Major shifts have occurred in MMA Fighting`s Men`s Pound-for-Pound rankings following significant victories by Jack Della Maddalena and Alexander Volkanovski in recent UFC events.
Jack Della Maddalena made a dramatic entrance into the top 10, landing at the No. 9 spot after dethroning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. Della Maddalena remains undefeated since starting his professional career 0-2 back in 2016, extending his winning streak to 18. Muhammad, previously ranked No. 5, fell significantly to No. 13 after the loss. Della Maddalena`s ascent could continue with a potential future matchup against Islam Makhachev.
Alexander Volkanovski also saw a notable rise, moving from No. 13 to No. 8. He became a two-time featherweight champion with a hard-fought victory over Diego Lopes at UFC 314, claiming the vacant title. This marks his highest ranking in some time. Following his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, many expected Volkanovski to decline, but his impressive performance against Lopes has reaffirmed his status as a top contender and champion.
In other men`s ranking news, former champion Leon Edwards dropped out of the rankings entirely from No. 12 after a clear defeat to Sean Brady. While Brady received votes, he has not yet entered the ranked list. Meanwhile, Jon Jones continues to fall in the rankings, prompting calls for his return to active competition.
The women`s pound-for-pound rankings also saw movement thanks to performances from Natalia Silva and Virna Jandiroba. These Brazilian fighters are building strong cases for potential title opportunities or even super fights against champions like Valentina Shevchenko or Zhang Weili. Silva defeated former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315, soaring 11 spots to tie for No. 5 with Manon Fiorot. Jandiroba secured her fifth consecutive win by beating recent strawweight title challenger Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314, rising seven spots to No. 11.
Recent Results for Ranked Fighters (Previous Ranking Shown):
- Jack Della Maddalena def. No. 5 Belal Muhammad
- No 13 (tied) Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes
- Sean Brady def. No. 12 Leon Edwards
- No. 2 Valentina Shevchenko def. No. 5 Manon Fiorot
- No. 16 Natalia Silva def. No. 3 Alexa Grasso
- No. 18 Virna Jandiroba def. No. 11 Yan Xiaonan
- Jasmine Jasudavicius def. No. 19 Jessica Andrade
- No. 20 Liz Carmouche def. Ilara Joanne
Upcoming Bouts Featuring Ranked Fighters:
- No. 2 Ilia Topuria vs. No. 18 Charles Oliveira (UFC 317, June 28)
- No. 3 Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France (UFC 317, June 28)
- No. 4 Merab Dvalishvili vs. No. 19 Sean O’Malley (UFC 316, June 7)
- No. 5 Dricus du Plessis vs. No. 15 Khamzat Chimaev (UFC 319, Aug. 16)
- No. 12 Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier (UFC 318, July 19)
- No. 4 Kayla Harrison vs. No. 13 Julianna Peña (UFC 316, June 7)
- No. 7 Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber (UFC Vegas 107, May 31)
- No. 8 (tied) Dakota Ditcheva vs. Sumiko Inaba (PFL Africa, July 26)
- No. 14 Rose Namajunas vs. Miranda Maverick (UFC Atlanta, June 14)
- No. 19 Liz Carmouche vs. Elora Dana (PFL 6, June 20)
Fighters Also Receiving Votes (Number of Ballot Appearances Shown):
- Sean Brady (4)
- Movsar Evloev (2)
- Francis Ngannou (2)
- Jiri Prochazka (2)
- Brandon Moreno (1)
- Usman Nurmagomedov (1)
- Maycee Barber (3)
- Jessica Andrade (2)
- Norma Dumont (2)
- Macy Chiasson (1)
- Amanda Lemos (1)
- Gillian Robertson (1)
Falling Out of the Rankings (Previous Ranking Shown):
- No. 12 Leon Edwards
- No. 19 Jessica Andrade