UFC Pound for Pound Rankings: Islam Makhachev Holds On To Top Spot With Dominant Win At UFC 311

The men’s UFC pound for pound rankings are the cream of the crop when it comes to MMA top-10 lists. It is a rundown of the very best fighters on planet Earth today and it features the competitors who best mix power, speed, athleticism, and fight IQ into an absolutely destructive cage fighting force.

It’s also a list that is heavily debated and as subjective a topic as there is in the MMA community. With that said, here are the latest Ringside Intel UFC pound-for-pound rankings.

10. Dricus Du Plessis (22-2)

It hasn’t always been pretty but Dricus Du Plessis’ eight-fight win streak inside the Octagon is undeniable. He is a well-rounded fighter who has scored wins in different ways. And a trio of wins over former middleweight kings Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and Israel Adesnaya — including two finishes — is worth landing in the UFC pound for pound rankings.

9. Leon Edwards (22-4)

Leon Edwards forever stamped his place in UFC and UK MMA history when he was able to topple division legend Kamaru Usman in 2022. His victories in the rematch and then against Colby Covington placed him among the greatest UK fighters of all time. However, all good things come to an end.

At UFC 304 his long win streak was ended to rival Belal Muhammad, and the new champ does not seem keen on giving Edwards a rematch any time soon.

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8. Alexander Volkanovski (26-4)

Featherweight great Alexander Volkanovski is one of the most complete fighters in the sport. There is little he can’t do in the cage, and he has the fight IQ to back it up. However, being a champion at lightweight is not a goal he will achieve during his career after falling to lightweight king Islam Makhachev in two opportunities.

He is also no longer the king at featherweight and is no longer among the three best fighters in the world. Nevertheless, he is still a must-have on any UFC pound-for-pound rankings.

7. Belal Muhammad (24-3)

You can no longer doubt the talents of Belal Muhammad. He has beaten high-level fighters like Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, and Gilbert Burns, and now can call himself world champion after defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

His rise to the top is one of the best stories in the UFC. Now, he must solidify his place among the best welterweights ever and get a few defenses under his golden belt.

6. Alexandre Pantoja (29-5)

Brazil’s Alexandre Pantoja has had a long hard road to becoming the UFC flyweight king. He has toiled away inside the division for years before he was finally able to earn a title fight at UFC 290. In his first chance at being champion, he made good by scoring a second (third unofficial) win over division king Brandon Moreno.

Since then he has become a strong champion with three straight successful title defenses. His most recent coming at UFC 310 as he stopped Japanese star Kai Asakura at UFC 310. “That Cannibal” has put together a resume that puts him in the discussion as the second-greatest flyweight of all time behind Demetrious Johnson.

5. Merab Dvalishvili (19-4)

After losing back-to-back fights, Merab Dvalishvili really has been a “Machine.” He has won 12 straight, including over bantamweight greats Henry Cejudo, Jose Aldo, Petr Yan, and Sean O’Malley. However, at UFC 311 many felt Umar Nurmagomedov would be too much for the Georgian star.

But Dvalishvili’s patented will and gas tank was again an unsolvable riddle for his opponent. He shut up his doubters and proved he is the best 135-pound fighter alive.

4. Jon Jones (29-1)

To many fight fans, Jon Jones is the greatest of all time, and with good reason. Outside of a very controversial defeat early in his career, he has rarely been tested during a legendary run in the UFC. And he added to a legacy that had him as the best light heavyweight of all time by winning the heavyweight belt in 2023.

After another extended layoff, he finally made his return to the cage at UFC 309 in a historic bout with heavyweight legend Stipe Miocic. And just like many of his fights, “Bones” was just too much en route to another dominant win.

3. Ilia Topuria (15-0)

Ilia Topuria has evolved into one of the best fighters on the planet during an impressive eight-fight run. While many respected him before becoming champion, his last two victories have put him in rare air. The Spaniard has scored back-to-back knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, arguably the two greatest featherweights of all time, in his last two. He is on a path to legendary status.

2. Alex Pereira (11-2)

Alex Pereira’s UFC story is becoming legendary. After ten fights, he became a two-division champion and scored destructive wins over some of the best fighters of this era at middleweight and light heavyweight. The 37-year-old has been a revelation for the company and connected with the MMA fanbase with an approach to fighting similar to cage-fighting icon Fedor Emelianenko.

At UFC 307 he continued his hot run with a dominant come-from-behind win over a game Khalil Rountree. If not for the brilliance of Makhachev over the last few years, “Poatan” would get the No. 1 spot in our latest top 10.

1. Islam Makhachev (27-1)

The idea of Islam Makhachev being the best lightweight fighter of all time would have been scoffed at a couple of years ago. However, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s pupil has put together a Hall-of-Fame resume and is turning into one of the best lightweight champions ever.

He took his legacy to new heights at UFC 311 when he had a short-notice replacement for the second time in a title fight. And just like last time he dominated and racked up another successful title defense. Islam Makhachev is the best fighter in the world right now.