In 2013, the UFC introduced its own version of boxing’s long-standing pound-for-pound rankings, a system designed to determine the best fighter in the world regardless of weight class. The list evaluates athletes based on factors such as championship success, recent performances, strength of competition, and overall dominance, and it has since become a key reference point for fans, analysts, and even discussions around sports betting bonuses tied to major fight events.
Originally launched as a top-10 ranking, it expanded to 15 fighters by 2014 and, over the past decade, has been defined by some of MMA’s most iconic figures, including Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Demetrious Johnson, Alexander Volkanovski, and Georges St‑Pierre. Now in 2026, the landscape appears to be shifting as a new generation begins to reshape the sport’s hierarchy. With eight men’s divisions in the promotion, we turn our attention to the top 15 pound-for-pound fighters as of 24th February 2026. For context, Islam Makhachev closed out 2025 ranked No. 1, while Ilia Topuria held the top spot for a stretch during the year, setting the stage to see whether the order at the top has changed in 2026.
15- Arman Tsarukyan
Coming in at No. 15 is top lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, who has found himself in a somewhat unusual position despite remaining among the division’s elite. Over the past 24 months, his activity inside the Octagon has been limited to just two appearances: a split-decision win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 and a dominant performance against Dan Hooker at UFC Qatar in November 2025.
Although he narrowly missed a title opportunity at UFC 311 against Islam Makhachev owing to a back injury, the 22–3 standout remains a serious threat in the lightweight division.
14- Jack Della Maddalena
Jack Della Maddalena slots in at No. 14 following a turbulent but impressive run at welterweight. He captured the title by defeating Belal Muhammad in a hard-fought five-round battle at UFC 315. However, his reign proved short-lived when Islam Makhachev moved up in weight and outwrestled him over five rounds at UFC 322 to claim the 170-pound belt. Still in his prime, the Australian remains a dangerous contender and could return against names like Carlos Prates, Michael Morales, or even Ian Machado Garry.
13- Magomed Ankalaev
At No. 13 sits Magomed Ankalaev, whose long wait for a title shot finally paid off when he stunned Alex Pereira to capture the light heavyweight belt at UFC 313 in March 2025. His reign, however, was brief, as Pereira reclaimed the belt in their rematch at UFC 320 with a stoppage just 80 seconds into the fight. Ankalaev has since spoken about unfinished business with the Brazilian, and another high-stakes clash could be looming.
12- Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis made history by becoming the first South African to win UFC gold when he defeated Sean Strickland at UFC 297. ‘Stillknocks’ successfully defended his title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 and again in a rematch with Strickland at UFC 312. His run ended at UFC 319 when he lost the belt to Khamzat Chimaev, whose dominant grappling proved decisive. However, Du Plessis remains determined to earn a rematch and reestablish himself in the title picture.
11- Joshua Van
Reigning flyweight champion Joshua Van checks in at No. 11. The first fighter from Myanmar to capture UFC gold, he also became the second youngest champion in promotional history at just 24 when he faced Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323. The bout ended in dramatic fashion when Pantoja suffered a severe elbow injury while posting on the mat, leading to a premature stoppage and crowning Van as champion. He is now slated to defend his title against Japanese standout Tatsuro Taira at UFC 327.
10- Max Holloway
Former featherweight champion and current BMF titleholder Max Holloway sits at No. 10, continuing his long-standing presence among the sport’s elite. ‘Blessed’ reignited his championship ambitions with a spectacular knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 for the BMF strap, widely regarded as one of the greatest finishes in UFC history.
A subsequent featherweight title challenge against Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 ended in heartbreak, as Topuria became the first man to knock him out in the Octagon. Holloway has since moved back to lightweight, where he retired Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 and now prepares to defend the BMF belt against Charles Oliveira at UFC 326.
9- Alexandre Pantoja
Alexandre Pantoja captured the flyweight championship with a hard-fought victory over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 and went on an impressive run of title defenses against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura, and Kai Kara-France. His reign came to a sudden end when he suffered a gruesome elbow injury in the opening round against Joshua Van, forcing a stoppage. As he recovers, a return later in 2026 remains a possibility, though the setback has been difficult, especially with Van now holding the title.
8- Tom Aspinall
Tom Aspinall lands at No. 8 amid a turbulent stretch in the heavyweight division. The Englishman spent a prolonged period as interim champion while Jon Jones held the undisputed belt for over 800 days, never receiving the chance to unify titles.
When he finally returned at UFC 321, his first undisputed title defense ended in a no-contest after an accidental double eye poke from Ciryl Gane left him unable to continue. Following surgery, questions remain about the timeline for his return, but Aspinall continues to loom large over the heavyweight picture.
7- Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili was arguably the MVP of 2025, competing four times in a 12-month span and defending his bantamweight title three times against elite challengers, including Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley, and Cory Sandhagen. His remarkable run came to an end when he dropped the belt in a rematch with Petr Yan at UFC 323. For now, the Georgian is taking time to regroup while weighing his next move, whether that’s a trilogy bout with Yan or another high-stakes clash that could quickly put him back in the title picture.
6- Petr Yan
After losing the bantamweight championship to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273, Petr Yan endured a difficult stretch that included a three-fight skid and a setback against Dvalishvili. The former champion responded in emphatic fashion, stringing together victories over Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Marcus McGhee before reclaiming the title with a win over Dvalishvili at UFC 323. Currently sidelined following back surgery, Yan has quietly reasserted himself as a central figure at 135 pounds, especially with contenders lining up and old rivalries still simmering.
5- Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira’s run at light heavyweight has been nothing short of dominant, with victories over Jiri Prochazka (twice), Jamahal Hill, and Khalil Rountree Jr. cementing his reign. After briefly losing the belt to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, ‘Poatan’ reclaimed the title with a devastating TKO in under 80 seconds in their rematch at UFC 320. With his star continuing to rise, Pereira has hinted at ambitious plans, including a potential move to heavyweight in pursuit of becoming a three-division champion.
4- Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski once again proved his resilience by defeating Diego Lopes at UFC 325, reinforcing his status among the sport’s elite. Following knockout losses to Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 and Ilia Topuria at UFC 298, the Australian took time away before returning at UFC 314 to reclaim the featherweight title against Lopes. With rising contenders like Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev closing in, ‘The Great’ continues to stand as a benchmark of excellence and a champion few are willing to doubt.
3- Khamzat Chimaev
Ever since Khamzat Chimaev burst onto the scene during the pandemic, it was clear he possessed rare potential. After making waves at welterweight, ‘Borz’ reached championship glory at middleweight, defeating elite names like Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker before capturing the title with a dominant victory over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319, one of the most one-sided title fights in recent memory. His return timeline remains uncertain as he recovers from a foot injury, but potential matchups with Nassourdine Imavov or a heated clash with Sean Strickland would generate significant interest whenever he’s ready.
2- Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria claims the No. 2 spot after an extraordinary run that briefly saw him atop the pound-for-pound rankings following his lightweight title win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. The Spaniard has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most devastating finishers, knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to claim featherweight gold, becoming the first man to stop Max Holloway at UFC 308, and later becoming a two-division champion by finishing Oliveira.
While he has called for a superfight with Islam Makhachev in pursuit of a third belt, a likely next step is a lightweight title unification bout against Justin Gaethje at the anticipated UFC White House event in June 2026.
1- Islam Makhachev
Sitting atop the list is Islam Makhachev, whose dominance has defined the modern era of MMA. Riding a remarkable 16-fight win streak, tied with Anderson Silva for the longest in UFC history, the Dagestani captured the lightweight title by submitting Oliveira at UFC 280.
He then defeated Volkanovski twice at UFC 284 and UFC 294, followed by a thrilling victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. After setting the record for most lightweight title defenses with a stoppage of Renato Moicano at UFC 311, Makhachev moved up to welterweight and defeated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to become a two-division champion, further cementing his place as the sport’s pound-for-pound king.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.