The UFC rankings have shifted! Following the recent UFC Vancouver event, the mixed martial arts world is buzzing with changes. Brendan Allen has stormed into the middleweight Top 5, while Mike Malott is climbing the welterweight ladder. Let's dive into the details!
Last weekend, the UFC updated its official rankings after the Vancouver event held on October 18, 2025. The main event saw a major upset: Brendan Allen defeated Reinier de Ridder, shaking up the 185-pound title picture and taking his place in the Top 5.
Meanwhile, in the welterweight division, Mike Malott has entered the rankings, replacing Kevin Holland. And in the bantamweight division, Aiemann Zahabi continues his ascent after a split decision victory over Marlon Vera.
But how are these rankings even determined? The process involves a voting panel made up of media members who vote for the top fighters in each weight class and pound-for-pound. Fighters must be actively competing in the UFC to be eligible. Champions and interim champions are automatically at the top of their divisions and aren't voted on by weight class, but they are considered for the pound-for-pound rankings.
Here are the latest rankings, courtesy of UFC.com:
MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
- Ilia Topuria
- Islam Makhachev
- Merab Dvalishvili
- Khamzat Chimaev
- Alexandre Pantoja
- Alex Pereira
- Alexander Volkanovski
- Jack Della Maddalena
- Tom Aspinall
- Dricus Du Plessis
- Magomed Ankalaev
- Max Holloway
- Belal Muhammad
- Arman Tsarukyan
- Charles Oliveira
FLYWEIGHT
Champion: Alexandre Pantoja
- Joshua Van
- Brandon Moreno
- Brandon Royval
- Amir Albazi
- Tatsuro Taira
- Kai Kara France
- Manel Kape
- Alex Perez
- Asu Almabayev
- Tim Elliott
- Steve Erceg
- Tagir Ulanbekov
- Charles Johnson
- Bruno Silva
- Rafael Estevam
BANTAMWEIGHT
Champion: Merab Dvalishvili
- Sean O’Malley
- (T) Umar Nurmagomedov
- (T) Petr Yan
- Cory Sandhagen
- Song Yadong
- Deiveson Figueiredo
- Aiemann Zahabi +2
- Marlon Vera -1
- Mario Bautista -1
- Henry Cejudo
- David Martinez
- Rob Font +1
- Vinicius Oliveira -1
- Kyler Phillips
- Marcus McGhee
FEATHERWEIGHT
Champion: Alexander Volkanovski
- Movsar Evloev
- Diego Lopes
- Yair Rodriguez
- Lerone Murphy
- Aljamain Sterling
- Arnold Allen
- Youssef Zalal
- Brian Ortega
- Josh Emmett
- Jean Silva
- Patricio Pitbull
- Steve Garcia
- David Onama
- Dan Ige
- Giga Chikadze
LIGHTWEIGHT
Champion: Ilia Topuria
- Islam Makhachev
- Arman Tsarukyan
- Charles Oliveira
- Max Holloway
- Justin Gaethje
- Paddy Pimblett
- Dan Hooker
- Mateusz Gamrot
- Beneil Dariush
- Rafael Fiziev
- Renato Moicano
- Michael Chandler
- Benoit Saint Denis
- Grant Dawson
- Joel Alvarez
WELTERWEIGHT
Champion: Jack Della Maddalena
- Belal Muhammed
- Sean Brady
- Shavkat Rakhmonov
- Leon Edwards
- Kamaru Usman
- Ian Machado Garry
- Joaquin Buckley
- Michael Morales
- Carlos Prates
- Colby Covington
- Gilbert Burns
- Geoff Neal
- Gabriel Bonfim
- Daniel Rodriguez
- Mike Malott *NR
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Champion: Khamzat Chimaev
- Dricus Du Plessis
- Nassourdine Imavov
- Sean Strickland
- Anthony Hernandez +2
- Brendan Allen +4
- Israel Adesanya -1
- Caio Borralho
- Reinier De Ridder -4
- Robert Whittaker -1
- (T) Michael Page
- (T) Jared Cannonier +1
- Roman Dolidze
- Paulo Costa
- Marvin Vettori
- Joe Pyfer *NR
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Champion: Alex Pereira
- (T) Magomed Ankalaev
- (T) Jiri Prochazka
- Carlos Ulberg
- Jan Blachowicz
- Khalil Rountree
- Jamahal Hill
- Aleksandar Rakic
- Dominick Reyes
- Volkan Oezdemir
- Azamat Murzakanov
- Bogdan Guskov
- Johnny Walker
- Nikita Krylov
- Alonzo Menifield
- Zhang Mingyang
HEAVYWEIGHT
Champion: Tom Aspinall
- Ciryl Gane
- Alexander Volkov
- Sergei Pavlovich
- Curtis Blaydes
- Jailton Almeida
- Waldo Cortes Acosta
- Serghei Spivac
- Derrick Lewis
- Marcin Tybura
- Ante Delija
- Tai Tuivasa
- Shamil Gaziev
- Mick Parkin
- Tallison Teixeira
- Valter Walker
WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
- Valentina Shevchenko
- Zhang Weili
- Kayla Harrison
- Manon Fiorot
- Julianna Pena
- Natalia Silva
- Alexa Grasso
- Erin Blanchfield
- Virna Jandiroba
- Raquel Pennington
- Tatiana Suarez
- Rose Namajunas
- Yan Xiaonan
- Maycee Barber
- Amanda Lemos
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT
Champion: Zhang Weili
- (T) Virna Jandiroba
- (T) Tatiana Suarez
- Yan Xiaonan
- Amanda Lemos
- Mackenzie Dern
- Loopy Godinez
- Iasmin Lucindo
- Tabatha Ricci
- Jessica Andrade
- Gillian Robertson
- Amanda Ribas
- Angela Hill
- Tecia Pennington
- Alexia Thainara
- Denise Gomes
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT
Champion: Valentina Shevchenko
- Manon Fiorot +1
- Natalia Silva -1
- Alexa Grasso
- Erin Blanchfield
- Maycee Barber +1
- Rose Namajunas +1
- Jasmine Jasudavicius -2
- Tracy Cortez
- Karine Silva
- Miranda Maverick
- Casey O’Neill
- Wang Cong
- Eduarda Moura
- JJ Aldrich
- Gabriella Fernandes
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT
Champion: Kayla Harrison
- Julianna Pena
- Raquel Pennington
- Ketlen Vieira
- Norma Dumont
- Yana Santos
- Irene Aldana
- Macy Chiasson
- Ailin Perez
- Karol Rosa
- Mayra Bueno Silva
- Jacqueline Cavalcanti
- Nora Cornolle
- Miesha Tate
- Joselyne Edwards
- Luana Santos
Looking ahead: Expect more shake-ups in the heavyweight division, especially after the upcoming UFC 321: “Aspinall vs. Gane” pay-per-view event on October 25, 2025, in Abu Dhabi.
What do you think of these ranking changes? Do you agree with the new placements, or do you have different opinions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
