Volkanovski jumps five spots to No. 2 after KO of Evloev

Alexander Volkanovski climbed five positions on the ESPN men's pound-for-pound rankings to reach No. 2 following Saturday’s UFC 333 event. The 38-year-old UFC featherweight champion knocked out Movsar Evloev in the second round. Evloev entered the fight undefeated. The panel behind the rankings stated that Volkanovski is far from finished. That assessment addresses previous questions about his longevity after his earlier loss to Ilia Topuria.

Petr Yan also moved on the list after winning the co-main event. The bantamweight champion defeated Merab Dvalishvili to keep his title and complete their trilogy. Yan fell from No. 2 to No. 3. The win reversed a performance slump Yan experienced between 2021 and 2023. Dvalishvili, now tied for No. 8, lost his second straight bout to Yan.

Tom Aspinall disappeared from the top of the list because he has not competed in over a year. The former UFC heavyweight champion is recovering from eye injuries sustained in a no-contest against Ciryl Gane in October 2025. A fighter must compete within the past 12 months or have a booked fight to stay on the board. That rule keeps Aspinall off the list until he returns to the cage.

Islam Makhachev remains at No. 1. The welterweight champion has won 17 consecutive fights, a record-breaking streak. His recent victory over Ian Machado Garry adds to his historic achievement count. Justin Gaethje holds the No. 5 spot after a fourth-round TKO win over Ilia Topuria. The 37-year-old earned his long-sought undisputed title in that fight.

Arman Tsarukyan rose to No. 7 after a first-round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy. Ciryl Gane moved up to a tie for No. 8. The heavyweight champion recently defeated Alex Pereira and will face Josh Hokit at UFC 334. Gane has fought the four biggest names in his division, a distinction no other heavyweight holds.

Valentina Shevchenko stays at No. 1 in the women’s rankings despite currently being injured. She vacated her title after beating Zhang Weili in November 2025. Zhang Weili, who has moved up in weight, is No. 2. Cris Cyborg is No. 3 after a recent submission win. Natalia Silva is No. 4 after capturing the UFC flyweight belt by defeating Wang Cong. Mackenzie Dern is No. 5 after a dominant title defense against Gillian Robertson.