“I know only one thing what I want from UFC,” Khabib Nurmagomedov said moments after his victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. “You guys have to put me No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, because I deserve it.”
That he does.
And despite the undefeated lightweight champion having announced his retirement immediately after his second-round submission win Oct. 24 on Fight Island, the UFC did keep Nurmagomedov in its rankings and did elevate him to the top spot, as he wished.
The ESPN pound-for-pound men’s rankings, on the other hand, were ahead of the curve. The 32-year-old Dagestani has been No. 1 for months. That’s what a 29-0 record filled with dominant victories will get you.
However, Nurmagomedov still got a boost in the ESPN top 10: He now is the unanimous top choice of our four voters.
There likely will be a shakeup at the top of the mountain next time these rankings are updated, as Nurmagomedov does not seem like the type to announce a retirement merely as a negotiation tactic. He left the sport less than four months after the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, after promising his mother the Gaethje fight would be his last. “And if I give my word,” said Nurmagomedov, “I have to follow it.”
“This is real,” his longtime friend and training partner Daniel Cormier said. “Khabib doesn’t lie. Khabib doesn’t play ‘I’m retiring and I’m coming back.'”
So consider this unanimous No. 1 ranking ESPN’s goodbye to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The biggest change in these rankings? It’s one that carries a punch: Making his debut in the men’s top 10 is heavyweight Francis Ngannou, whose past four bouts have been knockouts in 45 seconds (Curtis Blaydes), 26 seconds (Cain Velasquez), 71 seconds (Junior dos Santos) and 20 seconds (Jairzinho Rozenstruik). His next fight is expected to be a challenge of champ Stipe Miocic.
In the women’s rankings, Jessica Andrade moves up a spot on the strength of her Oct. 17 flyweight debut, a first-round TKO of ranked fighter Katlyn Chookagian.
(For Brett Okamoto’s division-by-division rankings, go here.)
Note: Results are current; rankings as of Oct. 28.
Men’s pound-for-pound rankings
Record: 29-0
Weight class: Lightweight
Last: W (SUB2) Justin Gaethje, Oct. 24
Next: Announced retirement
2. Jon Jones 
Record: 26-1, 1 NC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Last: W (UD) Dominick Reyes, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
3. Stipe Miocic
Record: 20-3
Weight class: Heavyweight
Last: W (UD) Daniel Cormier, Aug. 15
Next: TBD
Record: 20-0
Weight class: Middleweight
Last: W (TKO2) Paulo Costa, Sept. 26
Next: TBD
5. Kamaru Usman
Record: 17-1
Weight class: Welterweight
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, July 11
Next: TBD vs. Gilbert Burns
Record: 22-1
Weight class: Featherweight
Last: W (SD) Max Holloway, July 11
Next: TBD
Record: 30-3-1
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: W (UD) Danny Kingad, Oct. 12, 2019
Next: TBD vs. Adriano Moraes
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 19-1
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: W (TechSub1) Joseph Benavidez, July 19
Next: Nov. 21 vs. Alex Perez
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 25-6, 1 NC
Weight class: Lightweight
Last: W (UD) Dan Hooker, June 27
Next: TBD
10. Francis Ngannou 
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 15-3
Weight class: Heavyweight
Last: W (KO1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, May 9
Next: TBD
Other fighters receiving votes: Justin Gaethje, Petr Yan, Max Holloway, Conor McGregor and Robert Whittaker.
How our writers voted
Brett Okamoto
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Israel Adesanya
4. Stipe Miocic
5. Kamaru Usman
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Deiveson Figueiredo
8. Demetrious Johnson
9. Dustin Poirier
10. Max Holloway
Marc Raimondi
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Kamaru Usman
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Deiveson Figueiredo
8. Petr Yan
9. Francis Ngannou
10. Robert Whittaker
Ariel Helwani
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Israel Adesanya
5. Kamaru Usman
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Dustin Poirier
8. Justin Gaethje
9. Demetrious Johnson
10. Conor McGregor
Jeff Wagenheim
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Kamaru Usman
7. Alexander Volkanovski
8. Deiveson Figueiredo
9. Francis Ngannou
10. Dustin Poirier
1. Amanda Nunes
Record: 20-4
Weight class: Bantamweight/featherweight
Last: W (UD) Felicia Spencer, June 6
Next: Dec. 12 vs. Megan Anderson
Record: 19-3
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: W (TKO3) Katlyn Chookagian, Feb. 8
Next: Nov. 21 vs. Jennifer Maia
3. Cris Cyborg
Record: 23-2, 1 NC
Weight class: Featherweight
Last: W (SUB2) Arlene Blencowe, Oct. 15
Next: TBD
4. Zhang Weili
Record: 21-1
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: W (SD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, March 7
Next: TBD
Record: 9-4
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: W (SD) Jessica Andrade, July 11
Next: TBD
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 21-8
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: W (TKO1) Katlyn Chookagian, Oct. 17
Next: TBD
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 16-4
Weight class: Strawweight
Last: L (SD) Zhang Weili, March 7
Next: TBD
Record: 10-4
Weight class: Bantamweight
Last: W (TechSUB3) Julianna Peña, Oct. 3
Next: TBD
9. Holly Holm
Record: 14-5
Weight class: Bantamweight
Last: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3
Next: TBD
Previous ranking: T-9
Record: 14-4
Weight class: Flyweight
Last: L (TKO1) Jessica Andrade, Oct. 17
Next: TBD
Other fighters receiving votes: Julia Budd and Seo Hee Ham.
How our writers voted
Brett Okamoto
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Zhang Weili
4. Rose Namajunas
5. Cris Cyborg
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Katlyn Chookagian
Marc Raimondi
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Seo Hee Ham
Ariel Helwani
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Jessica Andrade
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Katlyn Chookagian
Jeff Wagenheim
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Julia Budd