MMA divisional rankings: Tom Aspinall leapfrogs the GOAT
Tom Aspinall made a resounding statement with his first-round knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295.
The 30-year-old from Great Britain won an interim heavyweight championship on Saturday night, and the manner in which he won announced to the world that he is ready to trade in that belt for the real one held by all-time great Jon Jones.
The UFC might make Aspinall wait for a title shot, while rebooking its planned heavyweight title bout between Jones and former champ Stipe Miocic once Jones returns from the pectoral injury that canceled the bout that originally was to headline UFC 295.
But the ESPN divisional rankings are not waiting to install Aspinall as No. 1 at heavyweight.
Perhaps it will surprise some to see Aspinall’s name appear above Jones’, but I don’t understand why it would. Jones has one win at heavyweight in his career, and just one win total in the last three-plus years.
Obviously, had Jones chosen to be active at heavyweight, we all believe that both those numbers would be higher. But he hasn’t — while Aspinall has dominated all heavyweight competition he’s faced (outside of a 15-second loss by injury to Curtis Blaydes). Aspinall’s resume is head and shoulders above Jones’ at heavyweight.
Several fighters fell out of the divisional rankings without suffering a loss in the cage. Michael Chandler has been waiting for a Conor McGregor fight for so long that his inactivity has rendered him ineligible. Also out of consideration because they haven’t fought in over a year are strawweight Carla Esparza, middleweight Paulo Costa and featherweight Calvin Kattar. Men’s bantamweight Usman Nurmagomedov is out, too, after being suspended for testing positive for a banned substance.
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 Nov. 15. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed over the past 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Fighters who have been dropped for inactivity can be reinstated only after they compete.
Heavyweight – Light heavyweight – Middleweight – Welterweight
Lightweight – Men’s featherweight – Men’s bantamweight
Men’s flyweight – Women’s bantamweight – Women’s flyweight – Strawweight
HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 265 pounds)
1. Tom Aspinall 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Jon Jones 
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 27-1, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Ciryl Gane, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Sergei Pavlovich
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, April 22, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Alexander Volkov 
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-10
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Tai Tuivasa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Alexander Volkov, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Jailton Almeida
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 20-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Derrick Lewis, Nov. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Serghei Spivac
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Ryan Bader
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 31-7, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Feb. 4, 2023
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 9-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jirí Procházka, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Jamahal Hill
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 12-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Glover Teixeira, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Jirí Procházka
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 29-4-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 29-10-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Alex Pereira, July 29, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Aleksandar Rakic
5. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 18-1-1
Last: NC vs. Johnny Walker, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 17-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Yoel Romero, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Corey Anderson
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 17-6, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) vs. Phil Davis, June 16, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Nikita Krylov
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 30-9
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Ryan Spann, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Johnny Walker
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 21-7
Last: NC vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Anthony Smith
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 37-18
Last: W (SD) vs. Ryan Spann, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Dricus du Plessis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Robert Whittaker, July 8, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Sean Strickland
3. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-7
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Jared Cannonier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Israel Adesanya, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Dricus Du Plessis
6. Marvin Vettori
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 17, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Fabian Edwards, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Derek Brunson
Promotion: PFL
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 23-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, March 4, 2023
Next: Nov. 24 vs. Ray Cooper III
10. Brendan Allen
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 22-5
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Bruno Silva, June 24, 2023
Next: Nov. 18 vs. Paul Craig
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, March 18, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Colby Covington
2. Kamaru Usman
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4
Last: L (MD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Yaroslav Amosov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 27-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Logan Storley, Feb. 25, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Jason Jackson
7. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Geoff Neal, March 4, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Stephen Thompson
8. Stephen Thompson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6-1
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Kevin Holland, Dec. 3, 2022
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
9. Geoff Neal
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, March 4, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Belal Muhammad, Oct. 22, 2022
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Kelvin Gastelum
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-9, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, June 10, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4
Last: W (KO2) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5-1
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 10, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Arman Tsarukyan
5. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-8, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) vs. Justin Gaethje, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 23-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Rafael Fiziev, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Rafael Fiziev
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Arman Tsarukyan
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 20-3
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Joaquim Silva, June 17, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Beneil Dariush
9. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Jalin Turner, July 8, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Bobby Green
10. Jalin Turner
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 13-7
Last: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-3
Last: L (KO1) vs. Islam Makhachev, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: Feb. 17 vs. Ilia Topuria
2. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (KO3) vs. Chan Sung Jung, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Patricio Freire
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 35-7
Last: L (KO1) vs. Chihiro Suzuki, July 30, 2023
Next: TBD
5. A.J. McKee
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Roberto de Souza, Dec. 31, 2022
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Sidney Outlaw
6. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Josh Emmett, June 24, 2023
Next: Feb. 17 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Ilia Topuria, June 24, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Giga Chikadze
8. Arnold Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Max Holloway, April 15, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Movsar Evloev
9. Movsar Evloev
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 17-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, May 6, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Arnold Allen
10. Giga Chikadze
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 15-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Caceres, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Josh Emmett
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD in March vs. Marlon Vera
2. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Sean O’Malley, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Petr Yan, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Henry Cejudo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Cory Sandhagen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, March 11, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Patricio Freire, June 16, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Patchy Mix
8. Marlon Vera
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Pedro Munhoz, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD in March vs. Sean O’Malley
9. Patchy Mix
Promotion: Bellator interim champion
Record: 18-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Raufeon Stots, April 22, 2023
Next: Nov. 17 vs. Sergio Pettis
10. Rob Font
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Brandon Moreno, July 8, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Brandon Royval
2. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Demetrious Johnson
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 25-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Adriano Moraes, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3-1
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Brandon Moreno, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: Dec. 2 vs. Rob Font
5. Amir Albazi
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Kai Kara-France, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-11, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Amir Albazi, June 3, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Adriano Moraes
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Demetrious Johnson, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: W (KO1) vs. Matheus Nicolau, April 15, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Alexandre Pantoja
9. Matheus Nicolau
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, April 15, 2023
Next: Jan. 13 vs. Manel Kape
10. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Felipe dos Santos, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: Jan. 13 vs. Matheus Nicolau
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Raquel Pennington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: W (SD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Jan. 14, 2023
Next: Jan. 20 vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
2. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Holly Holm
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, July 15, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Amanda Nunes, June 10, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Karol Rosa
5. Sara McMann
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 14-7
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Leah McCourt, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Norma Dumont
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Chelsea Chandler, July 15, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Pannie Kianzad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, July 22, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Karol Rosa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Yana Santos, July 1, 2023
Next: Dec. 16 vs. Irene Aldana
9. Yana Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Josiane Nunes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Zarah Fairn, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3-1
Last: Split draw vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4-1
Last: Split draw vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Manon Fiorot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Erin Blanchfield
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-7
Last: W (TKO5) vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-12
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Lauren Murphy
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Jan. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Juliana Velasquez
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 12-2
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Liz Carmouche, Dec. 9, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 12-3-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jessica Andrade, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Tatiana Suarez
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 11-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, August 5, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Virna Jandiroba
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, May 6, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 17-3-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 25-12
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Jessica Andrade, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, June 24, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Luana Pinheiro
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, April 8, 2023
Next: Nov. 18 vs. Amanda Ribas
