MMA pound-for-pound rankings: Alexander Volkanovski, Aljamain Sterling make moves in top-10

A big victory resulted in a small (but significant) move for Alexander Volkanovski.

The UFC men’s bantamweight champion had his way with Chan Sung Jung on Saturday in their UFC 273 title fight, outstriking the South Korean by 152-51 on his way to a one-sided fourth-round TKO. The win, Volkanovski’s 21st in a row and his third title defense, boosted him up one spot into the top three of the latest ESPN pound-for-pound rankings.

The winner of the UFC 273 co-main event, men’s bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling, moved into the top-10 for the first time, and the former champ he defeated, Petr Yan, dropped out.

The women’s rankings remain unchanged, but with several top-10 women now scheduled for their next bouts, we soon might see some movement.

Note: Results are current; rankings as of April 12.

Men’s pound-for-pound rankings

1. Kamaru Usman  

UFC welterweight champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Israel Adesanya  

UFC middleweight champion
Record: 22-1
Last: W (UD) Robert Whittaker, Feb. 12, 2022
Next: TBD

3. Alexander Volkanovski  

UFC featherweight champion
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 24-1
Last: W (TKO4) Chan Sung Jung, April 9, 2022
Next: TBD

4. Francis Ngannou  

UFC heavyweight champion
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 17-3
Last: W (UD) Ciryl Gane, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD

5. Charles Oliveira  

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

6. Max Holloway  

UFC featherweight
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Dustin Poirier  

UFC lightweight
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) Charles Oliveira, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Glover Teixeira  

UFC light heavyweight champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 33-7
Last: W (Sub2) Jan Blachowicz, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Jiri Prochazka

T-9. Deiveson Figueiredo  

UFC flyweight champion
Previous ranking: T-10
Record: 21-2-1
Last: W (UD) Brandon Moreno, Jan. 22, 2022
Next: TBD

T-9. Aljamain Sterling  

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

Other fighters receiving votes: Justin Gaethje, Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington.

How our panel voted

Brett Okamoto: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Alexander Volkanovski; 3. Israel Adesanya; 4. Max Holloway; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Francis Ngannou; 7. Deiveson Figueiredo; 8. Robert Whittaker; 9. Dustin Poirier; 10. Khamzat Chimaev.

Marc Raimondi: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Israel Adesanya; 3. Francis Ngannou; 4. Alexander Volkanovski; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Aljamain Sterling; 7. Dustin Poirier; 8. Glover Teixeira; 9. Max Holloway; 10. Colby Covington.

Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Charles Oliveira; 3. Alexander Volkanovski; 4. Israel Adesanya; 5. Francis Ngannou; 6. Max Holloway; 7. Glover Teixeira; 8. Deiveson Figueiredo; 9. Aljamain Sterling; 10. Robert Whittaker.

Eddie Maisonet III: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Francis Ngannou; 3. Israel Adesanya; 4. Alexander Volkanovski; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Dustin Poirier; 7. Max Holloway; 8. Justin Gaethje; 9. Deiveson Figueiredo; 10. Aljamain Sterling.

Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Francis Ngannou; 3. Israel Adesanya; 4. Alexander Volkanovski; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Glover Teixeira; 7. Dustin Poirier; 8. Justin Gaethje; 9. Max Holloway; 10. Aljamain Sterling.

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

UFC flyweight champion
Record: 21-3
Last: W (TKO4) Lauren Murphy, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Taila Santos

2. Amanda Nunes  

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

3. Rose Namajunas  

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

4. Cris Cyborg  

Bellator featherweight champion
Record: 25-2, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) Sinead Kavanagh, Nov. 12, 2021
Next: April 23 vs. Arlene Blencowe

5. Julianna Peña  

UFC bantamweight champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (Sub2) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Amanda Nunes

6. Zhang Weili  

UFC strawweight
Record: 21-3
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: June 11 vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk

T-7. Jessica Andrade  

UFC flyweight
Record: 22-9
Last: W (TKO1) Cynthia Calvillo, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

T-7. Kayla Harrison  

PFL lightweight champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (Sub2) Taylor Guardado, Oct. 27, 2021
Next: May 6 vs. Marina Mokhnatkina

9. Carla Esparza  

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

10. Holly Holm  

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

Other fighters receiving votes: Katlyn Chookagian, Raquel Pennington and Marina Rodriguez.

How our panel voted

Brett Okamoto: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Rose Namajunas; 4. Cris Cyborg; 5. Kayla Harrison; 6. Zhang Weili; 7. Jessica Andrade; 8. Julianna Peña; 9. Carla Esparza; 10. Katlyn Chookagian.

Marc Raimondi: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Cris Cyborg; 4. Rose Namajunas; 5. Julianna Peña; 6. Kayla Harrison; 7. Zhang Weili; 8. Jessica Andrade; 9. Holly Holm; 10. Raquel Pennington.

Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Rose Namajunas; 4. Julianna Peña; 5. Cris Cyborg; 6. Holly Holm; 7. Kayla Harrison; 8. Jessica Andrade; 9. Zhang Weili; 10. Carla Esparza.

Eddie Maisonet III: 1. Julianna Peña; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Valentina Shevchenko; 4. Rose Namajunas; 5. Zhang Weili; 6. Cris Cyborg; 7. Jessica Andrade; 8. Carla Esparza; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Marina Rodriguez.

Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Cris Cyborg; 4. Rose Namajunas; 5. Zhang Weili; 6. Jessica Andrade; 7. Julianna Peña; 8. Carla Esparza; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Katlyn Chookagian.