Volkanovski Recaptures the Belt and Shakes Up the UFC Rankings
Alexander Volkanovski proved his worth as the headliner at UFC 314, defeating Diego Lopes to regain the featherweight belt that he once successfully defended five times. This victory, in the vacant title fight, ended a two-fight losing streak for Volkanovski, reaffirming him as one of the best fighters in MMA.
But Saturday night wasn’t just Volkanovski’s. Paddy Pimblett showcased his superior skill by dominating Michael Chandler. Yair Rodriguez, Jean Silva, and Dominick Reyes also delivered outstanding performances.
In the prelims, a strawweight clash added clarity to the title situation. Virna Jandiroba secured her fifth consecutive victory by dominating former champion Yan Xiaonan for three rounds. Jandiroba showed why she should be next in line to contend for the belt.
How do these results impact our rankings? We’ll tell you below.
To see the MMA rankings by division, click here.
Note: The results are current; the rankings correspond to April 15. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed in the last 12 months or have an upcoming fight. Fighters who have been removed for inactivity can only be reinstated after competing.
Men’s Pound-for-Pound Ranking
- Islam Makhachev
UFC Lightweight Champion
Record: 27-1
Last: Won (Submission 1) vs. Renato Moicano, January 18
Next: To be determined - Ilia Topuria
UFC Lightweight
Record: 16-0
Last: Won (KO3) vs. Max Holloway, October 26
Next: To be determined - Jon Jones
UFC Heavyweight Champion
Record: 28-1, 1 NC
Last: Won (TKO3) vs. Stipe Miocic, November 16
Next: To be determined - Merab Dvalishvili
UFC Bantamweight Champion
Record: 19-4
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, January 18
Next: June 7 vs. Sean O’Malley - Tom Aspinall
UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion
Record: 15-3
Last: Won (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27
Next: To be determined - Magomed Ankalaev
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Record: 20-1-1, 1 NC
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Alex Pereira, March 8
Next: To be determined - Alexandre Pantoja
UFC Flyweight Champion
Record: 29-5
Last: Won (Technical Submission 2) vs. Kai Asakura, December 7
Next: To be determined - Dricus Du Plessis
UFC Middleweight Champion
Record: 23-2
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Sean Strickland, February 8
Next: To be determined - Alex Pereira
UFC Light Heavyweight
Record: 12-3
Last: Lost (Unanimous Decision) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, March 8
Next: To be determined - Belal Muhammad
UFC Welterweight Champion
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27
Next: May 10 vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Other fighters who received votes: Francis Ngannou and Khamzat Chimaev.
This Is How Our Panel Voted
- Brett Okamoto: 1. Islam Makhachev; 2. Ilia Topuria; 3. Tom Aspinall; 4. Merab Dvalishvili; 5. Jon Jones; 6. Alexandre Pantoja; 7. Belal Muhammad; 8. Dricus Du Plessis; 9. Magomed Ankalaev; 10. Alex Pereira.
- Andreas Hale: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Dvalishvili; 5. Aspinall; 6. Ankalaev; 7. Muhammad; 8. Pantoja; 9. Alexander Volkanovski; 10. Pereira.
- Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Pereira; 5. Pantoja; 6. Dvalishvili; 7. Du Plessis; 8. Ankalaev; 9. Muhammad; 10. Volkanovski.
- Ian Parker: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Dvalishvili; 5. Du Plessis; 6. Ankalaev; 7. Pantoja; 8. Muhammad; 9. Aspinall; 10. Khamzat Chimaev.
- Andrew Davis: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Ankalaev; 5. Pereira; 6. Dvalishvili; 7. Aspinall; 8. Du Plessis; 9. Pantoja; 10. Muhammad.
- Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Makhachev; 2. Topuria; 3. Aspinall; 4. Jones; 5. Dvalishvili; 6. Francis Ngannou; 7. Pantoja; 8. Ankalaev; 9. Chimaev; 10. Pereira.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound Ranking
- Zhang Weili
UFC Strawweight Champion
Record: 26-3
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Tatiana Suarez, February 8
Next: To be determined - Valentina Shevchenko
UFC Flyweight Champion
Record: 23-4-1
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Alexa Grasso, September 14
Next: May 10 vs. Manon Fiorot - Cris Cyborg
Bellator and PFL Super Fights Featherweight Champion
Record: 28-2, 1 NC
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Larissa Pacheco, October 19
Next: To be determined - Alexa Grasso
UFC Flyweight
Record: 16-4-1
Last: Lost (Unanimous Decision) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, September 14
Next: May 10 vs. Natalia Silva - Kayla Harrison
UFC Bantamweight
Record: 18-1
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Ketlen Vieira, October 5
Next: June 7 vs. Julianna Peña - Manon Fiorot
UFC Flyweight
Record: 12-1
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30
Next: May 10 vs. Valentina Shevchenko - Larissa Pacheco
PFL Featherweight Champion
Record: 23-5
Last: Lost (Unanimous Decision) vs. Cris Cyborg, October 19
Next: To be determined - Julianna Peña
UFC Bantamweight Champion
Record: 12-5
Last: Won (Split Decision) vs. Raquel Pennington, October 5
Next: June 7 vs. Kayla Harrison - Erin Blanchfield
UFC Flyweight
Record: 13-2
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Rose Namajunas, November 2
Next: May 31 vs. Maycee Barber - Virna Jandiroba
UFC Strawweight
Record: 22-3
Last: Won (Unanimous Decision) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 12
Next: To be determined
Other fighters who received votes: Rose Namajunas, Dakota Ditcheva, and Seika Izawa.
This Is How Our Panel Voted
- Brett Okamoto: 1. Zhang Weili; 2. Valentina Shevchenko; 3. Cris Cyborg; 4. Alexa Grasso; 5. Manon Fiorot; 6. Rose Namajunas; 7. Erin Blanchfield; 8. Kayla Harrison; 9. Larissa Pacheco; 10. Virna Jandiroba.
- Andreas Hale: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Grasso; 4. Cyborg; 5. Fiorot; 6. Harrison; 7. Pacheco; 8. Peña; 9. Blanchfield; 10. Jandiroba.
- Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Zhang; 3. Grasso; 4. Cyborg; 5. Harrison; 6. Peña; 7. Pacheco; 8. Dakota Ditcheva; 9. Fiorot; 10. Jandiroba.
- Ian Parker: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Cyborg; 4. Harrison; 5. Grasso; 6. Peña; 7. Pacheco; 8. Fiorot; 9. Virna Vandiroba; 10. Blanchfield.
- Andrew Davis: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Cyborg; 4. Harrison; 5. Grasso; 6. Peña; 7. Fiorot; 8. Pacheco; 9. Blanchfield; 10. Ditcheva.
- Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Cyborg; 4. Fiorot; 5. Grasso; 6. Pacheco; 7. Harrison; 8. Blanchfield; 9. Jandiroba; 10. Seika Izawa.
