The 2024 calendar year has been a great one for the UFC. UFC 300 was set up to be one of the best MMA pay-per-views ever, and it lived up to the hype. Other cards, including UFC 299, were among the most stacked fight cards in UFC history.
Legendary knockouts, massive upsets, and impressive title fights have all been on the docket this year in the UFC, so hype of the sport is at the highest it has been since Conor McGregor's prime. McGregor himself is even set to make his much anticipated return to the octagon (after pulling out of UFC 303 because of injury) at the end of the year.
Part of the reason for UFC's popularity right now is the depth of star talent across the entire roster. As always, there are dominant champions setting records while holding onto their belts, but there has also been an influx of new talent in recent years. It has made discussions surrounding pound-for-pound rankings commonplace in the MMA community as of late.
Of course, all this talent isn't evenly spread throughout the UFC. Some weight classes are better than others. In this article, we plan to end some of the UFC dialogue for good by ranking each one of the UFC weight classes right now.
Competitiveness and depth of the division, the entertainment factor that the division brings to the sport, and star talent at the top of the rankings are all factors that we considered for this list. With that said, check out the gallery here to see each UFC weight division, ranked from first to 11th, including both the male and female side of things.
1. Featherweight
Featherweight has been one of the best weight classes in the UFC since the start because it has always had dominant champions. Heading into the year, only four fighters had ever held the undisputed title as a featherweight. Jose Aldo, Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, and Alexander Volkanovski are all legends and have carried the weight class for years.
In 2024, the division took that next step to catapult into the best in the company. A new champion was crowned, and Ilia Topuria looks like he can be just as dominant as the featherweights who came before him. Additionally, the weight class proved it has more than just a dominant fighter holding the belt. Topuria knocked off Volkanovski as champion after he held over five title defenses since 2019.
Additionally, Max Holloway once again had a masterclass of a fight in 2024. The UFC's all-time significant strikes leader landed a knockout over Justin Gaethje at the final second before the buzzer of their UFC 303 bout that will go down as one of the best KOs of all time. Between Topuria (pound-for-pound ranked four), Volkanovski (eight), and Holloway (10), featherweight has a big three consisting of three pound-for-pound greats and three fighters who already are or are on the trajectory for legend status.
After the big three, Brian Ortega (featherweight rank four) reminded fans that he is one of the best submission artists in the company (although a move up to lightweight might be inevitable), and Josh Emmett (seven) ended 2023 with a knockout over fan-favorite Bryce Mitchell (12) that was one of the best KOs in recent memory.
Aljamain Sterling (eight) made the jump up to featherweight after losing his Bantamweight Championship at UFC 292, and Dan Ige (14) and Diego Lopes (12) had a fight for the ages when Ige took their UFC 303 fight on only hours of notice. All of that talent at featherweight goes without even mentioning big-name 145ers, including Yair Rodriguez, Arnold Allen, Calvin Kattar, Giga Chikadze, and Movsar Evloev, the latter of whom is 18-0.
Many fans think Topuria is the most talented fighter in the UFC and will have a long title defense. He certainly has plenty of competition to give him a run for his money, though.
2. Middleweight
Middleweight is the only other men's weight class in addition to featherweight that has three fighters in the pound-for-pound rankings. Dricus du Plessis narrowly edged out Sean Strickland to become Middleweight Champion at UFC 297. Now, he is set to defend his title for the first time at UFC's next PPV event, UFC 305.
There, du Plessis will take on fellow African-born fighter and UFC legend Israel Adesanya. The two have had a feud for years, and they are sure to deliver with a classic performance on Aug. 17, 2024. Adesanya is a precise striker and former supreme champion who could most definitely go on another long title run.
Adesanya lost his belt in one of the biggest upsets ever to Strickland. Since then, Strickland has become an UFC superstar. His loud mouth gets him a lot of attention, but so does his unique fighting style. Strickland has a stellar Philly Shell defensive technique, and he is also great at defending leg kicks. Offensively, he is always pushing forward and remains aggressive with jabs throughout entire fights.
Those three fighters are great, but fans shouldn't forget about Robert Whittaker, either. Bobby Knuckles is arguably the best third-ranked contender in any division, considering he is a former champion and is still knocking off fellow contenders left and right.
Amazingly, we haven't even gotten to Khamzat Chimaev yet. The fighter nicknamed Borz has lost some of his hype recently due to the frequency that he has had to pull out of fights due to injury/health, but Chimaev was once looked at as the future face of the UFC. Chimaev is so talented that no one would doubt that he could get back on track and establish his case as one of the biggest stars in combat sports.
Most of the other contenders have been bested at one point or another by those five fighters, but Nassourdine Imavov, Jared Cannonier, Marvin Vettori, Paulo Costa, Jack Hermansson, and Michel Pereira have all made a name for themselves as middleweights. Pereira, in particular, is one of the most entertaining fighters in the UFC. He is a walking highlight reel who utilizes bizarre combinations and risky moves that few would dare to even consider.
Bo Nickal even fights at 185 pounds. Although he is currently unranked, the former college champion wrestler is considered by many to be the best prospect in the UFC.
3. Bantamweight
While most would argue that Alex Pereira is the biggest active star in the UFC, the Bantamweight Champion, Suga Sean O'Malley, certainly has a case. O'Malley has unmatched striking and a distinct look, making him a true face of the company. O'Malley has his toughest opponent ahead of him, though.
Merab Dvalishvili isn't a great stylistic matchup for the champion, and the two will fight at UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche. The bout will take place in The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it is set up to be one of the biggest UFC events ever. The last time Dvalishvili fought, he used his incredible gas tank and superb wrestling to manhandle Henry Cejudo, the current number six ranked bantamweight and one of only four fighters to ever hold two championship belts simultaneously.
Cejudo isn't the only former legend who is still adding to his resume. Jose Aldo came out of retirement and now fights as a bantamweight, and he is ranked ninth in his new weight class. Even Dominick Cruz – the inaugural Bantamweight Champion – is still ranked 13th in his weight class.
Deiveson Figueiredo is another fighter who recently joined the bantamweight ranks, although he was formerly fighting at 125 pounds. Figueiredo was the Flyweight Champion for 692 total days between his two reigns as champion. Now, Figueiredo already has three bantamweight wins under his belt.
Umar Nurmagomedov just shot up the bantamweight rankings from the 10 spot to the number two ranked contender. The cousin of arguable UFC GOAT Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar is 18-0, making him undefeated like his cousin-turned-coach. Nurmagomedov's recent victory came over Cory Sandhagen, but that 135-pounder is still a threat to the rest of the division's contenders despite his recent defeat.
Ranked number three, Petr Yan is directly in between Nurmagomedov and Sandhagen, but he is one of the most dangerous men on the planet. Yan's loss to O'Malley back at UFC 280 was controversial, backing up the fact that he is a championship-level fighter (he is a former undisputed and interim belt holder at 135 pounds). Yan is one of the few fighters whose wrestling and striking ability are equal.
4. Welterweight
The welterweight landscape just surprisingly changed in a massive way. Prior to UFC 304, Leon Edwards hadn't lost since 2015, and he twice bested Kamaru Usman, the man Dana White himself claims to be the best welterweight ever (although that is up for debate). Edwards, though, lost his recent bout to Belal Muhammad, giving the UFC one of its most unexpected champions ever.
In Muhammad's defense, he hasn't lost any of his last 11 fights, so he is more than worthy of the title of Welterweight Champion. The fighter nicknamed “Remember the Name” claims that he wants to be active, and there are certainly a number of young contenders that the UFC would love to throw at him. In fact, welterweight might have more up-and-coming stars than any other weight class.
Shavkat Rakhmonov is probably next in line for a title shot. No one has no one even really challenged “Nomad” during his perfect 18-0 career. He has ended all six of his UFC fights before the final bell. Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry are the other two youngsters with sky-high potential. Della Maddalena is 17-2, but he is 8-0 in the UFC, and Machado Garry holds a 15-0 record, making him one of nine UFC fighters with at least 15 wins and an unblemished record.
It is not all up-and-comers at welterweight, though. Usman has eight title fights to his name, and he was champion as recently as August of 2022. Colby Covington, Stephen Thompson, Michael Page, and Gilbert Burnes are other iconic welterweights who are fading in the wrong trajectory but still bring eyes to the sport each time they step foot in the octagon.
Overall, in with the new, out with the old is a common theme with the 170-pound division. There is lot of name recognition at welterweight, but there is also lots of talent.
5. Lightweight
There are those out there who think that lightweight is the best current division in the UFC. We have it ranked lower because nobody has been able to slow down Islam Makhachev. The number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world is clearly the best mixed martial artist alive, and while that is not a bad thing for the state of lightweight, he has made all of the top contenders he has faced look bad.
Even so, Dustin Poirier is still a massive draw, and fans will never forget that he has bested Conor McGregor twice. Justin Gaethje is nicknamed “The Highlight” for a reason, as he always puts on a show when he steps foot on the canvas. Additionally, Charles Oliviera is arguably the greatest grappler in UFC history, as his 20 UFC finishes and 16 UFC submission wins are both promotional records.
However, Makhachev has made quick work of Poirier and Oliviera, and Gaethje is coming off of a knockout loss to a featherweight (although Max Holloway is in both the featherweight and lightweight rankings). Arman Tsarukyan is perhaps the fighter who can best challenge Makhachev. However, he also previously lost to Makhachev.
Makhachev's dominance shouldn't be looked at as a bad thing for the division, though. He is on a trajectory to become one of the greatest UFC fighters ever. There are some other heavy hitters fighting at 155 pounds, too. Michael Chandler is waiting to fight until McGregor is ready to go, and when (if) that fight ever happens, it will be one of the biggest pay-per-view draws ever. Chandler hits hard and often, as does fellow lightweight Dan Hooker.
The 15th ranked lightweight is also of note. Paddy Pimblett, who is one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC, entered the 155-pound rankings after defeating King Green at UFC 304.
6. Women's Flyweight
The best weight class in the women's division is flyweight. Six of the 15 fighters in the women's pound-for-pound rankings are 125 pounds, and three of the top four in those rankings fight at flyweight. The current champion is Alex Grasso. Behind her in the flyweight rankings are Valentina Schevchenko (one) and Rose Namajunas (five).
Both fighters are among the biggest legends in women's MMA history, as they have a combined 17 title fights. Manon Fioret is 7-0 in the UFC, and Jessica Andrade was a champion at strawweight. Even Maycee Barber is considered arguably the best up-and-coming fighter in women's MMA.
7. Light Heavyweight
Light heavyweight and the next weight class in these rankings (heavyweight) are both top-heavy but lack depth and the contenders to knock off the champion. While both divisions are comparable, we gave a slight edge to light heavyweight because of the champion in the division. With Jon Jones and Conor McGregor fighting a combined two times since 2020, Alex Pereira has become the biggest star in the sport.
The 37-year-old is changing everything we know about MMA. Despite not entering the UFC until late in his career and already being well past the age most consider to be prime, Pereira is dominating his competition, and he is only getting better. He has an all-time iconic UFC rivalry with Israel Adesanya, he is one of only nine UFC double champs, and rumors suggest that he might go up to heavyweight to contend for triple-champion status.
After Pereira, the light heavyweight division is somewhat of a mess. Numerous injuries led to a lack of stability at the top. After Jon Jones left the weight class in 2020 to move up to heavyweight, five different athletes have held the championship belt. There was Jan Blachowicz, Glover Teixeira, Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill before Pereira. All but Teixeira have lost to the current champion. Poatan has brought that stability that the division so desperately needed, but it is unclear if anyone can give him a run for his money.
Magomed Ankalaev, a fantastic wrestler, seems like the best bet to give Pereira problems. However, the UFC apparently has other plans for Pereira's next title defense, as Ankalaev is now slated to take on Alexandar Rakic at UFC 308.
8. Heavyweight
Like light heavyweight, there is mainly one name that needs to be discussed in the heavyweight division. That is, of course, Jon Jones. The 27-1 fighter (his only loss was a controversial disqualification that he was dominating) is the greatest fighter in UFC history. Most of his work came at 205 pounds, though.
Jones' only heavyweight fight was at UFC 285. He did look great in his win against Ciryl Gane, but a pectoral injury has prevented him from fighting since. Fans are intrigued to see how much more Jones still has in the tank. It would be foolish to doubt him though, as Jones is the most versatile fighter we have ever seen.
His next fight will be a legacy bout against Stipe Miocic, a heavyweight many consider to be the best in division history. While that is an intriguing fight, many fans think it is holding up the division, as there is an interim champion at heavyweight in Tom Aspinall. While Aspinall was waiting for Jones, he became the rare interim champion to defend his interim belt. That was at UFC 304 against Curtis Blaydes, and Aspinall made quick work (as he always does) against the elite wrestling big man.
Aspinall has a number of records to his name that make fans believe he can one day become the heavyweight GOAT. Notably, Aspinall has the shortest average fight time (2:02) and the best strike differential ever (5.18). Aspinall has rare speed for a heavyweight, but his knockout power is not to be underestimated.
Other intriguing names fighting at heavyweight include Alexander Volkav (three), Sergei Pavlovich (four), Tai Tuivasa (10), and Derrick Lewis (11). Volkav is a towering 6-foot-7, and he is coming off of the biggest win of his career, which came against the hard-hitting Pavlovich. Tuivasa and Lewis aren't necessarily high-IQ fighters, but they throw haymakers, and someone is likely to hit the canvas when they fight. However, it truly could go either way whether it is their opponent or them who is KO'd.
9. Women's Strawweight
Ranking in as the ninth-best weight class in the UFC is women's strawweight. The lightest of the UFC weight classes, strawweight is highlighted by Zhang Weili. With the exception of her kryptonite, Rose Namajunas, Weili has been a dominant champion who has handled everyone who has gotten in her way.
Luckily for the champion, Namajunas is now fighting at flyweight. Weili won her belt from the soon to retire Carla Esparza. She has since retained it in bouts against Amanda Lemos (five) and Yan Xiaonan (two). Now, Tatiana Suarez is the number one contender in the division.
Jessica Andrade, who we talked about in the women's flyweight section, is ranked higher (fourth) as a strawweight then she is in the heavier division. Mackenzie Dern has even become one of the most popular female fighters in the UFC.
10. Flyweight
The Flyweight Championship is more up for grabs than it has previously been. Number one contender Brandon Royval is 0-2 against the champion, Alexandre Pantoja, but the two went the distance the last time they fought, and Royval has seemingly worked on his takedown defense since he lost his title fight opportunity.
Pantoja is also 2-0 (3-0 including The Ultimate Fighter) against Brandon Moreno who is the number two contender. While both of those fighters have the potential to beat Pantoja, it is the rest of the division that is making flyweight more intriguing. Amir Albazi is 17-1, Tatsuro Taira is 16-0, and Steve Erceg is 12-2.
The youngsters have tons of potential, and they can help improve the division once they start fighting for titles. However, there simply aren't that many big names in the 125-pound weight class, and the fact remains that the current top contenders have been unable to compete with the champion. For those reasons, flyweight is ranked as the worst UFC weight class in the men's division.
11. Women's Bantamweight
Women's bantamweight leaves a little to be desired right now. After Amanda Nunes retired, and, in turn, vacated the Women's Bantamweight Championship belt, the division has lacked much talent. Raquel Pennington became the new champion of the weight class when she fought Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297. The bout was one of the most unentertaining championship fights in recent memory.
Juliana Pena is the number one contender in the division, but she hasn't fought since UFC 277 back in June of 2022. Luckily, Kayla Harrison might save the division and restore its relevancy. Harrison only has one UFC fight to her name (a win over Holly Holm at UFC 300), but she is a multi-time Olympic gold medalist in judo.
Harrison dominated the scene in PFL, resulting in a 17-1 MMA record. She could be next in line to become a dominant Women's Bantamweight Champion, á la Ronda Rousey or Amanda Nunes.
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