Since the last update to the ESPN divisional rankings, Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski solidified their positions with victories at UFC 276. Both both fighters already were No. 1 in their respective top 10s, though, so there was nowhere for them to rise.
Then there’s Alex Pereira. He also fought on the same July 2 card in Las Vegas. It was just the seventh fight of his MMA career, and he made the most of it, knocking out top-10 middleweight Sean Strickland in less than three minutes. As a result, Pereira has found himself in the ESPN rankings.
Pereira is relatively new to MMA, but he’s no combat sports novice. The 34-year-old Brazilian is a former kickboxing world champion who reigned at both middleweight and light heavyweight in the Glory promotion. He has 40 kickboxing bouts on his resume, including two victories over Adesanya prior to “The Last Stylebender” switching to MMA and becoming a UFC champion. One of Pereira’s wins over Adesanya was by knockout.
Now that Pereira is a top-10 MMA fighter, he appears headed toward another matchup with Adesanya, this time in 4-ounce gloves.
Pereira comes in at No. 7 among middleweights, and right behind him at No. 8 is another rankings newcomer, Bellator champion Johnny Eblen, who dethroned Gegard Mousasi last month.
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 June 16.
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. Francis Ngannou 
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: L (UD) Francis Ngannou, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Tai Tuivasa
3. Stipe Miocic
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
4. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Chris Daukaus, March 26, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Tom Aspinall
5. Tai Tuivasa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Ciryl Gane
6. Tom Aspinall
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (Sub1) Alexander Volkov, March 19, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Curtis Blaydes
7. Derrick Lewis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Tai Tuivasa, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Sergei Pavlovich
8. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10
Last: W (TKO1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, June 4, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Ryan Bader
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 30-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Cheick Kongo, May 6, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Jairzinho Rozenstruik 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-4
Last: L (TKO1) Alexander Volkov, June 4, 2022
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Jiri Prochazka
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-3-1
Last: W (Sub5) Glover Teixeira, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Glover Teixeira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8
Last: L (Sub5) Jiri Prochazka, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Jan Blachowicz
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-9
Last: W (TKO3) Aleksandar Rakic, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Corey Anderson
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Vadim Nemkov, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Vadim Nemkov
5. Aleksandar Rakic
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (TKO3) Jan Blachowicz, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Vadim Nemkov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Corey Anderson, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Corey Anderson
7. Anthony Smith
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-16
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Magomed Ankalaev
8. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) Thiago Silva, March 12, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Anthony Smith
9. Thiago Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-10
Last: L (UD) Magomed Ankalaev, March 12, 2022
Next: Aug. 6 vs. Jamahal Hill
10. Dominick Reyes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Jared Cannonier, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Marvin Vettori
3. Marvin Vettori
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Robert Whittaker
4. Jared Cannonier 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 15-5
Last: W (KO2) Derek Brunson, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: July 2 vs. Israel Adesanya
5. Paulo Costa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: L (UD) Marvin Vettori, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Luke Rockhold
6. Derek Brunson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (KO2) Jared Cannonier, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 6-1
Last: W (KO1) Sean Strickland, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-0
Last: W (UD) Gegard Mousasi, June 24, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 25-4
Last: L (KO1) Alex Pereira, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Gegard Mousasi
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 49-8-2
Last: L (UD) Johnny Eblen, June 24, 2022
Next: TBD
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Kamaru Usman
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: Aug. 20 vs. Leon Edwards
2. Colby Covington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (UD) Gilbert Burns, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Nate Diaz, June 12, 2021
Next: Aug. 20 vs. Kamaru Usman
5. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Vicente Luque, April 16, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Vicente Luque
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, April 16, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Yaroslav Amosov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD
9. Stephen Thompson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
10. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) Justin Gaethje, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
3. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (Sub1) Charles Oliveira, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1
Last: W (TKO1) Bobby Green, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Beneil Dariush
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Michael Chandler
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: W (KO2) Tony Ferguson, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Rafael dos Anjos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-14
Last: W (UD) Renato Moicano, March 5, 2022
Next: July 9 vs. Rafael Fiziev
8. Rafael Fiziev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: July 9 vs. Rafael dos Anjos
9. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 21-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Arman Tsarukyan, June 25, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Arman Tsarukyan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) Mateusz Gamrot, June 25, 2022
Next: TBD
MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-1
Last: W (UD) Max Holloway, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Patricio Freire
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 33-5
Last: W (UD) A.J. McKee, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Brian Ortega
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: July 16 vs. Yair Rodriguez
5. A.J. McKee
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) Patricio Freire, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Josh Emmett
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 18-2
Last: W (SD) Calvin Kattar, June 18, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Arnold Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Calvin Kattar
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 23-6
Last: L (SD) Josh Emmett, June 18, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: July 16 vs. Brian Ortega
10. Giga Chikadze
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next: Sept. 10 vs. TJ Dillashaw
2. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
3. TJ Dillashaw
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: Sept. 10 vs. Aljamain Sterling
4. Jose Aldo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-7
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: Aug. 20 vs. Merab Dvalishvili
5. Cory Sandhagen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: Sept. 17 vs. Song Yadong
6. Marlon Vera
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7-1
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, April 30, 2022
Next: Aug. 13 vs. Dominick Cruz
7. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: W (TKO2) Marlon Moraes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: Aug. 20 vs. Jose Aldo
8. Sergio Pettis
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (KO4) Kyoji Horiguchi, Dec. 3, 2021
Next: TBD
9. Rob Font
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: L (UD) Marlon Vera, April 30, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Dominick Cruz
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: Aug. 13 vs. Marlon Vera
MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6-2
Last: L (UD) Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Kai Kara-France
3. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-9, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Askar Askarov, March 26, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Brandon Moreno
4. Adriano Moraes
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 20-3
Last: W (Sub3) Yuya Wakamatsu, March 26, 2022
Next: Aug. 26 vs. Demetrious Johnson
5. Demetrious Johnson
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (Sub2) Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules), March 26, 2022
Next: Aug. 26 vs. Adriano Moraes
6. Askar Askarov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: W (Sub1) Matt Schnell, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Alex Perez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: July 30 vs. Alexandre Pantoja
9. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Alex Perez
10. Rogerio Bontorin
Promotion: Unsigned
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Julianna Peña
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (Sub2) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Amanda Nunes
2. Amanda Nunes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (Sub2) Julianna Peña, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Julianna Peña
3. Holly Holm
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (SD) Ketlen Vieira, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Raquel Pennington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8
Last: W (UD) Aspen Ladd, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) Holly Holm, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Yana Kunitskaya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
8. Aspen Ladd
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-3
Last: L (UD) Raquel Pennington, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Sara McMann
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Macy Chiasson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-2
Last: W (SD) Norma Dumont, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-3
Last: W (SD) Taila Santos, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Katlyn Chookagian
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: W (SD) Amanda Ribas, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: W (Sub1) Amanda Lemos, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Lauren Murphy
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (TKO4) Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: July 16 vs. Miesha Tate
5. Taila Santos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: L (SD) Valentina Shevchenko, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: Bellator champ
Record: 17-7
Last: W (TKO4) Juliana Velasquez, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Manon Fiorot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-1
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Viviane Araujo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-13
Last: W (UD) Andrea Lee, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Juliana Velasquez
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 12-1
Last: L (TKO4) Liz Carmouche, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Carla Esparza
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-6
Last: W (SD) Rose Namajunas, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-5
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-2
Last: W (KO2) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1-2
Last: W (SD) Yan Xiaonan, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Marina Rodriguez, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (SD) Tecia Torres, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Tecia Torres
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Amanda Ribas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-3
Last: L (SD) Katlyn Chookagian, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2-1
Last: L (Sub1) Jessica Andrade, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Michelle Waterson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-9
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD
