Suarez Returns to Top 10 Strawweight: UFC MMA Ranking on the Rise

Tatiana Suarez, although she was unsuccessful in her fight for the UFC strawweight championship in February, could be on her way to getting another opportunity. Her recent victory against a prominent rival boosted her in the ESPN rankings.

Seven months ago, Suarez faced Zhang Weili for the title, undefeated and after dominating all her opponents with her wrestling. However, Weili managed to defend her title, vacating the 115-pound championship.

After Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern compete for the vacant spot on October 25, the winner could be next in line for Suarez. In the UFC Fight Night event, Suarez demonstrated her skill in the fight and defeated Amanda Lemos, who previously surpassed her in the strawweight ranking. With this victory, Suarez (11-1) climbed to number 4. The winner of Saturday’s main event, Diego Lopes, remains in the number 3 spot in the featherweight category. Three other changes in the rankings were due to the requirement that fighters compete in the last year or have a scheduled fight. Dan Hooker, Arnold Allen, and Norma Dumont fell out of the rankings due to inactivity.

Below, the pound-for-pound MMA rankings from Alofoke Deportes and a list of the current UFC champions in all weight classes.

The results are current; the rankings are updated as of September 16th. To be eligible for the ranking, a fighter must have competed in the last 12 months or have a scheduled fight. Fighters who have been removed for inactivity can only be reinstated after competing.

Heavyweight

1. Tom Aspinall Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 15-3 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024 Next: October 25 vs. Ciryl Gane 2. Francis Ngannou Promotion: PFL Super Fights Champion Record: 18-3 Last: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, October 19, 2024 Next: To be determined 3. Ciryl Gane Promotion: UFC Record: 13-2 Last: W (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, December 7, 2024 Next: October 25 vs. Tom Aspinall 4. Curtis Blaydes Promotion: UFC Record: 19-5, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21st Next: To be determined 5. Alexander Volkov Promotion: UFC Record: 38-11 Last: L (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, December 7, 2024 Next: October 25 vs. Jailton Almeida 6. Sergei Pavlovich Promotion: UFC Record: 20-3 Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, August 23rd Next: To be determined 7. Jailton Almeida Promotion: UFC Record: 22-3 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Serghei Spivac, January 18th Next: October 25 vs. Alexander Volkov 8. Renan Ferreira Promotion: PFL Champion Record: 13-4, 3 NC Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, October 19, 2024 Next: To be determined 9. Waldo Cortes-Acosta Promotion: UFC Record: 14-2 Last: L (UD) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, August 23rd Next: To be determined 10. Serghei Spivac Promotion: UFC Record: 17-6 Last: L (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, June 7th Next: To be determined

Light Heavyweight

1. Magomed Ankalaev Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 21-1-1, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Pereira, March 8th Next: October 4 vs. Alex Pereira

2. Alex Pereira

Promotion: UFC Record: 12-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, March 8th Next: October 4 vs. Magomed Ankalaev 3. Jiří Procházka Promotion: UFC Record: 31-5-1 Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jamahal Hill, January 18th Next: October 4 vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. 4. Carlos Ulberg Promotion: UFC Record: 13-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Jan Blachowicz, March 22 Next: September 27 vs. Dominick Reyes 5. Khalil Rountree Jr. Promotion: UFC Record: 14-6, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Jamahal Hill, June 21st Next: October 4 vs. Jiří Procházka 6. Aleksandar Rakić Promotion: UFC Record: 14-5 Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, October 26, 2024 Next: October 25 vs. Azamat Murzakanov 7. Dominick Reyes Promotion: UFC Record: 15-4 Last: W (KO1) vs. Nikita Krylov, April 12 Next: September 27 vs. Carlos Ulberg 8. Jamahal Hill Promotion: UFC Record: 12-4, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., June 21st Next: To be determined 9. Volkan Oezdemir Promotion: UFC Record: 20-8 Last: L (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, November 23, 2024 Next: To be determined 10. Corey Anderson Promotion: PFL Record: 19-6-1 Last: W (TKO2) vs. Denis Goltsov, July 19th Next: October 3 vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov

Middleweight

1. Khamzat Chimaev Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 15-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, August 16th Next: To be determined 2. Dricus du Plessis Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, August 16th Next: To be determined 3. Nassourdine Imavov Promotion: UFC Record: 17-4, 1 NC Last: W (US) vs. Caio Borralho, September 6th Next: To be determined 4. Sean Strickland Promotion: UFC Record: 29-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, February 8th Next: To be determined 5. Israel Adesanya Promotion: UFC Record: 24-5 Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, February 1st Next: To be determined 6. Reinier de Ridder Promotion: UFC Record: 21-2 Last: W (SD) vs. Robert Whittaker, July 26th Next: October 18 vs. Brendan Allen 7. Anthony Hernandez Promotion: UFC Record: 15-2, 1 NC Last: W (Sub4) vs. Roman Dolidze, August 9th Next: To be determined 8. Caio Borralho Promotion: UFC Record: 17-2, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, September 6th Next: To be determined 9. Robert Whittaker Promotion: UFC Record: 26-9 Last: L (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26th Next: To be determined 10. Brendan Allen Promotion: UFC Record: 25-7 Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, July 19th Next: October 18 vs. Reinier de Ridder

Welterweight

1. Jack Della Maddalena Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 18-2 Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, May 10th Next: November 15 vs. Islam Makhachev 2. Belal Muhammad Promotion: UFC Record: 24-4, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, May 10 Next: To be determined 3. Shavkat Rakhmonov Promotion: UFC Record: 19-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, December 7, 2024 Next: To be determined 4. Sean Brady Promotion: UFC Record: 18-1 Last: W (Sub4) vs. Leon Edwards, March 22 Next: To be determined

5. Leon Edwards

Promotion: UFC Record: 22-5, 1 NC Last: L (Sub4) vs. Sean Brady, March 22 Next: November 15 vs. Carlos Prates 6. Kamaru Usman Promotion: UFC Record: 21-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14th Next: To be determined 7. Ian Machado Garry Promotion: UFC Record: 16-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Carlos Prates, April 26th Next: To be determined 8. Michael Morales Promotion: UFC Record: 18-0 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 17th Next: To be determined

9. Joaquin Buckley

Promotion: UFC Record: 21-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14th Next: To be determined 10. Carlos Prates Promotion: UFC Record: 22-7 Last: W (KO1) vs. Geoff Neal, August 16th Next: November 15 vs. Leon Edwards

Lightweight

1. Islam Makhachev Promotion: UFC Record: 27-1 Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, January 18th Next: November 15 vs. Jack Della Maddalena 2. Ilia Topuria Promotion: UFC Champion Record: 17-0 Last: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28th Next: To be determined 3. Charles Oliveira Promotion: UFC Record: 35-11, 1 NC Last: L (KO1) vs. Ilia Topuria, June 28th Next: October 11 vs. Rafael Fiziev 4. Max Holloway Promotion: UFC Record: 27-8 Last: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19th Next: To be determined 5. Justin Gaethje Promotion: UFC Record: 26-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8th Next: To be determined 6. Paddy Pimblett Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: W (TKO3) vs. Michael Chandler, April 12 Next: To be determined 7. Usman Nurmagomedov Promotion: Bellator Champion

Previous ranking: 8

Record: 19-0, 1 NC Last: W (MD) vs. Paul Hughes, January 25th Next: October 3 vs. Paul Hughes 8. Beneil Dariush Promotion: UFC

Previous ranking: 9

Record: 23-6-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Renato Moicano, June 28th Next: To be determined 9. Mateusz Gamrot Promotion: UFC

Previous ranking: 10

Record: 25-3, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Ludovit Klein, May 31st Next: To be determined 10. Rafael Fiziev Promotion: UFC

Previous ranking: Unranked

Record: 13-4 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes, June 21st Next: October 11 vs. Charles Oliveira