Brett OkamotoOct 21, 2025, 09:00 AM ETCloseBrett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.Follow on X
Reinier de Ridder began Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event looking every bit the part of the higher-ranked middleweight, dominating the early grappling. But after Brendan Allen survived Round 1, he took over the fight and wore down de Ridder, to the point where at the end of both Rounds 3 and 4, de Ridder was barely able to climb off the mat and make it back to his corner. His coach stopped the fight before the fifth round could start.
It was a strong performance by Allen, who wasn’t even supposed to be in this fight. Originally, de Ridder was scheduled to face Anthony Hernandez, but Hernandez withdrew because of injury. Allen was brought in on short notice.
Allen ended up serving notice to the rest of the middleweight division — and shifted the balance of power in the ESPN divisional rankings. He’s now ahead of de Ridder.
The only other weight class with changes in these rankings is heavyweight, because Francis Ngannou has not fought in just over a year and was removed as ineligible. Expect changes in several weight classes next week, with nine ranked fighters scheduled for this coming weekend’s UFC 321.
Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.
Results are current; rankings as of Oct. 21. 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.
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 15-3 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 3 Record: 13-2 Last: W (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Dec. 7, 2024 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Tom Aspinall
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 4 Record: 19-5, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 5 Record: 38-11 Last: L (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, Dec. 7, 2024 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Jailton Almeida
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 6 Record: 20-3 Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Aug. 23 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 7 Record: 22-3 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Serghei Spivac, Jan. 18 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: PFL champion Previous ranking: 8 Record: 13-4, 3 NC Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19, 2024 Next: Dec. 13 vs. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 9 Record: 14-2 Last: L (UD) vs. Sergei Pavlovich, Aug. 23 Next: Nov. 1 vs. Ante Delija
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 10 Record: 17-6 Last: L (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, June 7 Next: Nov. 22 vs. Shamil Gaziev
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: Unranked Record: 29-12, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Tallison Teixeira, July 12 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 1 Record: 21-2-1, 1 NC Last: L (TKO1) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 14-5 Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 26, 2024 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Azamat Murzakanov
Promotion: UFC Record: 20-8 Last: L (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Nov. 23, 2024 Next: Nov. 22 vs. Alonzo Menifield
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 7 Record: 15-2, 1 NC Last: W (Sub4) vs. Roman Dolidze, Aug. 9 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 8 Record: 17-2, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Sept. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 10 Record: 26-7 Last: W (TKO4) vs. Reinier de Ridder, Oct. 18 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 9 Record: 26-9 Last: L (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 18-2 Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, May 10 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC Record: 24-4, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, May 10 Next: Nov. 22 vs. Ian Machado Garry
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-1 Last: W (Sub4) vs. Leon Edwards, March 22 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Michael Morales
Promotion: UFC Record: 22-5, 1 NC Last: L (Sub4) vs. Sean Brady, March 22 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Carlos Prates
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Carlos Prates, April 26 Next: Nov. 22 vs. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC Record: 27-1 Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, Jan. 18 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-6-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Renato Moicano, June 28 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Benoît Saint Denis
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 21-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Oct. 4 Next: Dec. 6 vs. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Marcus McGhee, July 26 Next: Dec. 6 vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-1 Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Jan. 18 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Mario Bautista
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-5 Last: L (TechDec) vs. Song Yadong, Feb. 22 Next: Dec. 6 vs. Payton Talbott
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 30-5 Last: W (Sub3) vs. Kai Kara-France, June 28 Next: Dec. 6 vs. Joshua Van
Promotion: UFC Record: 15-2 Last: W (UD) vs. Brandon Royval, June 28 Next: Dec. 6 vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC Record: 17-1 Last: W (Sub2) vs. HyunSung Park, Aug. 2 Next: Dec. 6 vs. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-7 Last: W (TKO3) vs. Asu Almabayev, March 1 Next: Dec. 13 vs. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC Record: 10-5-1, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius, Feb. 1 Next: Nov. 8 vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 25-4-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Manon Fiorot, May 10 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC Record: 13-2 Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas Nov. 2, 2024 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Tracy Cortez
Promotion: UFC Record: 26-3 Last: W (UD) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Feb. 8 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC Record: 15-5 Last: W (Sub3) vs. Amanda Ribas, Jan. 11 Next: Oct. 25 vs. Virna Jandiroba
CloseBrett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.Follow on X
Heavyweight | Light heavyweight | Middleweight | Welterweight Lightweight | Featherweight | Men’s bantamweight Men’s flyweight | Women’s bantamweight | Women’s flyweight | Strawweight
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 13-3 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 32-5-1 Last: W (KO3) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 14-1 Last: W (KO1) vs. Dominick Reyes, Sept. 27 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 14-7, 1 NC Last: L (KO3) vs. Jirí Procházka, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 15-5 Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Sept. 27 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 12-4, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., June 21 Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL champion Record: 20-6-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov, Oct. 3 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 15-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Aug. 16 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Aug. 16 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 17-4, 1 NC Last: W (US) vs. Caio Borralho, Sept. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 29-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Feb. 8 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 24-5 Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Feb. 1 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 6 Record: 21-3 Last: L (TKO4) vs. Brendan Allen, Oct. 18 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Dec. 7, 2024 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-0 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Gilbert Burns, May 17 Next: Nov. 15 vs. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 17-0 Last: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 36-11, 1 NC Last: W (Sub2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Oct. 11 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 27-8 Last: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 26-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8 Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL champion Record: 20-0, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Paul Hughes, Oct. 3 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: W (TKO3) vs. Michael Chandler, April 12 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 25-4, 1 NC Last: L (Sub2) vs. Charles Oliveira, Oct. 11 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 13-4 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes, June 21 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 27-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, April 12 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Dec. 7, 2024 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 27-7 Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jean Silva, Sept. 13 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-5, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Patricio Pitbull, April 12 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 17-0-1 Last: W (KO1) vs. Aaron Pico, Aug. 16 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 25-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Aug. 23 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-5-1 Last: W (Sub1) vs. Josh Emmett, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 37-8 Last: W (UD) vs. Dan Ige, July 19 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-5, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Aug. 23 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-6 Last: L (Sub1) vs. Youssef Zalal, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-3, 1 NC Last: L (TechSub3) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, June 7 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-6 Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Oct. 4 Next: TBD