm

3. Aspen Ladd

4. Irene Aldana

5. Yana Kunitskaya

6. Julianna Pena

7. Ketlen Vieira

8. Sara McMann

9. Marion Reneau

10. Macy Chiasson

11. Lina Lansberg

12. Pannie Kianzad

13. Sijara Eubanks

14. Karol Rosa

15. Julia Avila

Out of the rankings: Raquel Pennington (suspension)

Closing in on rankings: Tracy Cortez

X: Kunitskaya leapfrogs into the top 5 with her hard-nosed victory over Vieira. The fact that Aldana KO’d Vieira keeps her a notch above Kunitskaya in the rankings.


WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT
 

Champion: AMANDA NUNES

No divisional rankings.

 

IMPORTANT UPCOMING FIGHTS FOR RANKINGS

 

March 6 – UFC 259

Jan Blachowicz vs.Israel Adesanya for LHW title

Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson for FW title

Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling for BW title

Islam Makhachev vs. Drew Dober

Thiago Santos vs. Aleksandar Rakic

 

March 13 – UFC Fight Night 187

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad

 

March 20 – UFC on ESPN 21

Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland

Paul Craig vs. Jamahal Hill

Marion Reneau vs. Macy Chiasson

 

March 27 – UFC 260

Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou for HW title

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega for FW title

Anthony Smith vs. Jimmy Crute

Tyron Woodley vs. Vincente Luque

 

The updated March rankings will be posted after UFC 260. Until then, enjoy the fights.

For comments, questions and suggestions, email dbrown@cherokeescout.com or contact him on Twitter @daviddbstroh.