MMA divisional rankings: Kai Asakura gains men’s flyweight spot despite a loss

Before UFC 310, the hierarchy of the men’s flyweight division went like this: It was Alexandre Pantoja, a huge gap, then a bunch of other guys. After the champion’s second-round submission over unranked Kai Asakura last Saturday, the hierarchy remained much the same — with one exception.

Now Asakura is also part of the ESPN divisional rankings.

How does one enter the top 10 off a loss that was not so close? For Asakura, it was essentially a matter of the two-time former Rizin bantamweight champion making a successful cut down to 125 pounds — something he hadn’t done in over seven years — and demonstrating in his UFC debut that he can hang with the best and is committed to being a flyweight for the long-term. A flyweight contender, that is.

UFC 310 featured six ranked fighters, but the evening’s results yielded little movement in the rankings. Pantoja, the No. 1 flyweight, held onto his spot, of course, as did heavyweights Ciryl Gane (4) and Alexander Volkov (6) and welterweights Shavkat Rakhmonov (3) and Ian Machado Garry (6). Only featherweight Movsar Evloev got bumped up, from No. 9 to No. 7, on the strength of his unanimous decision victory over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.

Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.

Results are current; rankings as of Dec. 11. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed over the past 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Fighters who have been dropped for inactivity can be reinstated only after they compete.

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. Tom Aspinall  

Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Francis Ngannou  

Promotion: PFL Super Fights champion
Record: 18-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Jon Jones  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stipe Miocic, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Ciryl Gane  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Curtis Blaydes  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Alexander Volkov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-11
Last: L (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Sergei Pavlovich  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Alexander Volkov, June 22, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Renan Ferreira  

Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 13-4, 3 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD

9. Jailton Almeida  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Alexandr Romanov, June 1, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Serghei Spivac

10. Serghei Spivac  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Marcin Tybura, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Jailton Almeida

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

1. Alex Pereira  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-2
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Magomed Ankalaev  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Aleksandar Rakic, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Jirí Procházka  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-5-1
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Alex Pereira, June 29, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Jamahal Hill

4. Jamahal Hill  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 10-2
Last: L (KO1) vs. Alex Pereira, April 13, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Jirí Procházka

5. Corey Anderson  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Khalil Rountree Jr.  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Aleksandar Rakić  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Carlos Ulberg  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD

9. Volkan Oezdemir  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Johnny Walker  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Bogdan Guskov

MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

1. Dricus du Plessis  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-2
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Israel Adesanya, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: Feb. 8 vs. Sean Strickland

2. Sean Strickland  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-6
Last: W (SD) vs. Paulo Costa, June 1, 2024
Next: Feb. 8 vs. Dricus Du Plessis

3. Khamzat Chimaev  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Robert Whittaker, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Israel Adesanya  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4
Last: L (Sub4) vs. Dricus du Plessis, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Robert Whittaker  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Johnny Eblen  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Fabian Edwards, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Nassourdine Imavov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Brendan Allen, Sept. 28, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Caio Borralho  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD

9. Jared Cannonier  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Caio Borralho, Aug. 24, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Roman Dolidze  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Kevin Holland, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

1. Belal Muhammad  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Leon Edwards  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Shavkat Rakhmonov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Jack Della Maddalena  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Sean Brady  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Gilbert Burns, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Ian Machado Garry  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Gilbert Burns  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Colby Covington  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: Dec. 14 vs. Joaquin Buckley

9. Joaquin Buckley  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-6
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stephen Thompson, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: Dec. 14 vs. Colby Covington

10. Geoff Neal  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Islam Makhachev  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-1
Last: W (Sub5) vs. Dustin Poirier, June 1, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Arman Tsarukyan

2. Arman Tsarukyan  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Islam Makhachev

3. Charles Oliveira  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael Chandler, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Justin Gaethje  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: L (KO5) vs. Max Holloway, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Dustin Poirier  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub5) vs. Islam Makhachev, June 1, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Dan Hooker  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Renato Moicano  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Benoît Saint Denis, Sept. 28, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Beneil Dariush

8. Beneil Dariush  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6-1
Last: L (KO1) vs. Arman Tsarukyan, Dec. 2, 2023
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Renato Moicano

9. Usman Nurmagomedov  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexander Shabliy, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: Jan. 25 vs. Paul Hughes

10. Michael Chandler  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Charles Oliveira, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD

FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

1. Ilia Topuria  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (KO3) vs. Max Holloway, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Alexander Volkanovski  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Max Holloway  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (KO3) vs. Ilia Topuria, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Diego Lopes  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Brian Ortega  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Yair Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Movsar Evloev  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Patricio Freire  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22, 2024
Next: TBD

9. Josh Emmett  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 19-4
Last: W (KO1) vs. Bryce Mitchell, Dec. 16, 2023
Next: TBD

10. Arnold Allen  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD

MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Merab Dvalishvili  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Sean O’Malley, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

2. Sean O’Malley  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Petr Yan  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Umar Nurmagomedov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: Jan. 18 vs. Merab Dvalishvili

5. Cory Sandhagen  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Henry Cejudo  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Feb. 17, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Deiveson Figueiredo  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Mario Bautista  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2
Last: W (SD) vs. José Aldo, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

9. José Aldo  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Patchy Mix  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17, 2024
Next: TBD

MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Alexandre Pantoja  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-5
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Kai Asakura, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Brandon Royval  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Oct. 12, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Brandon Moreno  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amir Albazi, Nov. 2, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Kai Kara-France  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-11, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Muhammad Mokaev  

Promotion: Brave CF
Record: 13-0,1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Manel Kape, July 27, 2024
Next: Dec. 13 vs. Luthando Biko

6. Tatsuro Taira  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Oct. 12, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Steve Erceg  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Manel Kape  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Muhammad Mokaev, July 27, 2024
Next: Dec. 14 vs. Bruno Silva

9. Kai Asakura  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 21-5
Last: L (TechSub2) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Alex Perez  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15, 2024
Next: TBD

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Julianna Peña  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington. Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Raquel Pennington  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Julianna Peña, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Kayla Harrison  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Ketlen Vieira  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Kayla Harrison, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Holly Holm  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Norma Dumont  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Irene Aldana  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Macy Chiasson  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29, 2024
Next: TBD

9. Karol Rosa  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Pannie Kianzad, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Pannie Kianzad  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Aug. 10, 2024
Next: TBD

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

2. Alexa Grasso  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Manon Fiorot  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Erin Blanchfield  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas Nov. 2, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Dakota Ditcheva  

Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Taila Santos, Nov. 29, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Maycee Barber  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Katlyn Cerminara, March 9, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Natalia Silva  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

8. Taila Santos  

Promotion: PFL
Record: 22-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dakota Ditcheva, Nov. 29, 2024
Next: TBD

9. Liz Carmouche  

Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Jessica Andrade  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)

1. Zhang Weili  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 25-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, April 13, 2024
Next: Feb. 8 vs. Tatiana Suarez

2. Virna Jandiroba  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD

3. Yan Xiaonan  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Tabatha Ricci, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD

4. Amanda Lemos  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Virna Jandiroba, July 20, 2024
Next: TBD

5. Jessica Andrade  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7, 2024
Next: TBD

6. Marina Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD

7. Mackenzie Dern  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Loopy Godínez, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: Dec. 14 vs. Amanda Ribas

8. Amanda Ribas  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, March 23, 2024
Next: Dec. 14 vs. Mackenzie Dern

9. Loopy Godínez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3, 2024
Next: TBD

10. Tabatha Ricci  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Yan Xiaonan, Nov. 23, 2024
Next: TBD