MMA divisional rankings: How excessive amongst heavyweights does Ngannou land?

Francis Ngannou is again in a well-recognized place amongst MMA’s high heavyweights.

The previous UFC champion had disappeared from the ESPN divisional rankings whereas away from the game pursuing his dream of boxing. However when he resumed his cage combating profession over the weekend at PFL Battle of the Giants, he picked up proper the place he left off. Ngannou knocked out 2023 PFL season champion Renan Ferreira within the first spherical, and that efficiency boosted Ngannou up close to the highest of the heavyweight rankings.

Ngannou lands at No. 2, past solely UFC interim champion Tom Aspinall. The UFC’s official champ, Jon Jones, isn’t within the rankings as a result of he has not fought in over a 12 months and a half. Jones can be eligible to return to the highest 10 after subsequent month’s combat in opposition to Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.

ESPN’s eligibility requirements additionally led to the opposite change in these divisional rankings, as former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman drops out of the highest 10 as a result of he has not competed in over a 12 months.

Listed here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and an inventory of present UFC champions in all weight courses.

Word: Outcomes are present; rankings as of Oct. 23. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter will need to have competed over the previous 12 months or will need to have an upcoming combat booked. Fighters who’ve been dropped for inactivity might be reinstated solely after they compete.

Heavyweight | Gentle heavyweight | Middleweight | Welterweight
Light-weight | Males’s featherweight | Males’s bantamweight
Males’s flyweight | Girls’s bantamweight | Girls’s flyweight | Strawweight

HEAVYWEIGHT (as much as 265 kilos)

1. Tom Aspinall  

Promotion: UFC interim champion
Report: 15-3
Final: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Francis Ngannou  

Promotion: PFL Tremendous Fights champion
Earlier rating: Unranked
Report: 18-3
Final: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Oct. 19, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Ciryl Gane  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 2
Report: 12-2
Final: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Alexander Volkov

4. Curtis Blaydes  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 3
Report: 18-5, 1 NC
Final: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Alexander Volkov  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 4
Report: 38-10
Final: W (UD) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, June 22, 2024
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Ciryl Gane

6. Sergei Pavlovich  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 5
Report: 18-3
Final: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkov, June 22, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Renan Ferreira  

Promotion: PFL champion
Earlier rating: 6
Report: 13-4, 3 NC
Final: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Jailton Almeida  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 7
Report: 21-3
Final: W (Sub1) vs. Alexandr Romanov, June 1, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. Serghei Spivac  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 8
Report: 17-4
Final: W (Sub1) vs. Marcin Tybura, Aug. 10, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Vadim Nemkov  

Promotion: Bellator
Earlier rating: 9
Report: 18-2, 1 NC
Final: W (TechSub2) vs. Bruno Cappelozza, Feb. 24, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (as much as 205 kilos)

1. Alex Pereira  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 12-2
Final: W (TKO4) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Jirí Procházka  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 30-5-1
Final: L (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, June 29, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Magomed Ankalaev  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 19-1-1
Final: W (KO2) vs. Johnny Walker, Jan. 13, 2024
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Aleksandar Rakic

4. Jamahal Hill  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 10-2
Final: L (KO1) vs. Alex Pereira, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Corey Anderson  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Report: 18-6, 1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Aleksandar Rakić  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 14-4
Final: L (TKO) vs. Jiří Procházka, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Magomed Ankalaev

7. Khalil Rountree Jr.  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 13-6, 1 NC
Final: L (TKO4) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Volkan Oezdemir  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 20-7
Final: W (KO1) vs. Johnny Walker, June 22, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 23 vs. Carlos Ulberg

9. Johnny Walker  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 21-9, 1 NC
Final: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Anthony Smith  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 38-20
Final: L (UD) vs. Roman Dolidze, June 29, 2024
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Dominick Reyes

MIDDLEWEIGHT (as much as 185 kilos)

1. Dricus du Plessis  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 22-2
Final: W (Sub4) vs. Israel Adesanya, Aug. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Israel Adesanya  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 24-4
Final: L (Sub4) vs. Dricus du Plessis, Aug. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Sean Strickland  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 29-6
Final: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

4. Robert Whittaker  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 26-7
Final: W (KO1) vs. Ikram Aliskerov, June 22, 2024
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Khamzat Chimaev

5. Johnny Eblen  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Report: 16-0
Final: W (UD) vs. Fabian Edwards, Oct. 19, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Nassourdine Imavov  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 15-4, 1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Brendan Allen, Sept. 28, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Caio Borralho  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-0, 1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, Aug. 24, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Jared Cannonier  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-8
Final: L (UD) vs. Caio Borralho, Aug. 24, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. Khamzat Chimaev  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 13-0
Final: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Robert Whittaker

10. Roman Dolidze  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 14-3
Final: W (TKO1) vs. Kevin Holland, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

WELTERWEIGHT (as much as 170 kilos)

1. Belal Muhammad  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 24-3, 1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

2. Leon Edwards  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 22-4, 1 NC
Final: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Shavkat Rakhmonov  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 4
Report: 18-0
Final: W (Sub2) vs. Stephen Thompson, Dec. 16, 2023
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Belal Muhammad

4. Jack Della Maddalena  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 5
Report: 17-2
Final: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Sean Brady  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 6
Report: 17-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, Sept. 7, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Ian Machado Garry  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 7
Report: 15-0
Final: W (UD) vs. Michael “Venom” Web page, June 29, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Gilbert Burns  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 8
Report: 22-8
Final: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Colby Covington  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 9
Report: 17-4
Final: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Subsequent: TBD

9. Joaquin Buckley  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: 10
Report: 20-6
Final: W (TKO3) vs. Stephen Thompson, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Geoff Neal  

Promotion: UFC
Earlier rating: Unranked
Report: 16-6
Final: L (SD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Feb.17, 2024
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

LIGHTWEIGHT (as much as 155 kilos)

1. Islam Makhachev  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 26-1
Final: W (Sub5) vs. Dustin Poirier, June 1, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Arman Tsarukyan  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 22-3
Final: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Charles Oliveira  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 34-10, 1 NC
Final: L (SD) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 16 vs. Michael Chandler

4. Justin Gaethje  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 25-5
Final: L (KO5) vs. Max Holloway, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Dustin Poirier  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 30-9, 1 NC
Final: L (Sub5) vs. Islam Makhachev, June 1, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Dan Hooker  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 29-12
Final: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Renato Moicano  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 20-5-1
Final: W (TKO2) vs. Benoît Saint Denis, Sept. 28, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Beneil Dariush  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 22-6-1
Final: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Subsequent: TBD

9. Usman Nurmagomedov  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Report: 18-0, 1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Alexander Shabliy, Sept. 7, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Mateusz Gamrot  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 24-2, 1 NC
Final: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, Aug. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

FEATHERWEIGHT (as much as 145 kilos)

1. Ilia Topuria  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 15-0
Final: W (KO2) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 17, 2024
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Max Holloway

2. Alexander Volkanovski  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 26-4
Final: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Max Holloway  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 26-7
Final: W (KO5) vs. Justin Gaethje, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: Oct. 26 vs. Ilia Topuria

4. Diego Lopes  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 26-6
Final: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Brian Ortega  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 16-4, 1 NC
Final: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Yair Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 15-5, 1 NC
Final: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Patricio Freire  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Report: 36-7
Final: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Josh Emmett  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 19-4
Final: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Subsequent: TBD

9. Movsar Evloev  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 18-0
Final: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 20, 2024
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Aljamain Sterling

10. Arnold Allen  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 20-3
Final: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (as much as 135 kilos)

1. Merab Dvalishvili  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 18-4
Final: W (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Sean O’Malley  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 18-2, 1 NC
Final: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Umar Nurmagomedov  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 18-0
Final: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 3, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

4. Cory Sandhagen  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-5
Final: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Petr Yan  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-5
Final: L (UD) vs. Tune Yadong, March 9, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 23 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

6. Henry Cejudo  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 16-4
Final: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Deiveson Figueiredo  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 24-3-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, Aug. 3, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 23 vs. Petr Yan

8. Mario Bautista  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 15-2
Final: W (SD) vs. José Aldo, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. José Aldo  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 32-9
Final: L (SD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Patchy Combine  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Report: 20-1
Final: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, Could 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (as much as 125 kilos)

1. Alexandre Pantoja  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 28-5
Final: W (UD) vs. Steve Erceg, Could 4, 2024
Subsequent: Dec. 7 vs. Kai Asakura

2. Brandon Royval  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-7
Final: W (SD) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Oct. 12, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Brandon Moreno  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 21-8-2
Final: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Feb. 24, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 2 vs. Amir Albazi

4. Kai Kara-France  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 25-11, 1 NC
Final: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Muhammad Mokaev  

Promotion: Courageous CF
Report: 13-0,1 NC
Final: W (UD) vs. Manel Kape, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Tatsuro Taira  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 16-1
Final: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Oct. 12, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Steve Erceg  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 12-3
Final: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Manel Kape  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 19-7
Final: L (UD) vs. Muhammad Mokaev, July 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. Alex Perez  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 25-9
Final: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Matheus Nicolau  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 19-5-1
Final: L (KO1) vs. Alex Perez, April 27, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (as much as 135 kilos)

1. Julianna Peña  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 12-5
Final: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington. Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Raquel Pennington  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 16-9
Final: L (SD) vs. Julianna Peña, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Kayla Harrison  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 18-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

4. Ketlen Vieira  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 14-4-1
Final: L (UD) vs. Kayla Harrison, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

5. Holly Holm  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 15-7, 1 NC
Final: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Norma Dumont  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 12-2
Final: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Irene Aldana  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 15-8
Final: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Macy Chiasson  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 10-3
Final: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. Karol Rosa  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 18-6
Final: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, Aug. 10, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Pannie Kianzad  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 16-9
Final: L (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Aug. 10, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (as much as 125 kilos)

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 24-4-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Alexa Grasso  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 16-4-1
Final: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Manon Fiorot  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 12-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

4. Erin Blanchfield  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 12-2
Final: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, March 30, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 2 vs. Rose Namajunas

5. Maycee Barber  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 14-2
Final: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Natalia Silva  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 18-5-1
Final: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Sept. 7, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Taila Santos  

Promotion: PFL
Report: 22-3
Final: W (UD) vs. Liz Carmouche, Aug. 2, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 29 vs. Dakota Ditcheva

8. Liz Carmouche  

Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Report: 22-8
Final: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. Jessica Andrade  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 26-13
Final: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Rose Namajunas  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 13-6
Final: W (UD) vs. Tracy Cortez, July 13, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 2 vs. Erin Blanchfield

STRAWWEIGHT (as much as 115 kilos)

1. Zhang Weili  

Promotion: UFC champion
Report: 25-3
Final: W (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

2. Virna Jandiroba  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 21-3
Final: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

3. Amanda Lemos  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 14-4-1
Final: L (Sub2) vs. Virna Jandiroba, July 20, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

4. Yan Xiaonan  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-4, 1 NC
Final: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, April 13, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 23 vs. Tabatha Ricci

5. Jessica Andrade  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 26-13
Final: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

6. Marina Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 17-5-2
Final: L (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, Oct. 5, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

7. Mackenzie Dern  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 14-5
Final: W (UD) vs. Crazy Godínez, Aug. 3, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

8. Amanda Ribas  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 13-5
Final: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

9. Crazy Godínez  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 12-5
Final: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3, 2024
Subsequent: TBD

10. Tabatha Ricci  

Promotion: UFC
Report: 11-2
Final: W (UD) vs. Angela Hill, Aug. 24, 2024
Subsequent: Nov. 23 vs. Yan Xiaonan