Alex Pereira took a little sojourn from the pound-for-pound rankings after losing his title to Magomed Ankalaev in March. We say sojourn, because he resurfaced in August even though he hadnt fought the rematch yet.
Now he has, and boy did he look like vintage Poatan.
After avenging the loss with an 80-second stoppage finish of “Big Ank” at UFC 320 in Las Vegas, Pereira shoots back up to No. 7 on the mens side of the ledger. It wasnt the toilsome performance some thought he might need to turn in to get the job done. Pereira went right at Ankalaev with punches up top and leg kicks before landing the right hand that changed all fortunes.
As for Merab Dvalishvili, who scored a one-sided beatdown of Cory Sandhagen on the same card? He holds down his No. 3 position this month, but the gap is shrinking between him and No. 2 Islam Makhachev.
Now the question becomes: Who is left out there to challenge The Machine?
Uncrowned’s panel of Ben Fowlkes, Chuck Mindenhall, Shaheen Al-Shatti, Petesy Carroll, Drake Riggs, Eric Jackman and Conner Burks have ranked both the mens and womens pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings (being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point).
Our only criterion for these monthly rankings is that a fighter has competed within at least a calendar year of the publication date or has at least had a fight booked within that window. If a fighter hasnt competed in a year and books a fight after that time, he or she is once again eligible to be voted back in. Fighters who retire are no longer eligible for the rankings.
Though most of the best fighters are currently in the UFC, these rankings are not UFC exclusive. We take into consideration all the major promotions, from the Bellator/PFL conglomerate to ONE Championship.
Without further ado, the MMA pound-for-pound rankings for October!
1. Ilia Topuria UFC lightweight champion (Prev: 1)
UFC should book Topuria into a fight soon, as the flirtations to box Terence Crawford couldnt help but strain the imagination. Might a date with Justin Gaethje be in the works? Thats a distinct possibility for the top pound-for-pound fighter going, even if there was a small part of us that hoped Paddy Pimblett might cut the line.
2. Islam Makhachev Former UFC lightweight champion (Prev: 2)
The move up to welterweight for Islam is a legacy gamble, as theres no guarantee that hell look the same with 15 pounds of additional frame. Yet if he shows up to UFC 322 in November and smokes Jack Della Maddalena, there will be plenty of conversations about his GOAT status and whether or not he has surpassed his master, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
3. Merab Dvalishvili UFC bantamweight champion (Prev: 3)
Its not like Merab adds new wrinkles to his game plans, but he did opt to stand with Sandhagen early and bounced a fair number of knuckles off “The Sandmans” chin. From there? He kept Sandhagen in his custody for four extraordinarily dominant rounds. Haters will point out that Merab has only two finishes in his impressive 14-fight win streak, yet beating the best of the best over 25 minutes is all kinds of impressive.
4. Alexandre Pantoja UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 4)
Pantoja is a masterclass of the monster-class, and the successive finishes of Kai Kara-France and Kai Asakura have only shown just how wide the gap is between him and the nearest flyweight contender. Know whats fun though? A fight with the 23-year-old Joshua Van. Maybe its a slight exaggeration, but that might be the best fight in flyweight history.
5. Khamzat Chimaev UFC middleweight champion (Prev: 5)
The great thing about reaching champion status is that you can make intimidating eyes at other weight classes to spark up a lot of imagination. Chimaevs interest in a fight with the reclaimed light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is one of those moments. Can you even begin to imagine? Pereiras a big dude, but Chimaev tends to appear larger in the rear-view mirror.
6. Tom Aspinall UFC heavyweight champion (Prev: 6)
Bring on Ciryl Gane. It feels like many eons since Aspinall won the interim heavyweight title, and the removal of that designation to be just the heavyweight champion feels right. But until he beats Gane, theres a lot left in the abstract. The good news is that if Aspinall does beat Gane, names like Pereira and The One Who Shant Be Named (rhymes with Bon Phones) are out there as possibilities.
7. Alex Pereira UFC light heavyweight champion (Prev: 10)
Vegas installed Pereira as an underdog for the rematch with Ankalaev, and why not? Once a champion loses his belt, the rematch usually serves to solidify the idea that the first one wasnt a fluke. In this case, Pereira made that first fight at UFC 313 feel like an aberration. He went in there Saturday night with the idea of wrecking Ankalaev, like a man who wanted to get some stuff of his chest. Now we can speculate for the next couple of months as to what happens next for Pereira.
8. Alexander Volkanovski UFC featherweight champion (Prev: 8)
The signs are that a title defense against Lerone Murphy is next for “Volk,” which is a dangerous matchup. Murphy sent Aaron Pico into the shadow realm at UFC 319 to make his case (and perhaps take the pole position from Movsar Evloev, who was supposed to have faced Pico). You know what this means? Fresh blood for Alexander the Great.
9. Jack Della Maddalena UFC welterweight champion (Prev: 9)
“JDM” is like a Posturepedic mattress, as people love to sleep on him. They are doing it again in his upcoming title defense against the famous division-jumper Makhachev. Yet you know what Della Maddalena isnt? A soft landing spot. Theres already the sound of far-off construction to be heard just outside the door. Construction in the area? Neighbors cutting lumber? No, no, no, thats the buzzsaw from Perth, getting closer.
10. Dricus du Plessis UFC middleweight contender (Prev: NR)
With Ankalaevs fall, look who re-enters the pound-for-pound picture? None other than our old friend Dricus du Plessis, the former middleweight champion who watched Cory Sandhagen suffer a fate hes all-too familiar with this past weekend. Good news for “DDP” is that hes only 31 years old and can bounce back from the drubbing.
(Others receiving votes: Magomed Ankalaev, Arman Tsarukyan)
1. Zhang Weili UFC strawweight champion (Prev: 1)
UFC did the right thing by standing by Zhang Weilis desire to move up to flyweight to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the title. Its a super compelling fight on paper, not only because Zhang’s built out of hard material and is at the very top of her game, but also because Shevchenko is in the twilight of her career. That clash looms for UFC 322.
2. Valentina Shevchenko UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 2)
Then again, dont be duped by Shevchenkos age. Its true that she has some years behind her, which has (traditionally) been the red zone for fighter decline yet if the Manon Fiorot fight told us anything, its that The Bullet has plenty left in the tank. If she beats Zhang out in New York City, well be having some discussions about where she belongs in the canon of all-time female greats.
3. Kayla Harrison UFC bantamweight contender (Prev: 3)
Similar to the Shevchenko vs. Zhang situation, two overlapping legacies will collide at some point in the near future when Harrison takes on Amanda Nunes. This fight should be considered one of the best in womens history, even if neither has the kind of clout that Ronda Rousey did during her heyday. With the brutal weight cut for Harrison, would the UFC consider making it a catchweight at 140 pounds? (We can say confidently that Harrison would welcome that with open arms!)
4. Cris Cyborg PFL super fights womens featherweight champion (Prev: 4)
Holy s***! Guess who has a fight on the books? Thats right, Cris Cyborg, whom the PFL finally got around to booking for a Dec. 13 date against the undefeated Australian fighter, Sara Collins. Will this be a rag-doll session in the vein of Jan Finney or Marloes Coenen? Remember those days? Probably not, given that Cyborg has hit the big Four-O, but this is a fight she should win.
5. Dakota Ditcheva PFL womens 2024 flyweight tournament champion (Prev: 5)
In July it was learned that Ditcheva signed a new deal with the PFL, which was like a trumpet fart for those holding out hope that shed end up in the UFC. In the meantime UFC analyst Din Thomas suggested the UFC trade Magomed Ankalaev over to the PFL for Ditcheva, which which were sorry, its hard to type while laughing this hard.
6. Natalia Silva UFC flyweight contender (Prev: 6)
Perhaps the fighter who took the biggest blow from the Shevchenko superfight booking was Silva, who has done enough to fight for a title at 125 pounds. But there will be time, dear reader there will be time. At 28 years old, Silva has a (not so) modest 13-fight winning streak in place, and she fights like a banshee. Maybe a matchup with Rose Namajunas can tide her over?
7. Virna Jandiroba UFC strawweight contender (Prev: 7)
With strawweight wide open for business following the departure of Zhang Weili, Virna Jandiroba will get her chance at gold at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi against Mackenzie Dern. Youd love to see the 37-yer-old Jandiroba breakthrough on that front, too, as she has persevered many trials and tribulations to arrive at this spot.
8T. Seika Izawa Rizin super atomweight champion (Prev: 9)
Did you see the Supernova take out Shin Yu-jin in Saitama in July? The first-round submission? No? At this point it feels like a select American audience searches out Izawas fights the way record-lovers used to go after Japanese imports in the 1970s; its a hipster passion that loves being ahead of the curve. One day well see Izawa in the UFC, and, by joven, well smugly say, this versions cool, but her earlier work was transcendent.
8T. Manon Fiorot UFC flyweight contender (Prev: 10)
The Beast from Nice makes her return in British Columbia, making a house call to take on Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius. This is a chance to put the Shevchenko loss behind her with a quickness, and recapture that No. 1 contender spot especially if Zhang Weili beats Valentina. And to be honest, Fiorot still feels destined to wear UFC gold.
10. Larissa Pacheco PFL featherweight contender (Prev: 8)
RED ALERT. If youve information as to the whereabouts of Larissa Pacheco, please contact the Uncrowned offices immediately. Repeat, if youve information as to the whereabouts of Larissa Pacheco, 5-foot-6, dark hair, cut short, with visible tattoos on her neck, please contact the Uncrowned offices immediately. We just want to make sure she is still an active fighter.
(Others receiving votes: Jasmine Jasudavicius, Julianna Pena, Manon Fiorot, Liz Carmouche, Alexa Grasso)
Heres how we voted:
SHAHEEN AL-SHATTI
MEN
1. Ilia Topuria
2. Islam Makhachev
3. Alexandre Pantoja
4. Merab Dvalishvili
5. Alex Pereira
6. Tom Aspinall
7. Khamzat Chimaev
8. Alexander Volkanovski
9. Jack Della Maddalena
10. Dricus du Plessis
WOMEN
1. Kayla Harrison
2. Zhang Weili
3. Valentina Shevchenko
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Larissa Pacheco
6. Seika Izawa
7. Dakota Ditcheva
8. Virna Jandiroba
9. Natalia Silva
10. Liz Carmouche
CONNER BURKS
MEN
1. Ilia Topuria
2. Merab Dvalishvili
3. Islam Makhachev
4. Khamzat Chimaev
5. Alexandre Pantoja
6. Tom Aspinall
7. Alexander Volkanovski
8. Alex Pereira
9. Jack Della Maddalena
10. Dricus Du Plessis
WOMEN
1. Zhang Weili
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Kayla Harrison
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Dakota Ditcheva
6. Natalia Silva
7. Larissa Pacheco
8. Virna Jandiroba
9. Manon Fiorot
10. Julianna Pena
PETESY CARROLL
MEN
1. Ilia Topuria
2. Islam Makhachev
3. Merab Dvalishvili
4. Alexandre Pantoja
5. Khamzat Chimaev
6. Tom Aspinall
7. Alex Pereira
8. Alexander Volkanovski
9. Jack Della Maddalena
10. Magomed Ankalaev
WOMEN
1. Zhang Weili
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Kayla Harrison
4. Dakota Ditcheva
5. Cris Cyborg
6. Natalia Silva
7. Manon Fiorot
8. Virna Jandiroba
9. Jasmine Jasudavicius
10. Julianna Pena
BEN FOWLKES
MEN
1. Islam Makhachev
2. Ilia Topuria
3. Merab Dvalishvili
4. Alexandre Pantoja
5. Khamzat Chimaev
6. Alex Pereira
7. Tom Aspinall
8. Alexander Volkanovski
9. Jack Della Maddalena
10. Magomed Ankalaev
WOMEN
1. Zhang Weili
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Kayla Harrison
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Dakota Ditcheva
6. Virna Jandiroba
7. Natalia Silva
8. Jasmine Jasudavicius
9. Manon Fiorot
10. Liz Carmouche
ERIC JACKMAN
MEN
1. Merab Dvalishvili
2. Islam Makhachev
3. Ilia Topuria
4. Alexandre Pantoja
5. Khamzat Chimaev
6. Alex Pereira
7. Tom Aspinall
8. Jack Della Maddalena
9. Alexander Volkanovski
10. Arman Tsarukyan
WOMEN
1. Zhang Weili
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Kayla Harrison
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Virna Jandiroba
6. Natalia Silva
7. Dakota Ditcheva
8. Larissa Pacheco
9. Jasmine Jasudavicius
10. Manon Fiorot
CHUCK MINDENHALL
MEN
1. Islam Makhachev
2. Ilia Topuria
3. Merab Dvalishvili
4. Alexandre Pantoja
5. Khamzat Chimaev
6. Tom Aspinall
7. Alexnader Volkanovski
8. Alex Pereira
9. Jack Della Maddalena
10. Dricus du Plessis
WOMEN
1. Kayla Harrison
2. Zhang Weili
3. Valentina Shevchenko
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Dakota Ditcheva
6. Manon Fiorot
7. Virna Jandiroba
8. Natalia Silva
9. Jasmine Jasudavicius
10. Liz Carmouche
DRAKE RIGGS
MEN
1. Ilia Topuria
2. Merab Dvalishvili
3. Islam Makhachev
4. Alexandre Pantoja
5. Khamzat Chimaev
6. Tom Aspinall
7. Jack Della Maddalena
8. Alexander Volkanovski
9. Alex Pereira
10. Magomed Ankalaev
WOMEN
1. Zhang Weili
2. Seika Izawa
3. Valentina Shevchenko
4. Cris Cyborg
5. Kayla Harrison
6. Natalia Silva
7. Virna Jandiroba
8. Liz Carmouche
9. Dakota Ditcheva
10. Alexa Grasso