MMA divisional rankings: Jack Della Maddalena cracks top 5 in stacked welterweight class
Jack Della Maddalena was on the verge of having his 16-fight winning streak halted. Down on two of the three scorecards midway through the final round of his UFC 299 bout with Gilbert Burns last weekend, Della Maddalena was being controlled on the canvas by the elite grappler. Even if he avoided a submission, the Aussie could not afford to finish the round on bottom.
So he found a way out from under Burns, scampered to his feet and, within seconds, earned a spectacular finish. Della Maddalena landed a knee to the face, knocking Burns to the canvas, and finished him with ground-and-pound to keep his run of success alive.
With the victory, Della Maddalena enters the latest Brett Okamoto rankings for ESPN in a big way, jumping all the way into the welterweight top five.
That is the most dramatic movement in these rankings, but far from the only lingering effect from UFC 299. No one has newly taken charge of a weight class, but Sean O’Malley solidified his spot as the No. 1 men’s bantamweight. Maycee Barber elevated her standing among the 125-pound women.
Among those dropping out of the rankings are heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Nikita Krylov, both of whom have been idle for over a year and are ineligible.
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 March 13. 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
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Sergei Pavlovich 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Serghei Spivac, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
4. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jailton Almeida, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 37-10
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tai Tuivasa, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
6. Renan Ferreira
Promotion: PFL champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 13-3, 3 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Ryan Bader, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Serghei Spivac
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 16-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Ciryl Gane, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Jailton Almeida
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Curtis Blaydes, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 5 at light heavyweight
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Bruno Cappelozza, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Tai Tuivasa 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 14-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Alexander Volkov, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: March 16 vs. Marcin Tybura
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 9-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jirí Procházka, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Jamahal Hill
2. Jirí Procházka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-4-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Aleksandar Rakic
3. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1
Last: W (KO2) vs. Johnny Walker, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-10-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Alex Pereira, July 29, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Corey Anderson
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 17-6, 1 NC
Last: W (SD) vs. Phil Davis, June 16, 2023
Next: March 22 vs. Karl Moore
6. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 37-19
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Anthony Smith, Dec. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Johnny Walker
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 21-8
Last: L (KO2) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Jan. 13, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Anthony Smith
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 37-19
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Dec. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Volkan Oezdemir
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 19-7
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Bogdan Guskov, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Ryan Spann
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 21-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Anthony Smith, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Dricus du Plessis
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
3. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Paulo Costa, Feb. 17, 2024
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
Record: 28-6
Last: L (SD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Marvin Vettori
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, June 17, 2023
Next: April 6 vs. Brendan Allen
7. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Impa Kasanganay, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0
Last: W (MD) vs. Kamaru Usman, Oct. 21, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Brendan Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Paul Craig, Nov. 18, 2023
Next: April 6 vs. Marvin Vettori
10. Jack Hermansson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Joe Pyfer, Feb. 10, 2024
Next: TBD
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Colby Covington, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
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. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Stephen Thompson, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Jack Della Maddalena
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 22-7
Last: L (KO3) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Colby Covington
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Jason Jackson
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 18-4
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Ray Cooper III, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 16-1
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Kelvin Gastelum, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Ian Machado Garry
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-0
Last: W (SD) vs. Geoff Neal, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
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: April 13 vs. Arman Tsarukyan
3. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4
Last: W (KO2) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 29, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Max Holloway
4. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 30-8, 1 NC
Last: W (KO2) vs. Benoit Saint Denis, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Arman Tsarukyan
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 21-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Charles Oliveira
6. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
7. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
8. Rafael Fiziev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Jalin Turner, July 8, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Jalin Turner
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bobby Green, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: TBD
MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (KO2) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-7
Last: W (KO3) vs. Chan Sung Jung, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Justin Gaethje
4. Brian Ortega
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Yair Rodriguez, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
5. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Patricio Freire
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 35-7
Last: L (KO1) vs. Chihiro Suzuki, July 30, 2023
Next: March 22 vs. Jeremy Kennedy
7. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
8. Movsar Evloev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Arnold Allen, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Arnold Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Movsar Evloev, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
10. Giga Chikadze
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Caceres, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: TBD
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
2. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Sean O’Malley, Aug. 19, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Calvin Kattar
4. Cory Sandhagen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Aug. 5, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Song Yadong, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
6. Henry Cejudo
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 16-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Patchy Mix
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 19-1
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Sergio Pettis, Nov. 17, 2023
Next: May 17 vs. Magomed Magomedov
8. Marlon Vera
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 23-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Patchy Mix, Nov. 17, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Rob Font, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Cody Garbrandt
MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 27-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Brandon Royval, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
2. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Brandon Moreno, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-2
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD
4. Demetrious Johnson
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 25-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Adriano Moraes, May 5, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Amir Albazi
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
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. Matheus Nicolau
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, April 15, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Felipe dos Santos, Sept. 9, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Muhammad Mokaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-0,1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Perez, March 2, 2024
Next: TBDMarch 2
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Raquel Pennington
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, Jan. 20, 2024
Next: TBD
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: April 13 vs. Kayla Harrison
4. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Dec.16, 2023
Next: TBD
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: April 6 vs. Germaine de Randamie
7. Pannie Kianzad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, July 22, 2023
Next: March 16 vs. Macy Chiasson
8. Karol Rosa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD
9. Yana Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Karol Rosa, July 1, 2023
Next: TBD
10. Miesha Tate
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-9
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Julia Avila, Dec. 2, 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: March 30 vs. Erin Blanchfield
4. Erin Blanchfield
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 26, 2023
Next: March 30 vs. Manon Fiorot
5. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-7
Last: W (TKO5) vs. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, Oct. 7, 2023
Next: April 4 vs. Juliana Velasquez
6. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
7. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 25-12
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Marina Rodriguez
8. Katlyn Cerminara
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Maycee Barber, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 11-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, Sept. 2, 2023
Next: March 23 vs. Amanda Ribas
10. Viviane Araujo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Feb. 3, 2024
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: April 13 vs. Yan Xiaonan
2. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
3. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Jessica Andrade, May 6, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Zhang Weili
4. Tatiana Suarez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, August 5, 2023
Next: TBD
5. Virna Jandiroba
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Marina Rodriguez, May 6, 2023
Next: March 30 vs. Loopy Godínez
6. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3-2
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Sept. 23, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Jessica Andrade
7. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-12
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Nov. 11, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Marina Rodriguez
8. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD
9. Amanda Ribas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-4
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Luana Pinheiro, Nov. 18, 2023
Next: March 23 vs. Rose Namajunas
10. Luana Pinheiro
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Amanda Ribas, Nov. 18, 2023
Next: TBD
