Makhachev and Shevchenko, new MMA P4P kings: Total Domination!

Islam Makhachev and Valentina Shevchenko Reach the Top in MMA Rankings

In a day full of emotions for mixed martial arts fans, Islam Makhachev and Valentina Shevchenko were crowned as the number one in their respective categories in the ESPN ranking. Both athletes achieved resounding victories at UFC 322, consolidating their position at the top of the sport. Makhachev, who started the day in second place in the men’s pound-for-pound ranking, rose to first place after a dominant performance. Shevchenko, for her part, also managed to climb to the top spot in the women’s list, demonstrating her worth in the octagon.

Shevchenko Successfully Defends Her Title

Women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko defended her title with a unanimous decision victory over Zhang Weili. This victory not only secured her the top spot in the rankings, but also demonstrated her ability to stay on top in her division.

Makhachev Crowned Champion in Two Divisions

Islam Makhachev, former lightweight champion, faced Jack Della Maddalena in the welterweight division and had no trouble dethroning him, thus becoming a two-division champion. This achievement is a testament to his versatility and skill in the sport.

Differences in Challenges

It is important to note that Shevchenko and Makhachev’s challenges were different. Shevchenko faced Zhang Weili, who at that time held the first place in the ranking, which made their fight a confrontation between the two best female MMA fighters. On the other hand, Makhachev defeated Della Maddalena, who was ranked eighth in the men’s ranking. This difference in opponents could explain why a voter kept Makhachev in second place, below Ilia Topuria, the current lightweight champion. However, Shevchenko was unanimously chosen as number one.

Men’s Pound-for-Pound Ranking

• Islam Makhachev

UFC Welterweight Champion. His record is 28-1. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Jack Della Maddalena on November 15th. His next fight is expected. Makhachev fulfilled his promise to become a two-division champion by neutralizing Della Maddalena’s striking threat with relative ease at UFC 322. This victory tied him with Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in UFC history, with 16, and places him on the list of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. With a group of incredibly talented welterweight contenders, he won’t lack opponents. However, the fight everyone wants to see is a showdown with the current lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria.

• Ilia Topuria

UFC Lightweight Champion. His record is 17-0. His last fight was a first-round KO victory against Charles Oliveira on June 28. His next fight is expected.

After knocking out two of the best featherweights in UFC history (Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway) in 2024, it would be difficult for Topuria to surpass that in 2025. He moved up to lightweight with the goal of challenging Makhachev, but with Makhachev moving up a division, Topuria captured the vacant title by knocking out Oliveira at UFC 317.

Hale

• Merab Dvalishvili

UFC Bantamweight Champion. His record is 21-4. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Cory Sandhagen on October 4th. His next fight will be on December 6th against Petr Yan. Dvalishvili is on one of the most impressive streaks in the UFC bantamweight division. Not only did he defeat Sean O’Malley for the second time in nine months at UFC 316, but he also showed a new facet of his game, finishing O’Malley with a guillotine in the third round. Since August 2022, Dvalishvili has beaten José Aldo, Yan, Henry Cejudo, O’Malley (twice), Umar Nurmagomedov, and Sandhagen. And he will defend his title again, in a rematch with Yan, in December, becoming the only champion in UFC history to defend a title four times in a year.

• Tom Aspinall

UFC Heavyweight Champion. His record is 15-3, 1 NC. His last fight was a No Contest against Ciryl Gane on October 25. His next fight is expected. It can be argued that Aspinall is the most dynamic, skilled, and talented heavyweight the sport has ever seen. He is dominating his opponents in an unparalleled way. Nobody can last a round with him. He was hoping to prove his supremacy against Jon Jones, but Jones chose to withdraw, elevating Aspinall from interim champion. His first defense of the undisputed belt ended anticlimactically, as an eye poke resulted in his fight at UFC 321 with Gane being declared a no-contest. Okamoto

• Alex Pereira

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. His record is 13-3. His last fight was a TKO victory in the first round against Magomed Ankalaev on October 4th. His next fight is expected.

A stellar 2024 solidified Pereira’s place as a star in the UFC, but he faced possibly his toughest test as light heavyweight champion when he entered the octagon with Ankalaev at UFC 313. Pereira had dealt with strikers, but the question was whether he could do the job against a talented grappler. Pereira kept the fight standing but fell short by unanimous decision. He changed that result violently when he faced Ankalaev in a rematch at UFC 320.

Hale

• Khamzat Chimaev

UFC Middleweight Champion. His record is 15-0. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Dricus Du Plessis on August 16th. His next fight is expected.

After five years of anticipation, Chimaev finally fought for a championship at UFC 319, and the result was one of the most dominant title fight performances in UFC history. Chimaev did not manage to finish, but completely demolished Du Plessis in their five-round bout and answered questions about his cardio along the way. If Chimaev can stay healthy and compete frequently, he still has plenty of time to climb to the top of this list.

Okamoto

• Alexandre Pantoja

UFC Flyweight Champion. His record is 30-5. His last fight was a submission victory in the third round against Kai Kara-France on June 28. His next fight will be on December 6 against Joshua Van.

The UFC flyweight king has amassed four title defenses, including two in pay-per-view main events in 2024. He built his winning streak to eight in his UFC 317 victory over Kara-France, whom he had already defeated before. He will defend the belt against Yan at UFC 323. Pantoja is rapidly circling the 125-pound division.

Okamoto

• Alexander Volkanovski

UFC Featherweight Champion. His record is 27-4. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Diego Lopes on April 12th. His next fight will be on January 31st against Diego Lopes.

It seemed that the sport had begun to write Volkanovski’s eulogy after his knockout loss to Topuria in February 2024. Volkanovski took notice and made a point of showing everyone that he still has a lot left by recapturing the featherweight belt at UFC 314. His age (36) will likely remain a pre-fight topic, which is fine because Volkanovski likes to prove people wrong.

Okamoto

• Jack Della Maddalena

UFC Welterweight. His record is 18-3. His last fight was a unanimous decision loss against Islam Makhachev on November 15th. His next fight is expected.

That Della Maddalena maintaining a place in the top 10 could be a surprise, but it speaks to a few things. One, of course, is that there’s no shame in losing to Makhachev. And two, this could be the deepest welterweight division in MMA history. Della Maddalena’s eight-fight win streak in this division still means a lot. And although Della Maddalena had a bad night at UFC 322, the perception of his talent hasn’t changed drastically because of that.

Okamoto

• Dricus Du Plessis

UFC Middleweight. His record is 23-3. His last fight was a unanimous decision loss against Khamzat Chimaev on August 16th. His next fight is expected.

Before being stifled by Chimaev and losing the belt, Du Plessis was dominating the middleweight division with 11 consecutive victories, including four in a row over champions or former champions (Sean Strickland twice, Israel Adesanya, and Robert Whittaker). Can he build another attempt against Chimaev?

Jeff Wagenheim

• Max Holloway

UFC Lightweight. His record is 27-8. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Dustin Poirier on July 19. His next fight is expected.

Holloway has won four of his last five fights while bouncing between lightweight and featherweight. The only loss was against Ilia Topuria, who now reigns in Holloway’s current division, the lightweight.

Wagenheim

Other fighters who received votes: Magomed Ankalaev, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Arman Tsarukyan.How our panel votedBrett 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.

Women’s Pound-for-Pound Ranking

• Valentina Shevchenko

UFC Flyweight Champion. Her record is 26-4-1. Her last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Zhang Weili on November 15th. Her next fight is expected.

Shevchenko’s dominance was questioned in 2022 and 2023, when she had a 1-1-1 record in a trilogy with Alexa Grasso. God, that seems like a long time ago now. Shevchenko has reasserted herself as the best flyweight in the world, and now she has asserted herself as the number 1 in the world, period. It wasn’t surprising that she beat Zhang, but it was surprising how easy she made it look.

Okamoto

• Zhang Weili

UFC flyweight/strawweight. His record is 26-4. His last fight was a unanimous decision loss against Valentina Shevchenko on November 15. His next fight is expected.

It’s difficult to gain weight, especially at the highest level. That sounds like it should be obvious, but Zhang had been dominant at 115 pounds for so long that some of us might have taken for granted how big a challenge it would be to move up to 125. UFC 322 was a bad night for Zhang, but she doesn’t have many of those. And if she decides to stay at 125, it certainly seems reasonable that she’ll do better in the future.

Okamoto

• Kayla Harrison

UFC bantamweight champion. Her record is 19-1. Her last fight was a technical submission victory in the second round against Julianna Peña on June 7th. Her next fight will be on January 24th against Amanda Nunes.

PFL’s face for a long time is also quickly becoming the face of the UFC women’s divisions. With a dominant victory over Pena at UFC 316, Harrison has a 4-0 record in the UFC and has the hardware to add to her two Olympic judo gold medals. However, she won’t have it easy in her first title defense, because Nunes returns with the belt in sight.

Okamoto

• Cris Cyborg

PFL featherweight. His record is 28-2, 1 NC. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Larissa Pacheco on October 19, 2024. His next fight will be on December 13 against Sara Collins.

It had been a while since Cyborg had fought an elite MMA opponent until she faced Pacheco in 2024. That was a legitimate fight, and many within the industry predicted Cyborg’s downfall. Instead, she eliminated the PFL two-weight champion, nullifying all of Pacheco’s momentum. One of the original pioneers of women’s MMA is still going strong somehow, and she will seek the vacant PFL title against Collins, an Australian with a 6-0 record but with little high-level experience.

Okamoto

• Manon Fiorot

UFC Flyweight. His record is 13-2. His last fight was a TKO victory in the first round against Jasmine Jasudavicius on October 18. His next fight is expected.

Fiorot fell short in her challenge to Shevchenko, the champion, at UFC 315. But by defeating Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield in her two previous fights, Fiorot has shown that she has the tools to become a champion.

Hale

• Mackenzie Dern

UFC Strawweight Champion. Her record is 16-5. Her last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Virna Jandiroba on October 25. Her next fight is expected.

Dern’s rise to the 115-pound throne was truly a changing of the guard. She is the division’s first-time champion since 2019, because the previous three champions, Zhang Weili, Carla Esparza, and Rose Namajunas, were in their second reigns. Dern, almost a decade after her MMA career after multiple world jiu-jitsu championships, has won three fights in a row.

Wagenheim

• Natalia Silva

UFC Flyweight. His record is 19-5-1. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Alexa Grasso on May 10th. His next fight is expected.

Silva looks in every part like a future UFC champion after a dominant exhibition against Grasso at UFC 315. Silva’s style of hitting and moving has frustrated even the highest level of opponent, and she has youth on her side, as she will not turn 30 until 2027.

Okamoto

• Erin Blanchfield

UFC Flyweight. His record is 14-2. His last fight was a submission victory in the second round against Tracy Cortez on November 15th. His next fight is expected.

Blanchfield avenged her 2019 defeat to Cortez emphatically at UFC 322, submitting her in the second round of their rematch. At just 26 years old, Blanchfield continues to evolve with improved striking and a suffocating grip. She will have to wait her turn for a title shot, with Natalia Silva likely next, but Blanchfield’s turn is certainly coming.

Hale

• Dakota Ditcheva

PFL Flyweight. His record is 14-0. His last fight was a unanimous decision victory against Sumiko Inaba on July 19. His next fight will be on February 7 against Denise Kielholtz.

Ditcheva not only won the PFL flyweight season last year, but she did it spectacularly: a TKO finish over Taila Santos, who once challenged for a UFC title. Ditcheva opened her 2025 campaign by dominating Inaba in the co-main event of the first PFL Champions Series card in Cape Town, South Africa. She will open 2026 with a matchup against fellow kickboxer Kielholtz.

Okamoto

• Julianna Peña

UFC bantamweight. His record is 12-6. His last fight was a submission loss in the second round against Kayla Harrison on June 7. His next fight is expected.

Peña is a two-time women’s bantamweight champion, with one of those reigns made possible by one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, her 2021 submission victory over Amanda Nunes. Peña’s four most recent appearances have been in title fights, so she is made for big moments.

Wagenheim

Other fighters who received votes: Alexa Grasso, Virna Jandiroba, Rose Namajunas, and Tatiana Suarez.How our panel votedBrett 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;