If Sean O'Malley had any doubts, he faced them over the weekend at UFC 299. In his first defense of the men's bantamweight championship, he faced the only fighter to defeat him. And although “Suga Sean” had insisted since the 2020 loss that it was a fluke injury that killed him, the stain on his record was real.
But O'Malley used his rematch with Marlon “Chito” Vera to make an emphatic statement that the 135-pound division is his domain. And his win gave O'Malley a boost in ESPN's latest pound-for-pound rankings, as he climbed into the men's top five.
Another significant change in the top 10: Jon Jones, who was ranked number 2, drops out of the ranking because he has been inactive for more than a year (last fight: March 4, 2023). We will see the UFC heavyweight champion again when he returns from injury, but for now his absence leaves room in the rankings for middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.
The women's classification remains unchanged.
For ESPN's MMA divisional rankings, click here.
Note: Results are up to date; rankings starting March 12. To be eligible for qualifications, a fighter must have competed within the last 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Wrestlers who have been discharged due to inactivity may be reinstated only after having competed.
Men's pound for pound ranking
1. Islam Makhachev
UFC Lightweight Champion
Record: 25-1
Last: G (KO1) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, October 21, 2023
Next: Determined
2. Leon Edwards 
UFC Welterweight Champion
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 22-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs Colby Covington, December 16, 2023
Next: Determined
3. Alex Pereira
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 9-2
Last: G (TKO2) vs. Jirí Procházka, November 11, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Jamahal Hill
4. Ilia Topuria
UFC featherweight champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 15-0
Last: G (KO2) vs. Alexander Volkanovski, February 17, 2024
Next: Determined
5. Sean O'Malley .
UFC bantamweight champion
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 18-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Marlon Vera, March 9, 2024
Next: Determined
6. Carlos Oliveira 
UFC Lightweight
Record: 34-9, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, June 10, 2023
Next: April 13 against Arman Tsarukyan
7. Alejandro Pantoja
UFC flyweight champion
Record: 27-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Brandon Royval, December 16, 2023
Next: Determined
8. Alexander Volkanovski
ufc featherweight
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, February 17, 2024
Next: Determined
9. Israel Adesanya
UFC middleweight
Record: 24-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, September 9, 2023
Next: Determined
10. Dricus Du Plessis
UFC middleweight champion
Previous ranking: Unclassified
Record: 21-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Sean Strickland, January 20, 2024
Next: Determined
Other fighters who received votes: Merab Dvalishvili, Demetrious Johnson, Khamzat Chimaev, Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway.
How our panel voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Islam Makhachev; 2. Leon Edwards; 3. Israel Adesanya; 4. Alex Pereira; 5. Ilia Topuria; 6. Alejandro Pantoja; 7. Sean O'Malley; 8. Alexander Volkanovski; 9. Carlos Oliveira; 10. Max Holloway.
Marcos Raimondi: 1. Makhachev; 2.Edwards; 3. Oliveira; 4. Pereira; 5. O'Malley; 6. Topuria; 7. Volkanovski; 8. Pantoja; 9. Merab Dvalishvili; 10. Justin Gaethje.
Megan Anderson: 1. Makhachev; 2.Edwards; 3. Pereira; 4. Volkanowski; 5. Oliveira; 6. O'Malley; 7. Topuria; 8. Dricus Du Plessis; 9. Adesanya; 10. Pantoja.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Makhachev; 2.Edwards; 3. Topuria; 4. Pereira; 5. O'Malley; 6. Adesanya; 7. Volkanovski; 8. Pantoja; 9. Du Plessis; 10. Oliveira.
Ian Parker: 1. Makhachev; 2. Pereira; 3. Topuria; 4.Edwards; 5. O'Malley; 6. Pantoja; 7. Du Plessis; 8. Demetrius Johnson; 9. Khamzat Chimaev; 10. Adesanya.
Eddie Maisonet III: 1. Makhachev; 2.Edwards; 3. Pantoja; 4. Oliveira; 5. Adesanya; 6. Pereira; 7. Volkanovski; 8. Topuria; 9. O'Malley; 10. Holloway.
Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Makhachev; 2.Edwards; 3. Oliveira; 4. Pereira; 5. Topuria; 6. O'Malley; 7. Pantoja; 8. Volkanovski; 9. Dvalishvili; 10. Gaethje.
Women's pound for pound ranking
1. Zhang Weili
UFC Strawweight Champion
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, August 19, 2023
Next: April 13 vs. Yan Xiaonan
2. Alexa Grasso
UFC flyweight champion
Record: 16-3-1
Last: Split draw against Valentina Shevchenko, September 16, 2023
Next: Determined
3. Valentina Shevchenko
UFC flyweight
Record: 22-4-1
Last: Split draw against Alexa Grasso, September 16, 2023
Next: Determined
4. Cris Cyborg
Bellator featherweight champion
Record: 27-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Cat Zingano, October 7, 2023
Next: Determined
5. Erin Blanchfield
UFC flyweight
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Taila Santos, August 26, 2023
Next: March 30 against Manon Fiorot
6. Yan Xiaonan
UFC strawweight
Record:17-3
Last:W (KO1) vs. Jessica Andrade, May 6, 2023
Next:April 13 vs. Zhang Weili
7. Tatiana Suarez
UFC strawweight
Record:10-0
Last:W (Sub2) vs. Jessica Andrade, August 5, 2023
Next:Determined
8. Rachel Pennington
UFC bantamweight champion
Record:16-8
Last:W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, January 20, 2024
Next:Determined
T-9. kayla harrison
UFC bantamweight
Record:16-1
Last:L (UD) vs. Aspen Ladd, November 24, 2023
Next:April 13 vs. Holly Holm
T-9. Larisa Pacheco
PFL Featherweight Champion
Record:23-4
Last:W (UD) v. Marina Mokhnatkina, November 24, 2023
Next:Determined
Other fighters who received votes: Seika Izawa, Manon Fiorot, Liz Carmouche, Amanda Lemos, Rose Namajunas and Julianna Peña.
How our panel voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Zhang Weili; 2. Alexa Grasso; 3. Valentina Shevchenko; 4. Chris Cyborg. 5. Erin Blanchfield; 6. Tatiana Suárez; 7. Manon Fiorot; 8. Rosa Namajunas; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Yan Xiaonan.
Marc Raimondi: 1.Zhang; 2. Cyborg; 3. Shevchenko; 4. Grasso; 5. Blanchfield; 6.Yan; 7. Seika Izawa; 8. Rachel Pennington; 9. Suarez; 10. Fiorot.
Megan Anderson: 1.Zhang; 2. Grasso; 3. Shevchenko; 4. Cyborg; 5. Blanchfield; 6.Yan; 7. Pennington; 8. Fiorot; 9. Suarez; 10. Julianna Pena.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1.Zhang; 2. Grasso; 3. Shevchenko; 4. Cyborg; 5.Harrison; 6. Pennington; 7. Blanchfield; 8. Larisa Pacheco; 9.Yan; 10. Suarez.
Ian Parker: 1.Zhang; 2. Grasso; 3. Shevchenko; 4. Cyborg; 5. Blanchfield; 6. Suarez; 7. Pacheco; 8. Fiorot; 9.Harrison; 10. Namajunas.
Eddie Maisonet III: 1.Zhang; 2. Grasso; 3. Shevchenko; 4. Blanchfield; 5. Pacheco; 6. Cyborg; 7. Amanda Lemos; 8.Harrison; 9. Izawa; 10. Pennington.
Jeff Wagenheim: 1.Zhang; 2. Grasso; 3. Cyborg; 4. Shevchenko; 5. Blanchfield; 6.Yan; 7. Izawa; 8. Pennington; 9. Suarez; 10. Fiorot.
