After five rounds Saturday night at UFC 313, the judges were unanimous in awarding the main event victory -- and light heavyweight championship -- to Magomed Ankalaev, dousing the star power of Alex Pereira. The ESPN rankings voters were not as unified in how they viewed the fight and where its participants belong in the pound-for-pound hierarchy.
Ankalaev enters the top 10 for the first time, and though he appears on every ballot, his placement is spread everywhere. One voter has him in the top four, while another puts him near the bottom of the rankings.
Pereira, previously ranked No. 2, remained in the top five on a pair of ballots, and one voter ranks him ahead of Ankalaev despite the loss. Another voter omits Pereira from his top 10.
In the end, both light heavyweights -- former champ and current one -- are in the ESPN men's pound-for-pound top 10, representing the only change in the latest rankings, men's or women's.
For the ESPN divisional MMA rankings, click here.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of March 11. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed over the past 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Fighters who have been dropped for inactivity can be reinstated only after they compete.
Men's pound-for-pound rankings
Magomed Ankalaev quiets the Las Vegas crowd as he beats Alex Pereira via unanimous decision to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.
UFC lightweight champion
Record: 27-1
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
He staked his claim as the greatest lightweight of all time by swiftly dispatching late-replacement opponent Moicano at UFC 311. It was his UFC-record fourth title defense and tied Kamaru Usman for the second-longest winning streak in UFC history at 15. Makhachev finally won over UFC CEO Dana White, who now agrees he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The only question is whether Makhachev will look to extend his reign of dominance at 155 pounds or take his talents to welterweight in pursuit of a championship in a second weight class. -- Andreas Hale
2. Ilia Topuria 
UFC featherweight champion
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 16-0
Last: W (KO3) vs. Max Holloway, Oct. 26, 2024
Next: TBD
After knocking out two of the greatest featherweights in UFC history (Alexander Volkanovski and Holloway) in 2024, what will Topuria do for an encore in 2025? He moved up to lightweight to challenge Islam Makhachev, which would greatly impact the pound-for-pound rankings. Topuria will vacate his title in time for Volkanovski and Diego Lopes to tussle for the 145-pound belt in April. -- Hale
3. Jon Jones 
UFC heavyweight champion
Record: 28-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stipe Miocic, Nov. 16, 2024
Next: TBD
He has ceded his place as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world to Islam Makhachev, but the only thing preventing Jones from reclaiming the spot is activity. Should "Bones" finally accept Tom Aspinall's challenge, he will have the opportunity to silence the doubters and prove again why he has been called the greatest MMA fighter of all time. -- Hale
UFC bantamweight champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 19-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Jan. 18, 2025
Next: TBD
Dvalishvili's stellar performance defending his bantamweight title against Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 vaults the cardio machine into the top five. His endless endurance broke Nurmagomedov and made oddsmakers look like fools for having the champion as a significant underdog. He might not be the best bantamweight in UFC history yet, but his current run of beating José Aldo, Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, Sean O'Malley and Nurmagomedov is one of the best stretches we've seen in the division. -- Hale
5. Tom Aspinall
UFC heavyweight interim champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 15-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27, 2024
Next: TBD
If you're going by the eye test, you can make a case that Aspinall is the most dynamic, skillful, naturally talented heavyweight the sport has seen. He is dominating opponents in a way that is unmatched. No one can last a round with him. Now, will we see him fight Jon Jones? -- Brett Okamoto
UFC light heavyweight champion
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 20-1-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Pereira, March 8, 2025
Next: TBD
Ankalaev dethroned Pereira at UFC 313 for his 14th consecutive fight without a loss, a run that began after his UFC debut in 2018. -- Okamoto
UFC flyweight champion
Record: 29-5
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Kai Asakura, Dec. 7, 2024
Next: TBD
The UFC's flyweight king has racked up three title defenses, including two in pay-per-view main events in 2024. He has already teased his next title defense in the first half of 2025. Pantoja is quickly taking laps around the 125-pound division. -- Okamoto
T-8. Dricus Du Plessis
UFC middleweight champion
Record: 23-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Feb. 8, 2025
Next: TBD
No one receives as many backhanded compliments as Du Plessis -- but as long as the wins keep coming, who cares? The UFC's middleweight champ is known for breaking all of the technical rules of MMA and making it work. He has taken out some of the biggest names of his division's history and is on his way to becoming one of those names if it keeps up. -- Okamoto
T-8. Alex Pereira 
UFC light heavyweight
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, March 8, 2025
Next: TBD
A stellar 2024 cemented Pereira's place as a star in the UFC, but he faced arguably his toughest test as light heavyweight champion when he stepped into the Octagon with Ankalaev at UFC 313. Pereira had dealt with strikers, but could he get the job done against a talented grappler? Pereira kept the fight standing but fell short by unanimous decision. -- Hale
10. Belal Muhammad
UFC welterweight champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27, 2024
Next: May 10 vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Muhammad is on an 11-fight unbeaten streak, which dates to 2019. He has no discernible holes in his game, and he has been finished only once in his career. It's going to take someone remarkable to beat him. Della Maddalena will take his shot at UFC 315. -- Okamoto
Other fighters receiving votes: Francis Ngannou and Khamzat Chimaev.
How our panel voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Islam Makhachev; 2. Ilia Topuria; 3. Tom Aspinall; 4. Merab Dvalishvili; 5. Jon Jones; 6. Alexandre Pantoja; 7. Belal Muhammad; 8. Dricus Du Plessis; 9. Magomed Ankalaev; 10. Alex Pereira.
Andreas Hale: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Dvalishvili; 5. Aspinall; 6. Ankalaev; 7. Muhammad; 8. Francis Ngannou; 9. Pantoja; 10. Pereira.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Pereira; 5. Pantoja; 6. Dvalishvili; 7. Du Plessis; 8. Ankalaev; 9. Ngannou; 10. Muhammad.
Ian Parker: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Dvalishvili; 5. Du Plessis; 6. Ankalaev; 7. Pantoja; 8. Muhammad; 9. Aspinall; 10. Khamzat Chimaev.
Andrew Davis: 1. Makhachev; 2. Jones; 3. Topuria; 4. Ankalaev; 5. Pereira; 6. Dvalishvili; 7. Aspinall; 8. Du Plessis; 9. Pantoja; 10. Muhammad.
Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Makhachev; 2. Topuria; 3. Aspinall; 4. Jones; 5. Dvalishvili; 6. Ngannou; 7. Pantoja; 8. Ankalaev; 9. Chimaev; 10. Pereira.
Women's pound-for-pound rankings
Zhang Weili wins via unanimous decision over Tatiana Suarez in a one-sided victory in Sydney at UFC 312.
1. Zhang Weili
UFC strawweight champion
Record: 26-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Feb. 8, 2025
Next: TBD
Amanda Nunes left a big hole in women's MMA when she announced her retirement in 2023, but Zhang has filled that void in terms of a dominant presence. -- Okamoto
UFC flyweight champion
Record: 23-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: May 10 vs. Manon Fiorot
Despite losing her title to Grasso, Shevchenko remained a staple of the women's pound-for-pound list. By the end of her memorable trilogy with Grasso, she had proved she is still one step ahead of the rest, and can game plan and improve to the point of dominating her rival in their final meeting. Can she do the same against Fiorot?-- Okamoto
3. Cris Cyborg
Bellator featherweight and PFL Super Fights champion
Record: 28-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Larissa Pacheco, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
It had been a while since Cyborg had fought an elite opponent in MMA until she met Pacheco in 2024. That was a legitimate matchup -- and many within the industry were predicting Cyborg's downfall. Instead, she took out the PFL's two-weight champion, upending all of Pacheco's momentum. One of the original pioneers of women's MMA is somehow still going strong. -- Okamoto
4. Alexa Grasso
UFC flyweight
Record: 16-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14, 2024
Next: May 10 vs. Natalia Silva
Grasso has already established herself as one of the most influential Mexican fighters of all time and one of the best fighters in the world. She will have to author a comeback story after losing her title to Shevchenko in 2024 and then suffering a serious leg injury. She's only 31. She's likely to remain on this list for years to come. -- Okamoto
UFC bantamweight
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
The longtime face of the PFL is quickly becoming the face of the UFC's women's divisions, as well. Harrison has already defeated two of the best 135-pounders in the UFC, and she'll be favored to win the belt whenever she faces current champion Julianna Peña. If she wins the belt, don't be surprised if her first move is to demand Amanda Nunes come out of retirement. -- Okamoto
6. Manon Fiorot
UFC flyweight
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30, 2024
Next: May 10 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
Fiorot is set to challenge Shevchenko for the women's flyweight championship after knocking off Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield in her past two fights. She has the tools to become the next champion. -- Hale
PFL featherweight champion
Record: 23-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Cris Cyborg, Oct. 19, 2024
Next: TBD
As the only woman to defeat Kayla Harrison and after coming close to beating Cyborg last October, Pacheco deserves her spot on this list. Unfortunately, the lack of quality opponents in the PFL will prevent her from climbing higher. At 30, Pacheco is still improving, but it will be interesting to see who the PFL finds to face her next. -- Hale
UFC bantamweight champion
Record: 12-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington, Oct. 5, 2024
Next: TBD
She upset the apple cart once, when she beat Amanda Nunes to become bantamweight champion, and became a two-time champion with a narrow split decision win over Pennington in October. She'll get the chance to pull off another upset when her title defense with Kayla Harrison is eventually booked. Can she do it again? -- Hale
UFC flyweight
Record: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas, Nov. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
Blanchfield dug herself out of a hole to beat Namajunas in November, and now the 25-year-old is waiting for what's next, as Manon Fiorot will fight Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title in May. Blanchfield has immense potential and has shown new wrinkles in her game since dropping a decision to Fiorot last year. -- Hale
10. Rose Namajunas
UFC flyweight
Record: 13-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, Nov. 2, 2024
Next: TBD
The two-time former strawweight champion had a strong start against Blanchfield in her fourth fight since moving up a division in 2023. She has work to do if she hopes to contend for another belt. -- Hale
Other fighters receiving votes: Yan Xiaonan, Dakota Ditcheva, Virna Jandiroba and Seika Izawa.
How our panel voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Zhang Weili; 2. Valentina Shevchenko; 3. Cris Cyborg; 4. Alexa Grasso; 5. Manon Fiorot; 6. Rose Namajunas; 7. Erin Blanchfield; 8. Kayla Harrison; 9. Larissa Pacheco; 10. Yan Xiaonan.
Andreas Hale: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Grasso; 4. Cyborg; 5. Fiorot; 6. Harrison; 7. Pacheco; 8. Namajunas; 9. Peña; 10. Blanchfield.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Shevchenko; 2. Zhang; 3. Grasso; 4. Cyborg; 5. Harrison; 6. Peña; 7. Pacheco; 8. Dakota Ditcheva; 9. Fiorot; 10. Blanchfield.
Ian Parker: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Cyborg; 4. Harrison; 5. Grasso; 6. Peña; 7. Pacheco; 8. Fiorot; 9. Virna Vandiroba; 10. Blanchfield.
Andrew Davis: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Cyborg; 4. Harrison; 5. Grasso; 6. Peña; 7. Fiorot; 8. Pacheco; 9. Blanchfield; 10. Ditcheva.
Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Zhang; 2. Shevchenko; 3. Cyborg; 4. Fiorot; 5. Grasso; 6. Pacheco; 7. Harrison; 8. Yan; 9. Blanchfield; 10. Seika Izawa.