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
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dB rankings 1. Jon Jones 2. Kamaru Usman (C) 3. Francis Ngannou (C) 4. Stipe Miocic +2 5. Jan Blachowicz (C) -1 6. Israel Adesanya (C) -1 7. Deiveson Figueiredo (C) 8. Alexander Volkanovski (C) 9. Dustin Poirier 10. Max Holloway 11. Robert Whittaker 12. Justin Gaethje 13. Aljamain Sterling (C) 14. Petr Yan 15. Colby Covington |
UFC rankings 1. Jon Jones 2. Kamaru Usman (C) 3. Alexander Volkanovski (C) 4. Israel Adesanya (C) 5. Francis Ngannou (C) 6. Dustin Poirier 7. Stipe Miocic 8. Jan Blachowicz (C) 9. Max Holloway 10. Deiveson Figueiredo (C) 11. Robert Whittaker +2 12. Justin Gaethje -1 12. Petr Yan 14. Aljamain Sterling (C) 15. Conor McGregor |
Out of both rankings: None
X: You can take issue with Miocic being ranked so high, but he is 1-1 against the champ. Again, McGregor in the top 15 is a tribute to name recognition over actual results, which also shows up elsewhere in this month’s rankings. Again, why isn’t Blachowicz ranked above the fighter he just beat?
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dB rankings C: Deiveson Figueiredo 1. Brandon Moreno 2. Askar Askarov 3. Alex Perez 4. Alexandre Pantoja 5. Joseph Benavidez 6. Brandon Royval 7. Kai Kara France 8. Matt Schnell 9. Rogerio Bontorin 10. David Dvorak 11. Tim Elliott 12. Raulian Paiva 13. Amir Albazi 14. Su Mudaerji 15. Matheus Nicolau |
UFC rankings C: Deiveson Figueiredo 1. Brandon Moreno 2. Askar Askarov 3. Alexandre Pantoja 4. Alex Perez 5. Joseph Benavidez 6. Brandon Royval 7. Kai Kara France 8. Matt Schnell 9. Rogerio Bontorin 10. Tim Elliott 11. David Dvorak 12. Raulian Paiva 13. Su Mudaerji 14. Matheus Nicolau 15. Amir Albazi |
Out of db rankings: None
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: No movement this month at 125 pounds.
BANTAMWEIGHT
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C: Aljamain Sterling 1. Petr Yan 2. Cory Sandhagen 3. Rob Font 4. Marlon Moraes 5. Jose Aldo 6. Frankie Edgar 7. Pedro Munhoz 8. Cody Garbrandt 9. Dominick Cruz 10. Jimmie Rivera 11. Raphael Assuncao 12. Ricky Simon 13. Merab Dvalishvili 14. Cody Stamann 15. Kyler Phillips |
UFC rankings C: Aljamain Sterling 1. Petr Yan 2. Cory Sandhagen 3. Rob Font 4. Cody Garbrandt 5. Jose Aldo 6. Marlon Moraes 7. Frankie Edgar 8. Pedro Munhoz 9. Dominick Cruz 10. Raphael Assuncao 11. Jimmie Rivera 12. Merab Dvalishvili 13. Cody Stamann 14. Kyler Phillips 15. Marlon Vera |
Out of dB rankings: None
Closing in on rankings: Raoni Barcelos, T.J. Dillashaw, Casey Kenney, Sean O’Malley, Song Yadong
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: The 135-pound division is the deepest in the UFC, with a solid top 20. But, again, Garbrandt does not deserve to be ranked in the top 4, which is why I have him at 8 behind Munoz, who knocked him out only a couple of years ago.
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C: Alexander Volkanovski 1. Max Holloway 2. Brian Ortega 3. Yair Rodriguez +1 4. Chan Sung Jung +1 5. Arnold Allen +2 6. Calvin Kattar 7. Josh Emmett +2 8. Dan Inge +2 9. Shane Burgos +2 10. Sodiq Yusuff +2 11. Edson Barboza +2 12. Bryce Mitchell +2 13. Movsar Evloev +2 14. Hakeem Dawodu * 15. Giga Chikadze * |
UFC rankings C: Alexander Volkanovski 1. Max Holloway 2. Brian Ortega 3. Yair Rodriguez +1 4. Chan Sung Jung +1 5. Calvin Kattar + 6. Josh Emmett +1 7. Arnold Allen +3 8. Dan Ige 9. Shane Burgos +3 10. Sodiq Yusuff +1 11. Bryce Mitchell +1 12. Edson Barboza +2 13. Movsar Evloev +2 14. Giga Chikadze * 15. Cub Swanson * |
Out of dB rankings: Zabit Magomedsharipov, Jeremy Stephens (both removed from rankings)
Closing in on rankings: Ryan Hall (also previously removed from rankings)
Out of UFC rankings: Zabit Magomedsharipov, Jeremy Stephens (both removed from rankings)
X: Magomedsharipov’s inactivity and Stephens’ move to 155 – along with his fight-canceling shove from two weeks ago – open up the division. Chikadze deserves to be ranked at 5-0 in UFC, but Swanson is only 2-4 in his last six fights, while Dawodu is 5-0 in the last three years. The Volkanovski vs. Ortega title fight has been delayed due to both coaching The Ultimate Fighter.
LIGHTWEIGHT
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C: Vacant 1. Dustin Poirier 2. Justin Gaethje 3. Charles Oliveira 4. Tony Ferguson 5. Michael Chandler 6. Rafael dos Anjos 7. Conor McGregor 8. Beneil Dariush 9. Diego Ferreira 10. Islam Makhachev 11. Dan Hooker 12. Paul Felder 13. Kevin Lee +1 14. Gregor Gillespie +1 15. Grant Dawson * |
UFC rankings C: Vacant 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. Islam Makhachev 12. Diego Ferreira 13. Kevin Lee 14. Gregor Gillespie +1 15. Donald Cerrone * |
Out of dB rankings: Al Iaquinta (removed from rankings)
Closing in on rankings: Ottman Azaitar
Out of UFC rankings: Al Iaquinta (removed from rankings)
X: Iaquinta’s inactivity has given him plenty of time to sell real estate, but less to make a run at the top. Oliveira and Chandler are set to battle for the vacant belt at UFC 262, while Poirier and McGregor will conclude their trilogy in July. Ranking Cerrone, who is 0-4-1 in his last five fights, over someone like Dawson – who is 17-1 overall, 5-0 in UFC and the only person to defeat Leonardo Santos in the Octagon – shows some members of the panel vote more on name recognition than actual results.
WELTERWEIGHT
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dB rankings C: Kamaru Usman 1. Colby Covington 2. Gilbert Burns 3. Leon Edwards 4. Stephen Thompson 5. Vicente Luque 6. Demian Maia 7. Michael Chiesa +1 8. Jorge Masvidal -1 9. Geoff Neal 10. Neil Magny 11. Li Jingliang 12. Belal Muhammad 13. Sean Brady 14. James Krause +1 15. Miguel Baeza * |
UFC rankings C: Kamaru Usman 1. Colby Covington 2. Gilbert Burns 3. Leon Edwards 4. Stephen Thompson +1 5. Jorge Masvidal -1 6. Vicente Luque 7. Michael Chiesa 8. Demian Maia 9. Neil Magny 10. Geoff Neal +1 11. Li Jingliang +1 12. Belal Muhammad +1 13. Sean Brady +1 14. Robbie Lawler +1 15. Khamzat Chimaev * |
Out of dB rankings: Tyron Woodley (removed from rankings)
Out of UFC rankings: Tyron Woodley (removed from rankings)
X: Former champ Woodley exits after losing four in a row. Krause has won 9 of 10 at WW, but still can’t get any respect. Chimaev has the hype but is only 1-0 at 170 pounds and never deserved to be ranked, yet he’s back, while Baeza is 10-0 and coming off two superb wins.
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dB rankings C: Israel Adesanya 1. Robert Whittaker 2. Paulo Costa 3. Marvin Vettori +1 4. Jared Cannonier -1 5. Derek Brunson +1 6. Jack Hermansson -1 7. Darren Till 8. Kelvin Gastelum 9. Uriah Hall 10. Chris Weidman +2 11. Omari Akhmedov +2 12. Edmen Shahbazyan +2 13. Brad Tavares +2 14. Sean Strickland * 15. Brendan Allen * |
UFC rankings C: Israel Adesanya 1. Robert Whittaker 2. Paulo Costa 3. Marvin Vettori +3 4. Jared Cannonier -1 5. Derek Brunson -1 6. Darren Till -1 7. Jack Hermansson 8. Uriah Hall +1 9. Kelvin Gastelum -1 10. Edmen Shahbazyan +2 11. Chris Weidman 12. Kevin Holland -2 13. Omari Akhmedov -1 14. Brad Tavares 15. Sean Strickland |
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: Holland needs more mat time to work on his weaknesses on the ground, while Jacare just needs a win big time. I’ve been high on Strickland since his first tour of duty at 185. And Allen not only has a win over Holland, but his only UFC loss is to Strickland.
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dB rankings C: Jan Blachowicz 1. Glover Teixeira 2. Aleksandar Rakic 3. Dominick Reyes 4. Jiri Prochazka 5. Magomed Ankalaev 6. Thiago Santos 7. Anthony Smith 8. Volkan Oezdemir 9. Nikita Krylov 10. Johnny Walker 11. Ryan Spann 12. Misha Cirkunov 13. Jimmy Crute 14. Paul Craig 15. Jamahal Hill |
UFC rankings C: Jan Blachowicz 1. Glover Teixeira 2. Aleksandar Rakic 3. Dominick Reyes 4. Thiago Santos 5. Jiri Prochazka 6. Anthony Smith 7. Magomed Ankalaev 8. Volkan Oezdemir 9. Nikita Krylov 10. Johnny Walker 11. Ryan Spann 12. Misha Cirkunov 13. Jimmy Crute 14. Paul Craig 15. Jamahal Hill |
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: No movement this month at 205 pounds.
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dB rankings C: Francis Ngannou 1. Stipe Miocic 2. Derrick Lewis 3. Curtis Blaydes 4. Alexander Volkov 5. Ciryl Gane 6. Jairzinho Rozenstruik 7. Augusto Sakai 8. Shamil Abdurakhimov 9. Walt Harris 10. Marcin Tybura 11. Sergei Pavlovich 12. Chris Daukaus 13. Tom Aspinall 14. Blagoy Ivanov 15. Alexandr Romanov |
UFC rankings C: Francis Ngannou 1. Stipe Miocic 2. Derrick Lewis 3. Curtis Blaydes 4. Ciryl Gane 5. Alexander Volkov 6. Jairzinho Rozenstruik 7. Shamil Abdurakhimov 8. Walt Harris 9. Augusto Sakai 10. Chris Daukaus 11. Blagoy Ivanov +1 12. Marcin Tybura -1 13. Tom Aspinall 14. Sergei Pavlovich 15. Aleksei Oleinik |
Out of dB rankings: None
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: Tybura has the second-longest winning streak at HW to Ngannou, yet somehow managed to drop a spot to the inactive Ivanov.
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dB rankings 1. Amanda Nunes 2. Valentina Shevchenko 3. Rose Namajunas +1 4. Weili Zhang -1 5. Joanna Jedrzejczyk 6. Germaine De Randamie +1 7. Holly Holm +1 8. Aspen Ladd +1 9. Jessica Andrade -3 10. Katlyn Chookagian 11. Jennifer Maia 12. Lauren Murphy 13. Cynthia Calvillo 14. Xiaonan Yan 15. Yana Kunitskaya |
UFC rankings 1. Amanda Nunes 2. Valentina Shevchenko 3. Rose Namajunas +1 4. Weili Zhang -1 5. Joanna Jedrzejczyk +1 6. Jessica Andrade -1 7. Germaine De Randamie 8. Holly Holm 9. Aspen Ladd 10. Katlyn Chookagian 11. Xiaonan Yan 12. Mackenzie Dern * 13. Carla Esparza 14. Cynthia Calvillo 15. Claudia Gadelha |
Out of UFC rankings: Nina Nunes
X: Dern seems ranked too high for her resume.
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dB rankings C: Rose Namajunas +1 1. Weili Zhang -1 2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk 3. Xiaonan Yan 4. Claudia Gadelha +1 5. Carla Esparza +1 6. Marina Rodriguez +1 7. Amanda Ribas +2 8. Mackenzie Dern +2 9. Michelle Waterson -1 10. Nina Nunes -6 11. Tecia Torres 12. Angela Hill 13. Virna Jandiroba 14. Amanda Lemos 15. Brianna Van Buren |
UFC rankings C: Rose Namajunas +1 1. Weili Zhang -1 2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk 3. Xiaonan Yan 4. Carla Esparza 5. Mackenzie Dern +6 6. Marina Rodriguez 7. Nina Nunes -2 8. Claudia Gadelha -1 9. Michelle Waterson -1 10. Tecia Torres -1 11. Amanda Ribas 12. Angela Hill 13. Virna Jandiroba 14. Amanda Lemos 15. Felice Herrig |
Out of dB rankings: None
Note: Nina Ansaroff changed her name to Nina Nunes.
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: Yes, Namajunas, you are the best. But Herrig continues to be ranked despite her last win coming in 2017. Nunes dropped more spots due to her inactivity before the devastating loss to Dern.
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dB rankings C: 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 11. Antonina Shevchenko 12. Andrea Lee 13. Talia Santos 14. Miranda Maverick 15. Tracy Cortez * |
UFC rankings C: 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. Andrea Lee 12. Antonina Shevchenko 13. Talia Santos 14. Maycee Barber 15. Miranda Maverick |
Out of dB rankings: Maycee Barber
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: Shevchenko’s brilliance may not be fully appreciated until she’s in the UFC Hall of Fame. Barber is 0-2 over the last three years, while Cortez has won nine in a row.
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dB rankings C: Amanda Nunes 1. Germaine de Randamie 2. Holly Holm 3. Aspen Ladd 4. Irene Aldana 5. Yana Kunitskaya 6. Ketlen Vieira 7. Julianna Pena 8. Sara McMann 9. Lina Lansberg 10. Macy Chiasso 11. Pannie Kianzad 12. Karol Rosa 13. Marion Reneau 14. Alexis Davis 15. Sijara Eubanks |
UFC rankings C: 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. Macy Chiasson 10. Lina Lansberg 11. Pannie Kianzad 12. Marion Reneau 13. Sijara Eubanks 14. Karol Rosa 15. Julia Avila |
Out of dB rankings: None
Closing in on rankings: Miesha Tate
Out of UFC rankings: None
X: No movement this month at women’s 135 pounds.
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Champion: Amanda Nunes No divisional rankings. |
IMPORTANT UPCOMING FIGHTS FOR RANKINGS
May 1 – UFC on ESPN 23
Dominick Reyes vs. Jiri Prochazka
Giga Chikadze vs. Cub Swanson
Sean Strickland vs. Krzysztof Jotko
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cody Stamann
May 8 – UFC on ESPN 24
Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Donald Cerrone vs. Diego Sanchez
Amanda Ribas vs. Angela Hill
Geoff Neal vs. Neil Magny
Diego Ferreira vs. Gregor Gillespie
May 15 – UFC 262
Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler for LW title
Leon Edwards vs. Nate Diaz
Tony Ferguson vs. Beneil Dariush
Shane Burgos vs. Edson Barboza
Jack Hermansson vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
The updated May rankings will be posted after UFC 262. Until then, enjoy the fights.
For comments, questions and suggestions, email dbrown@cherokeescout.com or contact him on Twitter @daviddbstroh.