Brett OkamotoDec 16, 2025, 08:00 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
Manel Kape earns impressive TKO win in main event (0:53)Manel Kape defeats Brandon Royval in the first round with a TKO in the main event of UFC Fight Night. (0:53)
The final UFC event of the year was capped by a first-round knockout by Manel Kape against former title challenger Brandon Royval. The win shot Kape up the flyweight rankings and squarely into the championship picture.
In the only other bout this past weekend featuring a fighter ranked by ESPN, Renan Ferreira lost his PFL heavyweight championship opportunity and his spot in the rankings to Vadim Nemkov, who ended the PFL Lyon main event in the first round with an arm triangle.
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 Dec. 9. 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 Record: 16-2 Last: W (KO1) vs. Shamil Gaziev, Nov. 22 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Derrick Lewis
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: NR Record: 20-2, Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Dec. 13 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 17-6 Last: L (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, June 7 Next: Jan. 31 vs. Ante Delija
Promotion: UFC Record: 29-12, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Tallison Teixeira, July 12 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 1 Record: 21-2-1, 1 NC Last: L (TKO1) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 29-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Feb. 8 Next: Feb. 21 vs. Anthony Hernandez
Promotion: UFC Record: 15-2, 1 NC Last: W (Sub4) vs. Roman Dolidze, Aug. 9 Next: Feb. 21 vs. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC Record: 36-11, 1 NC Last: W (Sub2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Oct. 11 Next: March 7 vs. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC Record: 27-8 Last: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19 Next: March 7 vs. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC Record: 26-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Paddy Pimblett
Promotion: PFL champion Record: 20-0, 1 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Paul Hughes, Oct. 3 Next: Feb. 7 vs. Alfie Davis
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: W (TKO3) vs. Michael Chandler, April 12 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC Record: 13-4 NC Last: W (UD) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes, June 21 Next: Jan. 31 vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-3, 1 NC Last: W (KO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, Nov. 15 Next: Feb. 1 vs. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 27-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, April 12 Next: Jan. 31 vs. Diego Lopes
Promotion: UFC Record: 27-7 Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jean Silva, Sept. 13 Next: Jan. 31 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-3, 1 NC Last: L (TechSub3) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, June 7 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Song Yadong
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 25 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC Record: 22-7-1, 1 NC Last: W (TechDec) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 22 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Sean O’Malley
Promotion: UFC Record: 25-5-1 Last: W (SD) vs. Montel Jackson, Oct. 11 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 4 Record: 23-9-2 Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Dec. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 6 Record: 25-12, 1 NC Last: L (Sub3) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, June 28 Next: TBD
Promotion: Brave CF champion Previous ranking: 7 Record: 15-0, 1 NC Last: W (TKO2) vs. Gerard Burns, Nov. 7 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 19-1 Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Julianna Peña, June 7 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Amanda Nunes
Promotion: PFL Record: 15-0 Last: W (UD) vs. Sumiko Inaba, July 19 Next: Feb. 7 vs. Denise Kielholtz
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-5-1 Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, May 10 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC Record: 15-7 Last: W (UD) vs. Miranda Maverick, June 14 Next: Jan. 24 vs. Alexa Grasso
Manel Kape earns impressive TKO win in main event (0:53)Manel Kape defeats Brandon Royval in the first round with a TKO in the main event of UFC Fight Night. (0:53)
Manel Kape defeats Brandon Royval in the first round with a TKO in the main event of UFC Fight Night. (0:53)
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: 15-3, 1 NC Last: NC1 vs. Ciryl Gane, Oct. 25 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 13-2, 1 NC Last: NC1 vs. Tom Aspinall, Oct.25 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-5, 1 NC Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 39-11 Last: W (SD) vs. Jailton Almeida, Oct. 25 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 20-3 Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Aug. 23 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 22-4 Last: L (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Oct. 25 Next: TBD
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: 16-0 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Aleksandar Rakić, Oct. 25 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 15-5 Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Sept. 27 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 14-6 Last: L (TKO1) vs. Azamat Murzakanov, Oct. 25 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: 24-5 Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Feb. 1 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 17-2, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Sept. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 26-7 Last: W (TKO4) vs. Reinier de Ridder, Oct. 18 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-3 Last: L (TKO4) vs. Brendan Allen, Oct. 18 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 26-9 Last: L (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 28-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Nov. 15 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Islam Makhachev, Nov. 15 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 17-1 Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, Nov. 22 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-0 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sean Brady, Nov. 15 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 24-5, 1 NC Last: L (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Nov. 22 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-4 Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-2 Last: L (TKO1) vs. Michael Morales, Nov. 15 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-7 Last: W (KO1) vs. Leon Edwards, Nov. 15 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-7 Last: L (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 19-1 Last: W (TKO2) vs. Randy Brown, Nov. 8 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 17-0 Last: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-3 Last: W (Sub2) vs. Dan Hooker, Nov. 22 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 25-4, 1 NC Last: L (Sub2) vs. Charles Oliveira, Oct. 11 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: 19-5 Last: W (TKO1) vs. David Onama, Nov. 1 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 20-5 Last: W (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Dec. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 21-5 Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Dec. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 18-6 Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Oct. 4 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 16-3 Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Oct. 25 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 23-11-1 Last: L (SD) vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Oct. 18 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 14-2 Last: W (SD) vs. Marlon Vera, Oct. 18 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion Record: 16-2 Last: W (TKO1) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Record: 30-6 Last: L (TKO1) vs. Joshua Van, Dec. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 4 Record: 18-1 Last: W (TKO2) vs. Brandon Moreno, Dec. 6 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 8 Record: 22-7 Last: W (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, Dec. 13 Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC Previous ranking: 3 Record: 17-9 Last: L (KO1) vs. Manel Kape, Dec. 13 Next: TBD