MMA pound-for-pound rankings (August 2026): Can anyone beat Islam Makhachev?

Let’s be honest, there was a moment heading into the fifth and final round at UFC 330 on Saturday night when it felt like the pound-for-pound rankings might capsize under the weight of Ian Machado Garry. It was a game enough effort for Garry, who came is as a 3-to-1 dog yet found more success against Islam Makhachev than just about any of the champion’s previous 16 victims did.

In the end, it was Makhachev who got his hand raised. He had to earn in, but he keeps his reservation at the top of the men’s pound-for-pound rankings this month, while on the women’s side there’s some movement. Mackenzie Dern, whom many thought might be holding a title on borrowed time heading into her first UFC title defense against Gillian Robertson, showcased her wares early and often in Philadelphia, cruising to a decision victory. The win was impressive enough for her to move up in this month’s rankings.

Was Dakota Ditcheva’s victory over Denise Kielholtz at PFL New York enough to do the same? 

The panel of Ben Fowlkes, Chuck Mindenhall, Shaheen Al-Shatti, Petesy Carroll, Drake Riggs, Eric Jackman and Conner Burks have ranked both the men’s and women’s pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings (being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point). 

Our only criterion for these monthly rankings is that a fighter has competed within at least a calendar year of the publication date or has at least had a fight booked within that window. If a fighter hasn’t competed in a year and books a fight after that time, he or she is once again eligible to be voted back in. Fighters who retire are no longer eligible for the rankings. 

Though most of the best fighters are currently in the UFC, these rankings are not UFC exclusive. We take into consideration all the major promotions, from the PFL/MVP conglomerate to RIZIN to ONE Championship and more. 

Without further ado, here are Uncrowned’s MMA pound-for-pound rankings for August 2026!  

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGSIslam Makhachev survived one of his toughest tests yet against Ian Machado Garry.Sarah Stier via Getty Images1. Islam Makhachev — UFC welterweight champion (Prev: 1)

Some are reluctant to stick Makhachev in the GOAT conversation, even after he broke Anderson Silva’s record at UFC 330 for the most consecutive wins in UFC history. Maybe it’s for the better. Now he can continue to pad his lead against the types of monsters who’ll deliver him there beyond a shadow of a doubt. Look at that queue … Carlos Prates, Michael Morales, Shavkat Rakhmonov. Yikes.

2. Alexandre Pantoja — Former UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 2)

Well, we now have a date for what is in the running for the most anticipated rematch in flyweight history. As far as Pantoja is concerned, young Joshua Van is an understudy who lucked onto Broadway. There’s a quiet storm building in the former 125-pound champion, and come UFC 331, here’s guessing it builds into a Category 5.

3. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC featherweight champion (Prev: 3)

Likewise, Volkanovski finally has the who and where for his next title defense, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24 against Movsar Evloev. Perhaps one of the most heroic (and completely unsung) things Volk had done is advocate for Evloev’s title shot, and now he has to deal with the old proverb: Be careful what you wish for.

4. Petr Yan — UFC bantamweight champion (Prev: 4)

Getting the trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi is a boon for Yan, who has turned in some of his best work there, beating the likes of Jose Aldo, Cory Sandhagen and, most importantly, Marcus McGhee in signaling he was back. There are those who still might think Dvalishvili beat himself back in December, and this is the chance to move those narratives into the “cold takes” pile.

5. Tom Aspinall — UFC heavyweight champion (Prev: 5)

It’s a little curious what’s going on with Tom Aspinall behind the scenes. He says he’s ready to return, which is music to everyone’s ears, yet the UFC didn’t book him at UFC 333 as some suspected it might. Are they saving the unifying heavyweight title rematch with Ciryl Gane for Madison Square Garden in November?

6.Justin Gaethje — UFC lightweight champion (Prev: 6)

In the two months since he toppled Ilia Topuria for the lightweight title at the White House, Gaethje has been a buzzword in the industry. Some, like Ian Machado Garry, are tossing his name out there as inspiration to keep going after taking a loss. Others, like Ali Abdelaziz, str planting the seeds for a superfight with Makhachev, and we suspect we haven’t heard the last of that.

7. Merab Dvalishvili — Former UFC bantamweight champion (Prev: 7)

Listen, Dvalishvili is restless. At this point in 2025 he’d already defended the bantamweight title twice and had his sights set on a third defense against Cory Sandhagen. This year he’s been in limbo waiting for his trilogy with Yan, which now sits circled on his calendar for Oct. 24. Will he dive head-first into any frozen lakes or wrestle six more times with RAF in the meantime? Don’t put it past him.

8.Ilia Topuria — Former UFC lightweight champion (Prev: 8)

With Gaethje’s uncertainty in the division, who knows what comes next for Topuria — but the rematch isn’t exactly a hot topic right now. Perhaps it’s for the best to let some time heal his wounds and for the dust to settle, but if Topuria can’t get an automatic rematch, it might be time to do that fight against Paddy Pimblett. 

9. Sean Strickland — UFC middleweight champion (Prev: 9)

To be honest, Strickland was behaving himself during UFC 330. His only posts on X were about his guns, asking if he should switch from his sig to a glock, which is innocent by his standards because … oh wait … we see here that he was calling Garry a “cuck” on Friday before the fights. Never mind!

10. Joshua Van — UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 10)

Want to know why that rematch with Pantoja feels 10 times bigger than it did the first time through? Van, man. This dude sparked Tatsuro Taira in so many ways in his first title defense that it grew the young buck’s legend exponentially. Lowkey, this UFC 331 main event is a banger of the highest order. 

(Others receiving votes: Alex Pereira, Arman Tsarukyan, Carlos Ulberg, Khamzat Chimaev, Ciryl Gane)

(Hassan Ahmad, Yahoo Sports)WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGSValentina Shevchenko (right) and Zhang Weili hold firm as two of the top three women in MMA.Cooper Neill via Getty Images1. Valentina Shevchenko — UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 1)

Doesn’t matter that she’s 38 and a half years old, Shevchenko wears a target that can be seen across three weight classes. After her victory over Traci Cortez at UFC 329, Wang Cong said she was “hunting Valentina.” Dakota Ditcheva, who doesn’t even belong to the same organization, declared she’d “beat her.” This is what happens when you’re on top. Everyone wants a piece. 

2. Kayla Harrison — UFC bantamweight champion (Prev: 2)

If there’s a funk with women’s MMA (and there is), perhaps it can be aided by that long-anticipated superfight between Harrison and Amanda Nunes. This is a fight that was poo-poo’d by Ronda Rousey, but you know what? Compared to Rousey-Carano, it’s the real women’s fight for the ages.  

3.Zhang Weili — Former UFC strawweight champion (Prev: 3)

You wonder if Zhang watched Mackenzie Dern take care of Gillian Robertson while smashing her fists. Does she come back to the weight class she once ruled, to reclaim what was hers? Or does she continue modeling (and the like), and leave the past to the past? Dern might not say it aloud, but she’d likely be OK with the latter.

4. Cris Cyborg —PFL featherweight champion (Prev: 4)

We’re less than a week away from Cyborg’s (potential) final fight, which comes against former UFC fighter Ketlen Vieira at PFL Tampa. If it’s really her swan song, what a career it’s been. It’s true Cyborg didn’t do the bulk of her work in the UFC, but she did plenty outside of it, and will wear the tag “pioneer” proud. (We say “if this really is her swan song” because Scott Coker is reintroducing himself into the mix come 2027, and if anybody could entice Cyborg to go again, it’s him.)

5. Dakota Ditcheva — PFL flyweight contender (Prev: 5)

Dakota beat Denise Kielholtz, yet when we say she did so handily, it’s an unfortunate pun. Ditcheva says she not only rebroke her hand in the fight, but that she broke her hands, plural, which is about devastating of a blow as she’s taken in her career. How long it takes her to fully mend remains to be seen, but it’s been a rough couple of years since she was the 2024 Fighter of the Year.

6. Natalia Silva — UFC flyweight contender (Prev: 6)

Remember Natalia Silva? The one who beat three former UFC champions in a row, in dealing out losses to Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas? She was good, right? It feels like years ago that Silva punched her ticket to a title fight at 125 pounds, yet here we are, eight months later, and no fight is booked. What gives? 

7. Mackenzie Dern — UFC strawweight champion (Prev: 9)

Her haters are eating a bit of crow this week, as Dern handled her first title defense with the greatest of ease in Philadelphia. All that noise about Robertson having more submissions feels like so much hooey now, as Dern essentially put on a clinic for four rounds. What happened in the fifth round, you ask? She took it off in respect for Jayden Daniels. 

8. Manon Fiorot — UFC flyweight contender (Prev: 7)

Well, it looks like Fiorot will throw down with Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC in September, and that’s a fine fight indeed. Grasso’s double-finish of Maycee Barber was one of the hot talking points earlier this year, and her stock is moving back up fast. Once again it’s Fiorot who’ll be the interloper. She’s had to fight Erin Blanchfield in Blanchfield’s backyard of New Jersey, Jasmine Jasudavicius in Canada, and now Grasso on a Mexican Independence card. No love for “The Beast.” 

9. Seika Izawa — Former RIZIN super atomweight champion (Prev: 8)

She vacated the RIZIN super atomweight title in April after learning of her pregnancy, so it’s going to be a minute before we see Izawa again. Not to be a UFC snob, but it would be fun to see her compete there as a strawweight upon her return. Also, if you haven’t done so, check out Drake Riggs’ feature on the Japanese sensation! 

10. Erin Blanchfield — UFC flyweight contender (Prev: 10)

Blanchfield will face Jasudavicius at UFC Edmonton in October, which will be a solid test for the “Cold Blooded” contender. We’d love to declare it a title eliminator of sorts, but with Shevchenko still without a fight booked and Natalia Silva still on the prowl, it might be to determine who’s next next. 

(Others receiving votes: Tatiana Suarez, Fatima Kline, Alexa Grasso, Virna Jandiroba, Liz Carmouche)

(Hassan Ahmad, Yahoo Sports)Here’s how we voted:SHAHEEN AL-SHATTI

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev 

2. Alexandre Pantoja

3. Tom Aspinall

4. Alex Pereira

5. Sean Strickland

6. Justin Gaethje

7. Ilia Topuria

8. Alexander Volkanovski  

9. Petr Yan 

10. Merab Dvalishivili

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko 

2. Kayla Harrison 

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Seika Izawa 

6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern 

8. Dakota Ditcheva 

9. Tatiana Suarez 

10. Alexa Grasso

CONNER BURKS

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Petr Yan

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Alexander Volkanovski

5. Tom Aspinall 

6. Merab Dvalishvili

7. Joshua Van

8. Carlos Ulberg

9. Justin Gaethje

10. Ilia Topuria

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Cris Cyborg

4. Zhang Weili

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Manon Fiorot 

9. Seika Izawa

10. Fatima Kline

PETESY CARROLL

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexander Volkanovski

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Petr Yan

5. Tom Aspinall

6. Sean Strickland

7. Justin Gaethje 

8. Ciryl Gane

9. Ilia Topuria  

10. Joshua Van

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

2. Zhang Weili

3. Kayla Harrison

4. Dakota Ditcheva

5. Cris Cyborg

6. Mackenzie Dern

7. Natalia Silva

8. Manon Fiorot

9. Erin Blanchfield

10. Tatiana Suarez

BEN FOWLKES

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexander Volkanovski

3. Petr Yan

4. Merab Dvalishvili

5. Alexandre Pantoja

6. Tom Aspinall

7. Justin Gaethje

8. Ilia Topuria

9. Joshua Van

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Zhang Weili

3. Kayla Harrison

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Erin Blanchfield

7. Natalia Silva

8. Manon Fiorot

9. Fatima Kline

10. Alexa Grasso

ERIC JACKMAN

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev 

2. Alexandre Pantoja

3. Petr Yan

4. Merab Dvalishvili

5. Sean Strickland

6. Ilia Topuria

7. Alexander Volkanovski

8. Joshua Van

9. Arman Tsarukyan

10. Khamzat Chimaev

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko 

2. Kayla Harrison 

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Manon Fiorot

6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Tatiana Suarez 

9. Dakota Ditcheva 

10. Erin Blanchfield

CHUCK MINDENHALL

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexander Volkanovski

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Tom Aspinall

5. Petr Yan

6. Merab Dvalishvili

7. Justin Gaethje

8. Ilia Topuria

9. Joshua Van

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Manon Fiorot

7. Erin Blanchfield

8. Fatima Kline 

9. Tatiana Suarez 

10. Natalia Silva

DRAKE RIGGS 

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Justin Gaethhe

3. Ilia Topuria

4. Alexandre Pantoja

5. Petr Yan 

6. Alexander Volkanovski

7. Tom Aspinall

8. Merab Dvalishvili

9. Carlos Ulberg

10. Sean Strickland

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko 

2. Seika Izawa

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Mackenzie Dern 

6. Kayla Harrison 

7. Natalia Silva

8. Virna Jandiroba 

9. Liz Carmouche

10. Dakota Ditcheva