Fightful MMA Rankings (8/2/23): Justin Gaethje Enters Men’s P4P Ranks Following UFC 291
Welcome to Fightful MMA‘s weekly fighter rankings as of (8/2/23)!
This past weekend, interim UFC Lightweight Champion, Justin Gaethje shook up the rankings at 155-pounds when he head kick KO’d Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 291.
Following his highlight knockout to become the new BMF Champion, how much did ‘The Highlight’ climb the ranks in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings? Lets find out!
Men’s Pound-for-Pound
- Alexander Volkanovski (26-2) — UFC Featherweight Champion
- Jon Jones (27-1) — UFC Heavyweight Champion
- Islam Makhachev (24-1) — UFC Lightweight Champion
- Israel Adesanya (24-2) — UFC Middleweight Champion
- Leon Edwards (21-3) — UFC Welterweight Champion
- Aljamain Sterling (23-3) — UFC Bantamweight Champion
- Charles Oliveira (34-9)
- Alexandre Pantoja (26-5) — UFC Flyweight Champion
- Jiri Prochazka (29-3-1)
- Kamaru Usman (20-3)
- Alex Pereira (8-2)
- Max Holloway (24-7)
- Justin Gaethje (25-4) — UFC BMF Champion (Not Ranked)
- Vadim Nemkov (17-2) — Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion
- Khamzat Chimaev (12-0)
***Jamahal Hill removed from rankings due to injury and vacating title.***
Women’s Pound-for-Pound
- Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino (26-2) — Bellator Featherweight Champion
- Alexa Grasso (16-3) — UFC Flyweight Champion
- Weili Zhang (23-3) — UFC Strawweight Champion
- Valentina Shevchenko (23-4)
- Julianna Pena (11-5)
- Larissa Pacheco (21-4)
- Carla Esparza (19-7)
- Rose Namajunas (12-5)
- Erin Blanchfield (11-1)
- Jessica Andrade (24-11)
- Taila Santos (19-2)
- Manon Fiorot (10-1)
- Amanda Lemos (13-2-1)
- Tatiana Suarez (10-0)
- Mayra Bueno Silva (11-2-1)
Heavyweight
- Jon Jones (27-1) — UFC Heavyweight Champion
- Sergei Pavlovich (18-1)
- Ciryl Gane (11-2)
- Curtis Blaydes (17-4)
- Tom Aspinall (13-3)
- Ryan Bader (31-7) — Bellator Heavyweight Champion
- Serghei Spivak (16-3)
- Jailton Almeida (19-2)
- Alexander Volkov (36-10)
- Marcin Tybura (24-8)
- Tai Tuivasa (14-5)
- Linton Vassell (23-8)
- Alexandr Romanov (16-2)
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik (13-5)
- Derrick Lewis (27-11) (Not Ranked)
***Philip de Fries drops out of rankings.***
Light Heavyweight
- Jiri Prochazka (29-3-1)
- Vadim Nemkov (16-2) — Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion
- Alex Pereira (8-2) (Previously Not Ranked at Light Heavyweight)
- Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1) (-1)
- Magomed Ankalaev (16-1-1)
- Aleksandar Rakic (14-3)
- Corey Anderson (17-6)
- Nikita Krylov (30-9)
- Johnny Walker (21-7)
- Phil Davis (24-7)
- Rob Wilkinson (18-2) — PFL Light Heavyweight Champion
- Ryan Spann (21-8)
- Phil Davis (24-7)
- Khalil Rountree (11-5)
- Azamat Murzakanov (13-0)
***Jamahal Hill removed from rankings due to injury and vacating title.***
Middleweight
- Israel Adesanya (24-2) — UFC Middleweight Champion
- Dricus du Plessis (19-2)
- Robert Whittaker (24-6)
- Jared Cannonier (17-6)
- Johnny Eblen (13-0) — Bellator Middleweight Champion
- Marvin Vettori (19-7-1)
- Sean Strickland (26-5)
- Paulo Costa (14-2)
- Fabian Edwards (13-2)
- Roman Dolidze (12-2)
- Jack Hermansson (23-8)
- Kelvin Gastelum (17-8)
- Nassourdine Imavov (12-4)
- Paul Craig (17-6-1) (Not Ranked)
- Chris Curtis (30-10) (-1)
***Alex Pereira removed from rankings due to moving to Light Heavyweight.***
Welterweight
- Leon Edwards (21-3) — UFC Welterweight Champion
- Kamaru Usman (20-3)
- Khamzat Chimaev (12-0)
- Belal Muhammad (23-3)
- Yaroslav Amosov (27-0) — Bellator Welterweight Champion
- Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0)
- Stephen Thompson (17-6-1)
- Geoff Neal (15-5)
- Sean Brady (15-1)
- Rafael dos Anjos (32-14)
- Logan Storley (13-2)
- Vicente Luque (21-9-1)
- Michael Page (21-2)
- Neil Magny (28-10)
- Ian Garry (12-0)
Lightweight
- Islam Makhachev (24-1) — UFC Lightweight Champion
- Charles Oliveira (34-9)
- Justin Gaethje (25-4) (+1)
- Dustin Poirier (29-8) (-1)
- Usman Nurmagomedov (17-0) — Bellator Lightweight Champion
- Beneil Dariush (22-5-1)
- Rafael Fiziev (12-2)
- Michael Chandler (23-8)
- A.J. McKee (20-1)
- Mateusz Gamrot (22-2)
- Arman Tsarukyan (20-3)
- Damir Ismagulov (24-2)
- Grant Dawson (19-1-1)
- Diego Ferreira (18-5)
- Joel Alvarez (19-3)
Featherweight
- Alexander Volkanovski (26-2) — UFC Featherweight Champion
- Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire (35-6) — Bellator Featherweight Champion
- Max Holloway (24-7)
- Yair Rodriguez (15-4)
- Ilia Topuria (14-0)
- Arnold Allen (19-2)
- Movsar Evloev (17-0)
- Josh Emmett (18-4)
- Brian Ortega (15-3)
- Calvin Kattar (23-7)
- Chang Sung Jung ‘Korean Zombie’ (17-7)
- Giga Chikadze (14-3)
- Bryce Mitchell (15-1)
- Movlid Khaybulaev (21-0-1) — PFL Featherweight Champion
- Dan Ige (17-6)
Bantamweight
- Aljamain Sterling (23-3) — UFC Bantamweight Champion
- Merab Dvalishvili (16-4)
- Sergio Pettis (23-5) — Bellator Bantamweight Champion
- Henry Cejudo (16-3)
- Sean O’Malley (16-1)
- Petr Yan (16-5)
- Corey Sandhagen (16-4)
- Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera (20-8-1)
- Patrick ‘Patchy’ Mix (18-1) — Interim Bellator Bantamweight Champion
- Rob Font (20-6)
- Song Yadong (19-5-1)
- Dominick Cruz (24-4)
- Raufeon Stots (19-2)
- Ricky Simon (20-4)
- Umar Nurmagomedov (16-0)
Flyweight
- Demetrious Johnson (32-4-1) — ONE Flyweight Champion
- Alexandre Pantoja (26-5) — UFC Flyweight Champion
- Brandon Moreno (21-7-2)
- Deiveson Figueiredo (21-3-1)
- Amir Albazi (17-1)
- Kai Kara-France (24-11)
- Brandon Royval (15-6)
- Matheus Nicolau (19-3-1)
- Manel Kape (18-6)
- Adriano Moraes (20-5)
- Muhammad Mokaev (10-0)
- Alex Perez (24-7)
- Tim Elliott (19-12-1)
- Matt Schnell (16-8)
- Azamat Kerefov (16-0) — ACA Flyweight Champion
Women’s Featherweight
- Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino (26-4) — Bellator Featherweight Champion
- Larissa Pacheco (21-4) — PFL Featherweight Champion
- Kayla Harrison (15-1)
- Macy Chiasson (8-3)
- Norma Dumont (9-2)
- Cat Zingano (14-4)
- Sara McMann (14-6)
- Aspen Ladd (11-4)
- Julia Budd (17-6)
- Olena Kolesnyk (9-5)
- Sinead Kavanagh (9-5)
- Genah Fabian (5-3)
- Arlene Blencowe (15-10)
- Karol Rosa (16-5)
- Leah McCourt (7-3)
Women’s Bantamweight
- Julianna Pena (11-5)
- Ketlen Vieira (14-3) (+1)
- Raquel Pennington (15-8) (-1)
- Mayra Bueno Silva (11-2-1)
- Irene Aldana (14-7)
- Holly Holm (15-7) (+1)
- Pannie Kianzad (17-7) (-1)
- Macy Chiasson (8-3)
- Talita Bernardo (9-4) — Invicta Bantamweight Champion
- Josiane Nunes (10-1)
- Irina Alekseeva (5-1)
- Taneisha Tennant (5-1)
- Tainara Lisboa (6-2)
- Chelsea Chandler (5-1)
- Stephanie Egger (8-4)
Women’s Flyweight
- Alexa Grasso (16-3) — UFC Flyweight Champion
- Valentina Shevchenko (23-4)
- Erin Blanchfield (11-1)
- Manon Fiorot (10-1)
- Liz Carmouche (19-7) — Bellator Flyweight Champion
- Taila Santos (19-2)
- Tatiana Suarez (9-0)
- Katlyn Chookagian (18-5)
- Jennifer Maia (21-9-1)
- Maycee Barber (13-2)
- Tracy Cortez (10-1)
- Lauren Murphy (15-6)
- Amanda Ribas (12-4)
- Juliana Velasquez (12-2)
- Joanne Wood (16-8)
Women’s Strawweight
- Weili Zhang (23-3) — UFC Strawweight Champion
- Carla Esparza (19-7)
- Rose Namajunas (11-5)
- Yan Xiaonan (15-3)
- Virna Jandiroba (19-3)
- Amanda Lemos (13-2-1)
- Jessica Andrade (24-11)
- Marina Rodriguez (16-3-2)
- MacKenzie Dern (13-3)
- Luana Pinheiro (11-1)
- Tabatha Ricci (9-1)
- Angela Hill (15-13)
- Lupita ‘Loopy’ Godinez (10-3)
- Karolina Kowalkiewicz (15-7)
- Michelle Waterson (18-11)
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