Divisional: Aljamain Sterling is No. 1, of course, but how high did Khamzat Chimaev rise?
Aljamain Sterling walked into the cage for the UFC 273 co-main event last Saturday as men’s bantamweight champion. But that status had not earned him universal acknowledgement as the top 135-pound fighter in MMA.
Sterling’s split-decision victory over former champ Petr Yan did not erase all doubts, but he did solidify his reign and, as a result, has earned the top spot in ESPN’s rankings. Sterling previously was No. 2.
Another UFC 273 winner made an even bigger move — just not quite to the top. Khamzat Chimaev came in as a phenom, 4-0 in the UFC, all in routs. But he was unranked. That is no longer the case after the welterweight won by unanimous decision over Gilbert Burns, who was ranked third. Now Chimaev is in that spot, with Burns dropping to fifth.
UFC 273 results also led to some movement in the women’s rankings. Raquel Pennington, fresh off a decision win over Aspen Ladd, moves up four spots in the bantamweight top-10 to take over No. 4. Ladd drops from No. 5 to No. 8.
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 April 14.
Heavyweight – Light heavyweight – Middleweight – Welterweight
Lightweight – Men’s featherweight – Men’s bantamweight – Men’s flyweight
Women’s bantamweight – Women’s flyweight – Strawweight
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: L (UD) Francis Ngannou, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Chris Daukaus, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-2
Last: W (Sub1) Alexander Volkov, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 26-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Tai Tuivasa, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 34-10
Last: L (Sub1) Tom Aspinall, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 29-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Valentin Moldavsky, Jan. 29, 2022
Next: May 6 vs. Cheick Kongo
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) Curtis Blaydes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 33-7
Last: W (Sub2) Jan Blachowicz, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Jiri Prochazka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-9
Last: L (Sub2) Glover Teixeira, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5
Last: W (TKO1) Ryan Bader, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-3-1
Last: W (KO2) Dominick Reyes, May 1, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Glover Teixeira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Thiago Santos, March 6, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Julius Anglickas, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Corey Anderson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-16
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) Thiago Silva, March 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-10
Last: L (UD) Magomed Ankalaev, March 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-1
Last: W (UD) Robert Whittaker, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: June 11 vs. Marvin Vettori
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: W (KO2) Derek Brunson, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: L (UD) Marvin Vettori, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (KO2) Jared Cannonier, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-3
Last: W (SD) Jack Hermansson, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Alex Pereira
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 49-7-2
Last: W (TKO1) Austin Vanderford, Feb. 25, 2022
Next: June 24 vs. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4-1
Last: L (Sub3) Derek Brunson, Sept. 4, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (SD) Sean Strickland, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 11-0
Last: W (UD) Gilbert Burns, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Nate Diaz, June 12, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 21-7-1
Last: W (Sub1) Michael Chiesa, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: April 16 vs. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 20-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Stephen Thompson, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: April 16 vs. Vicente Luque
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 32-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) Dustin Poirier, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: W (UD) Michael Chandler, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1
Last: W (TKO1) Bobby Green, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7
Last: L (UD) Justin Gaethje, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Tony Ferguson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-14
Last: W (UD) Renato Moicano, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1
Last: W (TKO2) Diego Ferreira, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: W (TKO2) Joel Alvarez, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (TKO4) Chan Sung Jung, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub1) Patricio Freire, July 31, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Patricio Freire
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 32-5
Last: L (Sub1) A.J. McKee, July 31, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. A.J. McKee
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Giga Chikadze, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 17-2
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 14-3
Last: L (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 21-3
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-7
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5
Last: L (UD) Jose Aldo, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: April 30 vs. Marlon Vera
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: W (TKO2) Marlon Moraes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (KO4) Kyoji Horiguchi, Dec. 3, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7-1
Last: W (KO3) Frankie Edgar, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: April 30 vs. Rob Font
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6-2
Last: L (UD) Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 24-9, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Askar Askarov, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship champion
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 20-3
Last: W (Sub3) Yuya Wakamatsu, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: One Championship
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (Sub2) Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules), March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (SD) Rogerio Bontorin, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (Sub2) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Amanda Nunes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (Sub2) Julianna Peña, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Julianna Peña
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3, 2020
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 14-8
Last: W (UD) Aspen Ladd, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) Miesha Tate, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 9-3
Last: L (UD) Raquel Pennington, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 7-2
Last: L (Sub2) Raquel Pennington, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO4) Lauren Murphy, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Taila Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-9
Last: W (TKO1) Cynthia Calvillo, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: April 23 vs. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (TKO4) Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (SD) Denise Kielholtz, July 16, 2021
Next: April 22 vs. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 9-1
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia Next: TBD
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 11-1
Last: L (UD) Juliana Velasquez, Dec. 10, 2020
Next: April 23 vs. Justine Kish
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Roxanne Modafferi, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (SD) Zhang Weili, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Carla Esparza
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-2
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (TKO2) Yan Xiaonan, May 22, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1-2
Last: W (SD) Yan Xiaonan, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Marina Rodriguez, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (SD) Tecia Torres, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 11-1-1
Last: W (SD) Angela Hill, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: April 23 vs. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-9
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD