Ranking the Top 5 UFC’s Best Pound-for-Pound Fighters, Men and Women
Summary
The UFC’s top pound-for-pound men’s fighters are led by Islam Makhachev, whose elite grappling and improved striking make him the most complete champion. He is followed by the undefeated two-division champion Ilia Topuria, the legendary Alexander Volkanovski, dominant middleweight Khamzat Chimaev, and powerful striker Alex Pereira.
Among women, Valentina Shevchenko is considered the greatest, combining technical mastery across all areas. She leads Kayla Harrison, a judo champion turned dominant force, the ferocious Zhang Weili, new strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern, and surging flyweight contender Natalia Silva. This landscape remains highly competitive, where a single result can quickly reshuffle the rankings.
It’s no secret that the UFC is home to some of the best mixed martial artists in the world. While it’s tough to make a list because of weight classes, we’ve compiled our own pound-for-pound list of the top fighters on the planet in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Men
1. Islam Makhachev (28-1) – Welterweight Champion
Islam Makhachev sits at the top of the pound-for-pound mountain because he is the most complete fighter in the game. His grappling is elite even by championship standards, but what separates Islam is that he’s no longer just a smothering wrestler—he’s a calm, accurate striker who can hurt you, control distance, and punish mistakes. He’s beaten top-level competition and shown he can finish fights in multiple ways. He’s won 16 straight matches and was 2-0 in 2025. His fighting IQ makes him the most reliable and dangerous champion in the sport.
2. Ilia Topuria (17-0) – Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria is the newest monster on the block and has already held the Featherweight and
Lightweight championships. His last three fights were victories over future Hall of Famers in
Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Alexander Volkanovski. In November 2025, Topuria announced that he would not compete in the first quarter of 2026 due to personal reasons. When he returns, it’ll be interesting to see where he slides in, as he has that combination of elite boxing mechanics, real knockout power, and high-level grappling. That balance is what makes him so terrifying—he’s not one-dimensional. He’s young, quick, and has the potential to continue his winning streak in the UFC.
3. Alexander Volkanovski (28-4) – Featherweight Champion
Even after back-to-back losses, Alexander Volkanovski is still one of the most skilled fighters of this era. His résumé at featherweight is legendary: he has beaten a long list of elite contenders and champions, and he did it using pure high-level MMA—footwork, cardio, wrestling defense, pressure, and fight IQ. Volkanovski is the definition of a pound-for-pound fighter; he wins because he is better. Since 2013, Volkanovski has lost just three fights. Twice to Islam Makhachev and to Ilia Topuria, the two fighters ahead of him on this list.
4. Khamzat Chimaev (15-0) – Middleweight Champion
Khamzat Chimaev’s ascent has been nothing short of meteoric. Undefeated in the UFC and now middleweight champion, he’s become a nightmare matchup for any style — equally comfortable wrestling elite opponents or striking at high pace. Chimaev’s conditioning and aggression are elite; he maintains a punishing pace for all five rounds and showcases a fearlessness rarely seen in championship-level MMA. He beat Dricus du Plessis in his only fight in 2025 to win the title, and it may be a while before we see anyone dethrone him.
5 Alex Pereira (13-3) – Light Heavyweight Champion
Alex Pereira is the current and two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and former UFC Middleweight Champion. He’s known for his devastating power (he’s a former kickboxing legend), and has become one of the best strikers in the sport. His mix of power, timing, and creativity in striking keeps every opponent on alert. In 2025, both Pereiras’ fights were against Magomed Ankalaev. He lost the title but won it back and now plans to hold on to it for a long time.
Women
1. Valentina Shevchenko (26-4-1) – Flyweight Champion
Valentina Shevchenko sits atop most women’s pound-for-pound lists and is widely regarded as one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time. She has dominated the women’s flyweight division, combining elite technical striking, slick grappling, and impeccable fight IQ. Her performances consistently showcase clinical precision and adaptability, which led to two big wins in 2025 vs Weili and Manon Fiorot.
2. Kayla Harrison (19-1) – Bantamweight Champion
Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist, has swiftly become one of the most feared forces in the women’s bantamweight division. Known for her dominant grappling and ever-improving striking, Harrison has remained undefeated with just one blemish and captured the bantamweight title with authority over Julianna Pena. He has just three fights in the UFC and has already shown she’s one of the best fighters on the planet.
3. Zhang Weili (26-4) – Former Strawweight Champion / Top Contender
Zhang Weili has been a fixture atop women’s pound-for-pound lists for years thanks to her ferocious striking, cardio, and fight-finishing prowess. A former strawweight champion with multiple defenses, she has also competed at higher weight classes and remains a tough matchup for anyone. She had a 5-fight win streak snapped by Valentina Shevchenko in November, but is still one of the toughest women in the business.
4. Mackenzie Dern (16-5) – Strawweight Champion
Mackenzie Dern is the current Strawweight champion after beating Virna Jandiroba in October.
Known for her world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ever-improving all-around game, Dern’s ability to impose her will on the ground and evolve her striking has translated into championship success and big wins in the UFC. We’ll see how Dern produces in her first title defense, which is expected to come in 2026, but for now, she makes the top five on the women’s side.
5. Natalia Silva (20-5) – Top Flyweight Contender
Natalia Silva has surged into elite status with a 14-fight win streak and impressive performances in the flyweight division. She beat Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas recently and has earned a title shot, which should come in the next few months. Her combination of striking volume, aggressive grappling, and finishing instincts has made her one of the most dangerous women in the UFC today. Silva could give Shevchenko a run for the title, but for now, remains at No. 5 on our list.
Final Thoughts
The UFC’s current pound-for-pound list is stacked with champions and top contenders, with most of them important faces for the company’s branding. What makes these stars stand out is that they don’t just beat contenders—they consistently look like the better fighter in every phase. But all it takes is one loss and a big win for another fighter to change the landscape of this list.
