Aljamain Sterling is No. 1, of course, but how high did Khamzat Chimaev rise?

Aljamain Sterling walked into the cage for the UFC 273 co-main event last Saturday as men’s bantamweight champion. But that status had not earned him universal acknowledgement as the top 135-pound fighter in MMA.

Sterling’s split-decision victory over former champ Petr Yan did not erase all doubts, but he did solidify his reign and, as a result, has earned the top spot in ESPN’s rankings. Sterling previously was No. 2.

Another UFC 273 winner made an even bigger move — just not quite to the top. Khamzat Chimaev came in as a phenom, 4-0 in the UFC, all in routs. But he was unranked. That is no longer the case after the welterweight won by unanimous decision over Gilbert Burns, who was ranked third. Now Chimaev is in that spot, with Burns dropping to fifth.

UFC 273 results also led to some movement in the women’s rankings. Raquel Pennington, fresh off a decision win over Aspen Ladd, moves up four spots in the bantamweight top-10 to take over No. 4. Ladd drops from No. 5 to No. 8.

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 April 14.

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: TBD

3. Stipe Miocic  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Curtis Blaydes  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Chris Daukaus, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

5. Tai Tuivasa  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 14-3
Last: W (KO2) Derrick Lewis, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD

6. Tom Aspinall  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-2
Last: W (Sub1) Alexander Volkov, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD

7. Derrick Lewis  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 26-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO2) Tai Tuivasa, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD

8. Alexander Volkov  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 34-10
Last: L (Sub1) Tom Aspinall, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD

9. Ryan Bader  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 29-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Valentin Moldavsky, Jan. 29, 2022
Next: May 6 vs. Cheick Kongo

10. Jairzinho Rozenstruik  >

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) Curtis Blaydes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

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: 28-9
Last: L (Sub2) Glover Teixeira, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Aleksandar Rakic

3. Corey Anderson  

Promotion: Bellator
Record: 16-5
Last: W (TKO1) Ryan Bader, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 15 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: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Thiago Santos, March 6, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Jan Blachowicz

6. Vadim Nemkov  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Julius Anglickas, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: April 15 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: TBD

2. Robert Whittaker  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: June 11 vs. Marvin Vettori

3. Jared Cannonier  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: W (KO2) Derek Brunson, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD

4. Marvin Vettori  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Robert Whittaker

5. Paulo Costa  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: L (UD) Marvin Vettori, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD

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 30 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: TBD

10. Jack Hermansson  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: L (SD) Sean Strickland, Feb. 5, 2022
Next: TBD

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
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD

3. Khamzat Chimaev  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
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
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 20-5
Last: L (UD) Khamzat Chimaev, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD

6. Vicente Luque  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 21-7-1
Last: W (Sub1) Michael Chiesa, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: April 16 vs. Belal Muhammad

7. Belal Muhammad  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 20-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Stephen Thompson, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: April 16 vs. Vicente Luque

8. Yaroslav Amosov  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Stephen Thompson  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 16-6-1
Last: L (UD) Belal Muhammad, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Sean Brady  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) Michael Chiesa, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: TBD

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Charles Oliveira  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 32-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) Dustin Poirier, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Justin Gaethje

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: 23-3
Last: W (UD) Michael Chandler, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Charles Oliveira

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: 22-7
Last: L (UD) Justin Gaethje, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Tony Ferguson

7. Rafael dos Anjos  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-14
Last: W (UD) Renato Moicano, March 5, 2022
Next: TBD

8. Rafael Fiziev  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD

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: TBD

2. Max Holloway  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD

3. A.J. McKee  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub1) Patricio Freire, July 31, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. Patricio Freire

4. Brian Ortega  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Patricio Freire  

Promotion: Bellator
Record: 32-5
Last: L (Sub1) A.J. McKee, July 31, 2021
Next: April 15 vs. A.J. McKee

6. Calvin Kattar  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Giga Chikadze, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD

7. Arnold Allen  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO1) Dan Hooker, March 19, 2022
Next: TBD

8. Josh Emmett  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 17-2
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Yair Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 13-3, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Giga Chikadze  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
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
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 21-3
Last: W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD

2. Petr Yan  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
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. Rob Font  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5
Last: L (UD) Jose Aldo, Dec. 4, 2021
Next: April 30 vs. Marlon Vera

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. Dominick Cruz  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Marlon Vera  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7-1
Last: W (KO3) Frankie Edgar, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: April 30 vs. Rob Font

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: TBD

3. Kai Kara-France  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 24-9, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Askar Askarov, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

4. Adriano Moraes  

Promotion: One Championship champion
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 20-3
Last: W (Sub3) Yuya Wakamatsu, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

5. Demetrious Johnson  

Promotion: One Championship
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 30-4-1
Last: W (Sub2) Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules), March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

6. Askar Askarov  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-1-1
Last: L (UD) Kai Kara-France, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

7. Alex Perez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD

8. Alexandre Pantoja  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Brandon Royval  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: W (SD) Rogerio Bontorin, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD

10. Rogerio Bontorin  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Brandon Royval, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD

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: TBD vs. Amanda Nunes

2. Amanda Nunes  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (Sub2) Julianna Peña, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Julianna Peña

3. Holly Holm  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3, 2020
Next: TBD

4. Raquel Pennington  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 14-8
Last: W (UD) Aspen Ladd, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD

5. Irene Aldana  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Ketlen Vieira  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) Miesha Tate, Nov. 20, 2021
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
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 9-3
Last: L (UD) Raquel Pennington, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD

9. Sara McMann  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 13-6
Last: W (UD) Karol Rosa, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

10. Macy Chiasson  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 7-2
Last: L (Sub2) Raquel Pennington, Dec. 18, 2021
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: 17-4
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, Jan. 15, 2022
Next: TBD

3. Jessica Andrade  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-9
Last: W (TKO1) Cynthia Calvillo, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: April 23 vs. Amanda Lemos

4. Lauren Murphy  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (TKO4) Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Taila Santos  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, Nov. 20, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Valentina Shevchenko

6. Juliana Velasquez  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (SD) Denise Kielholtz, July 16, 2021
Next: April 22 vs. Liz Carmouche

7. Manon Fiorot>  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 9-1
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia Next: TBD

8. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane  

Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 11-1
Last: L (UD) Juliana Velasquez, Dec. 10, 2020
Next: April 23 vs. Justine Kish

9. Alexa Grasso  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-3
Last: W (Sub1) Joanne Wood, March 26, 2022
Next: TBD

10. Viviane Araujo  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Roxanne Modafferi, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)

1. Rose Namajunas  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (SD) Zhang Weili, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Carla Esparza

2. Zhang Weili  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-2
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

3. Carla Esparza  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (TKO2) Yan Xiaonan, May 22, 2021
Next: May 7 vs. Rose Namajunas

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
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 12-6
Last: L (SD) Mackenzie Dern, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD

8. Amanda Ribas  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Amanda Lemos  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 11-1-1
Last: W (SD) Angela Hill, Dec. 18, 2021
Next: April 23 vs. Jessica Andrade

10. Michelle Waterson  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-9
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD