MMA pound-for-pound rankings: Dustin Poirier moves up and Max Holloway moves in

One performed heroically on the biggest stage possible. The other put on a historic performance.

Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway grabbed the attention of the mixed martial arts world in different ways in the last couple of weeks, but for both the results show in the latest ESPN pound-for-pound rankings.

Poirier made a bold statement at UFC 257 over the weekend, knocking out Conor McGregor in front of a huge pay-per-view audience drawn in by the star power of Poirier’s opponent. That victory elevates the 32-year-old lightweight a couple of spots in the men’s top 10.

Holloway reenters the rankings after a record-breaking victory over Calvin Kattar on Jan. 16. The former featherweight champion shattered more than a dozen UFC records, including the high marks for most significant strikes landed (445), most attempted (744) and most landed in a round (141).

Dropping out of the top 10 to make room for Holloway is heavyweight Francis Ngannou, but he will have a chance to muscle his way back in on March 27 when he challenges champ Stipe Miocic. Can Ngannou score his fifth straight first-round KO?

The women’s rankings remain intact, although No. 1 Amanda Nunes faces a March 6 test when she puts her UFC featherweight belt on the line against Megan Anderson.

(For Brett Okamoto’s division-by-division rankings, go here.)

Note: Results are current; rankings as of Jan. 26.

Men’s pound-for-pound rankings

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov  

UFC lightweight champ
Record: 29-0
Last: W (SUB2) Justin Gaethje, Oct. 24, 2020
Next: Announced retirement

2. Jon Jones  

UFC light heavyweight/announced move to heavyweight
Record: 26-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Dominick Reyes, Feb. 8, 2020
Next: TBD

3. Stipe Miocic  

UFC heavyweight champ
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) Daniel Cormier, Aug. 15, 2020
Next: March 27 vs. Francis Ngannou

4. Israel Adesanya  

UFC middleweight champ
Record: 20-0
Last: W (TKO2) Paulo Costa, Sept. 26, 2020
Next: March 6 vs. Jan Blachowicz

5. Kamaru Usman  

UFC welterweight champ
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, July 11, 2020
Next: Feb. 13 vs. Gilbert Burns

6. Alexander Volkanovski  

UFC featherweight champ
Record: 22-1
Last: W (SD) Max Holloway, July 11, 2020
Next: March 27 vs. Brian Ortega

T-7. Deiveson Figueiredo  

UFC flyweight champ
Record: 20-1-1
Last: D (MD) Brandon Moreno, Dec. 12, 2020
Next: TBD

T-7. Dustin Poirier  

UFC lightweight
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 27-6, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Conor McGregor, Jan. 23, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Demetrious Johnson  

ONE Championship flyweight
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 30-3-1
Last: W (UD) Danny Kingad, Oct. 12, 2019
Next: April 7 vs. Adriano Moraes

10. Max Holloway  

UFC featherweight
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 22-6
Last: W (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 16, 2021
Next: TBD

Other fighters receiving votes: Petr Yan, Justin Gaethje and Francis Ngannou

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. Dustin Poirier
9. Demetrious Johnson
10. Max Holloway

Marc Raimondi
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Kamaru Usman
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Petr Yan
8. Dustin Poirier
9. Deiveson Figueiredo
10. Max Holloway

Ariel Helwani
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Israel Adesanya
5. Kamaru Usman
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Dustin Poirier
8. Max Holloway
9. Justin Gaethje
10. Deiveson Figueiredo

Jeff Wagenheim
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Kamaru Usman
7. Deiveson Figueiredo
8. Alexander Volkanovski
9. Francis Ngannou
10. Dustin Poirier

1. Amanda Nunes  

UFC bantamweight/featherweight champ
Record: 20-4
Last: W (UD) Felicia Spencer, June 6
Next: March 6 vs. Megan Anderson

2. Valentina Shevchenko  

UFC flyweight champ
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) Jennifer Maia, Nov. 21
Next: TBD

3. Cris Cyborg  

Bellator featherweight champ
Record: 23-2, 1 NC
Last: W (SUB2) Arlene Blencowe, Oct. 15
Next: TBD

4. Zhang Weili  

UFC strawweight champ
Record: 21-1
Last: W (SD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, March 7
Next: TBD

5. Rose Namajunas  

UFC strawweight
Record: 9-4
Last: W (SD) Jessica Andrade, July 11
Next: TBD

6. Jessica Andrade  

UFC flyweight
Record: 21-8
Last: W (TKO1) Katlyn Chookagian, Oct. 17
Next: TBD

7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk  

UFC strawweight
Record: 16-4
Last: L (SD) Zhang Weili, March 7
Next: TBD

8. Germaine de Randamie  

UFC bantamweight
Record: 10-4
Last: W (TechSUB3) Julianna Peña, Oct. 3
Next: TBD

9. Holly Holm  

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

10. Katlyn Chookagian  

UFC flyweight
Record: 15-4
Last: W (UD) Cynthia Calvillo, Nov. 21
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