Carla Esparza walked out of the Octagon as strawweight champion at the conclusion of the UFC 274 co-main event. The dawn of her second reign should have been a moment of glory. Instead, Esparza and the woman she dethroned, Rose Namajunas, have taken heat for their uneventful five rounds, which are being held up as one of the worst title fights in UFC history.
And yet Esparza did walk away as titlist, eight years after she reigned as the UFC's first 115-pound champ. And for that alone, she has risen in the ESPN strawweight rankings.
A couple of new champs in Bellator -- men's featherweight Patricio Freire and women's flyweight Liz Carmouche -- have moved up as well.
Overall, there is movement in several of the weight classes in the ESPN rankings. But not much dramatic change, despite some of the impactful recent fight results.
For the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings, click here. For a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes, click here.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of May 11.
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. Francis Ngannou  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Ciryl Gane  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: L (UD) Francis Ngannou, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Tai Tuivasa
3. Stipe Miocic  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
4. Curtis Blaydes  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Chris Daukaus, March 26, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Tom Aspinall
5. Tai Tuivasa  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: Sept. 3 vs. Ciryl Gane
6. Tom Aspinall  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (Sub1) Alexander Volkov, March 19, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Curtis Blaydes
7. Derrick Lewis  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Tai Tuivasa, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Sergei Pavlovich
8. Alexander Volkov  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-10
Last: L (Sub1) Tom Aspinall, March 19, 2022
Next: June 4 vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
9. Ryan Bader  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 30-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Cheick Kongo, May 6, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Jairzinho Rozenstruik  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) Curtis Blaydes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: June 4 vs. Alexander Volkov
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Glover Teixeira  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 33-7
Last: W (Sub2) Jan Blachowicz, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Jiri Prochazka
2. Jan Blachowicz  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-9
Last: W (TKO3) Aleksandar Rakic, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Corey Anderson  
Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Vadim Nemkov, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Vadim Nemkov
4. Jiri Prochazka  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-3-1
Last: W (KO2) Dominick Reyes, May 1, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Glover Teixeira
5. Aleksandar Rakic  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (TKO3) Jan Blachowicz, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Vadim Nemkov  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: NC3 Corey Anderson, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD vs. Corey Anderson
7. Anthony Smith  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-16
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
8. Magomed Ankalaev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) Thiago Silva, March 12, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Thiago Santos  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-10
Last: L (UD) Magomed Ankalaev, March 12, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Dominick Reyes  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Israel Adesanya  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-1
Last: W (UD) Robert Whittaker, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: July 2 vs. Jared Cannonier
2. Robert Whittaker  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Jared Cannonier  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: W (KO2) Derek Brunson, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: July 2 vs. Israel Adesanya
4. Marvin Vettori  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD
5. Paulo Costa  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: L (UD) Marvin Vettori, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Luke Rockhold
6. Derek Brunson  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-8
Last: L (KO2) Jared Cannonier, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Sean Strickland  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-3
Last: W (SD) Jack Hermansson, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: July 2 vs. Alex Pereira
8. Gegard Mousasi  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 49-7-2
Last: W (TKO1) Austin Vanderford, Feb. 25, 2022
Next: June 24 vs. Johnny Eblen
9. Darren Till  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4-1
Last: L (Sub3) Derek Brunson, Sept. 4, 2021
Next: July 23 vs. Jack Hermansson
10. Jack Hermansson  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (SD) Sean Strickland, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: July 23 vs. Darren Till
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Kamaru Usman  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
2. Colby Covington  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Khamzat Chimaev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-0
Last: W (UD) Gilbert Burns, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Leon Edwards  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Nate Diaz, June 12, 2021
Next: TBD
5. Gilbert Burns  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Vicente Luque  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-8-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, April 16, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Belal Muhammad  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Vicente Luque, April 16, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Yaroslav Amosov  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD
9. Stephen Thompson  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD
10. Sean Brady  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Charles Oliveira  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 33-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) Justin Gaethje, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Dustin Poirier  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
3. Justin Gaethje  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-4
Last: L (Sub1) Charles Oliveira, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Islam Makhachev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-1
Last: W (TKO1) Bobby Green, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Beneil Dariush  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Michael Chandler  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: W (KO2) Tony Ferguson, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Rafael dos Anjos  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-14
Last: W (UD) Renato Moicano, March 5, 2022
Next: July 9 vs. Rafael Fiziev
8. Rafael Fiziev  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: July 9 vs. Rafael dos Anjos
9. Gregor Gillespie  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1
Last: W (TKO2) Diego Ferreira, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD
10. Arman Tsarukyan  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: W (TKO2) Joel Alvarez, Feb. 26, 2022
Next: TBD
MEN'S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Alexander Volkanovski  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (TKO4) Chan Sung Jung, April 9, 2022
Next: July 2 vs. Max Holloway
2. Max Holloway  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: July 2 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
3. Patricio Freire  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 33-5
Last: W (UD) A.J. McKee, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Brian Ortega  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
5. A.J. McKee  
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) Patricio Freire, April 15, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Calvin Kattar  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Giga Chikadze, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: June 18 vs. Josh Emmett
7. Arnold Allen  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Josh Emmett  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: June 18 vs. Calvin Kattar
9. Yair Rodriguez  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
10. Giga Chikadze  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: L (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD
MEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Aljamain Sterling  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-3
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Petr Yan  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (SD) Aljamain Sterling, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
3. TJ Dillashaw  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: TBD
4. Jose Aldo  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-7
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: TBD
5. Cory Sandhagen  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Marlon Vera  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 19-7-1
Last: W (UD) Rob Font, April 30, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Merab Dvalishvili  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: W (TKO2) Marlon Moraes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
8. Sergio Pettis  
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 22-5
Last: W (KO4) Kyoji Horiguchi, Dec. 3, 2021
Next: TBD
9. Rob Font  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 19-6
Last: L (UD) Marlon Vera, April 30, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Dominick Cruz  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
MEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Deiveson Figueiredo  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Brandon Moreno  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6-2
Last: L (UD) Deiveson Figueiredo, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Kai Kara-France
3. Kai Kara-France  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-9, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Askar Askarov, March 26, 2022
Next: July 30 vs. Brandon Moreno
4. Adriano Moraes  
Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 20-3
Last: W (Sub3) Yuya Wakamatsu, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Demetrious Johnson  
Promotion: One Championship
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (Sub2) Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules), March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Askar Askarov  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Brandon Royval  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-6
Last: W (Sub1) Matt Schnell, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Alex Perez  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD
9. Alexandre Pantoja  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: TBD
10. Rogerio Bontorin  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: June 11 vs. Manel Kape
WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Julianna Peña  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (Sub2) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Amanda Nunes
2. Amanda Nunes  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (Sub2) Julianna Peña, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Julianna Peña
3. Holly Holm  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (SD) Ketlen Vieira, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Raquel Pennington  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-8
Last: W (UD) Aspen Ladd, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Irene Aldana  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Ketlen Vieira  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) Holly Holm, May 21, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Yana Kunitskaya  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD
8. Aspen Ladd  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-3
Last: L (UD) Raquel Pennington, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Sara McMann  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Macy Chiasson  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 8-2
Last: W (SD) Norma Dumont, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Valentina Shevchenko  
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO4) Lauren Murphy, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Taila Santos
2. Katlyn Chookagian  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4
Last: W (SD) Amanda Ribas, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Jessica Andrade  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-9
Last: W (Sub1) Amanda Lemos, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
4. Lauren Murphy  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (TKO4) Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: July 2 vs. Miesha Tate
5. Taila Santos  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
6. Liz Carmouche  
Promotion: Bellator champ
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 17-7
Last: W (TKO4) Juliana Velasquez, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Manon Fiorot  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 9-1
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Alexa Grasso  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Viviane Araujo  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 11-13
Last: W (UD) Andrea Lee, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Juliana Velasquez  
Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 12-1
Last: L (TKO4) Liz Carmouche, April 22, 2022
Next: TBD
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Carla Esparza  
Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 19-6
Last: W (SD) Rose Namajunas, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
2. Rose Namajunas  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 11-5
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
3. Zhang Weili  
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 21-2
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
4. Marina Rodriguez  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1-2
Last: W (SD) Yan Xiaonan, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
5. Yan Xiaonan  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Marina Rodriguez, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Mackenzie Dern  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (SD) Tecia Torres, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Tecia Torres  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD
8. Amanda Ribas  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-3
Last: L (SD) Katlyn Chookagian, May 14, 2022
Next: TBD
9. Amanda Lemos  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2-1
Last: L (Sub1) Jessica Andrade, April 23, 2022
Next: TBD
10. Michelle Waterson  
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-9
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD