Nurmagomedov has no equal at the top of pound-for-pound rankings

Khabib Nurmagomedov is not new to No. 1. The UFC lightweight champion was already at the top of the ESPN pound-for-pound rankings, but until now, he was sharing that spot.

However, in the wake of Jon Jones‘ second straight close call — a decision win over Dominick Reyes in their light heavyweight title bout in February — the top 10 now has the Dagestani 155-pounder alone at No. 1 and “Bones” at No. 2.

Nurmagomedov will have to prove his standing on April 18 when he defends his belt against Tony Ferguson, who remains at No. 6 in the pound-for-pound rankings. Nurmagomedov is 28-0, Ferguson 25-3 with a 12-fight winning streak.

The rankings lose a tie but also gain one. Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman now are knotted at No. 7. Previously, “The Last Stylebender” was alone at No. 7 and Usman was at No. 8, but Adesanya’s hum-drum middleweight title defense on March 7 cost him just a little support.

The women’s rankings remain the same as in the last update. If you look closely at the individual voters’ top-10s (and remember what they looked like previously), you might notice some shifts in support for Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg and Zhang Weili. But none of it changes the overall order.

(You can find Brett Okamoto’s division-by-division rankings here.)

Note: Rankings were updated March 11.

Men’s pound-for-pound rankings

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov  

Record: 28-0
Weight class: Lightweight
Last: W (SUB3) Dustin Poirier, Sept. 7
Next: April 18 vs. Tony Ferguson

2. Jon Jones  

Record: 26-1, 1 NC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Last: W (UD) Dominick Reyes, Feb. 8
Next: TBD

3. Henry Cejudo  

Record: 15-2
Weight class: Bantamweight
Last: W (TKO3) Marlon Moraes, June 8
Next: May 9 vs. Jose Aldo

4. Stipe Miocic  

Record: 19-3
Weight class: Heavyweight
Last: W (TKO4) Daniel Cormier, Aug. 17
Next: TBD

5. Daniel Cormier  

Record: 22-2, 1 NC
Weight class: Heavyweight
Last: L (TKO4) Stipe Miocic, Aug. 17
Next: TBD

6. Tony Ferguson  

Record: 25-3
Weight class: Lightweight
Last: W (TKO2) Donald Cerrone, June 8
Next: April 18 vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

T-7. Israel Adesanya  

Record: 19-0
Weight class: Middleweight
Last: W (UD) Yoel Romero, March 7
Next: TBD

T-7. Kamaru Usman  

Record: 16-1
Weight class: Welterweight
Last: W (TKO5) Colby Covington, Dec. 14
Next: TBD

9. Demetrious Johnson  

Record: 30-3-1
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: W (UD) Danny Kingad, Oct. 12
Next: April 11 vs. Adriano Moraes

10. Alexander Volkanovski  

Record: 21-1
Weight class: Featherweight
Last: W (UD) Max Holloway, Dec. 14
Next: TBD

Other fighter receiving a vote: Dustin Poirier.

How our writers voted

Brett Okamoto
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Henry Cejudo
4. Tony Ferguson
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Stipe Miocic
7. Kamaru Usman
8. Daniel Cormier
9. Demetrious Johnson
10. Alexander Volkanovski

Marc Raimondi
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Daniel Cormier
4. Henry Cejudo
5. Tony Ferguson
6. Stipe Miocic
7. Kamaru Usman
8. Demetrious Johnson
9. Israel Adesanya
10. Alexander Volkanovski

Ariel Helwani
1. Jon Jones
2. Khabib Nurmagomedov
3. Henry Cejudo
4. Stipe Miocic
5. Daniel Cormier
6. Israel Adesanya
7. Kamaru Usman
8. Tony Ferguson
9. Alexander Volkanovski
10. Dustin Poirier

Jeff Wagenheim
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Henry Cejudo
4. Stipe Miocic
5. Demetrious Johnson
6. Daniel Cormier
7. Tony Ferguson
8. Kamaru Usman
9. Israel Adesanya
10. Alexander Volkanovski

1. Amanda Nunes  

Record: 19-4
Weight class: Bantamweight/featherweight
Last: W (UD) Germaine de Randamie, Dec. 14
Next: May 9 vs. Felicia Spencer

2. Valentina Shevchenko  

Record: 19-3
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: W (TKO3) Katlyn Chookagian, Feb. 8
Next: June 6 vs. Joanne Calderwood

3. Cris Cyborg  

Record: 21-2, 1 NC
Weight class: Featherweight
Last: W (UD) Julia Budd, Jan. 25
Next: TBD

4. Zhang Weili  

Record: 21-1
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: W (SD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, March 7
Next: TBD

5. Rose Namajunas  

Record: 9-4
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: L (TKO2) Jessica Andrade, May 11
Next: April 18 vs. Jessica Andrade

6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk  

Record: 16-4
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: L (SD) Zhang Weili, March 7
Next: TBD

7. Jessica Andrade  

Record: 20-7
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: L (TKO1) Zhang Weili, Aug. 31
Next: April 18 vs. Rose Namajunas

8. Tatiana Suarez  

Record: 8-0
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: W (UD) Nina Ansaroff, June 8
Next: TBD

9. Germaine de Randamie  

Record: 9-4
Weight class: Bantamweight
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 14
Next: TBD

T-10. Katlyn Chookagian  

Record: 13-3
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: L (TKO3) Valentina Shevchenko, Feb. 8
Next: TBD

T-10. Holly Holm  

Record: 13-5
Weight class: Bantamweight
Last: W (UD) Raquel Pennington, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

How our writers voted

Brett Okamoto
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Zhang Weili
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Jessica Andrade
8. Tatiana Suarez
9. Germaine de Randamie
10. Katlyn Chookagian

Marc Raimondi
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Jessica Andrade
8. Tatiana Suarez
9. Germaine de Randamie
10. Holly Holm

Ariel Helwani
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Jessica Andrade
8. Tatiana Suarez
9. Germaine de Randamie
10. Holly Holm

Jeff Wagenheim
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Jessica Andrade
8. Tatiana Suarez
9. Germaine de Randamie
10. Katlyn Chookagian