One way to move up in the rankings is to knock off someone ranked ahead of you. That's what Sean Brady did over the weekend, defeating former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, to move up to No. 4 in ESPN's 170-pound top 10.
Brady didn't merely win at the UFC Fight Night in London, he did so emphatically. Right there in Edwards' backyard, Brady put on a dominant performance on his way to fourth-round submission. Consider these stats from Round 2: Brady got a takedown right out of the gate and maintained top position for 4 minutes, 57 seconds -- all but the first 3 seconds of the round; and Brady landed 76 strikes (19 of them deemed significant) to zero for Edwards. As a result of the total wipeout, the former No. 2 falls out of ESPN's top five.
Light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg also won at Saturday's event, defeating former champion Jan Blachowicz, and moved up in that division's top 10. The only other movement in the rankings was the removal of two fighters whose extended inactivity makes them ineligible: lightweight Beneil Dariush and women's flyweight Maycee Barber.
Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.
Results are current; rankings as of March 25. 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.
Heavyweight | Light heavyweight | Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Men's featherweight | Men's bantamweight
Men's flyweight | Women's bantamweight | Women's flyweight | Strawweight
HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 265 pounds)
1. Tom Aspinall 
Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27
Next: TBD
2. Francis Ngannou
Promotion: PFL Super Fights champion
Record: 18-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Oct. 19
Next: TBD
3. Jon Jones
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stipe Miocic, Nov. 16
Next: TBD
4. Ciryl Gane
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
5. Curtis Blaydes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27
Next: TBD
6. Alexander Volkov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-11
Last: L (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
7. Sergei Pavlovich
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Feb. 1
Next: TBD
8. Jailton Almeida
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Serghei Spivac, Jan.18
Next: TBD
9. Renan Ferreira
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 13-4, 3 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19
Next: TBD
10. Serghei Spivac
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Jailton Almeida, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Magomed Ankalaev
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-1-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Pereira, March 8
Next: TBD
2. Alex Pereira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, March 8
Next: TBD
3. Jirí Procházka
Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-5-1
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jamahal Hill, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
4. Carlos Ulberg 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 13-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jan Blachowicz, March 22
Next: TBD
5. Jamahal Hill 
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 10-3
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Jirí Procházka, Jan. 18
Next: April 26 vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
6. Corey Anderson
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22
Next: TBD
7. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 13-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 5
Next: April 26 vs. Jamahal Hill
8. Aleksandar Rakić
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 14-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 26
Next: TBD
9. Volkan Oezdemir
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Nov. 23
Next: TBD
10. Johnny Walker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Dricus du Plessis
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
2. Khamzat Chimaev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Robert Whittaker, Oct. 26
Next: TBD
3. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
4. Nassourdine Imavov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: W (KO2) vs. Israel Adesanya, Feb. 1
Next: TBD
5. Israel Adesanya
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Feb. 1
Next: TBD
6. Robert Whittaker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 26
Next: TBD
7. Johnny Eblen
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Fabian Edwards, Oct. 19
Next: TBD
8. Caio Borralho
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, Aug. 24
Next: TBD
9. Jared Cannonier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-8
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Gregory Rodrigues, Feb. 15
Next: TBD
10. Roman Dolidze
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, March 15
Next: TBD
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Belal Muhammad
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27
Next: May 10 vs. Jack Della Maddalena
2. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
3. Jack Della Maddalena
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: May 10 vs. Belal Muhammad
4. Sean Brady
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 18-1
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Leon Edwards, March 22
Next: TBD
5. Joaquin Buckley
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 21-6
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Colby Covington, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
6. Leon Edwards
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 22-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub4) vs. Sean Brady, March 22
Next: TBD
7. Ian Machado Garry
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
8. Gilbert Burns
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7
Next: May 10 vs. Michael Morales
9. Geoff Neal
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, Oct. 26
Next: April 12 vs. Carlos Prates
10. Colby Covington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Joaquin Buckley, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Islam Makhachev
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 27-1
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
2. Arman Tsarukyan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13
Next: TBD
3. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael Chandler, Nov. 16
Next: TBD
4. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8
Next: TBD
5. Dustin Poirier
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub5) vs. Islam Makhachev, June 1
Next: TBD
6. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
7. Renato Moicano
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-6-1
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Islam Makhachev, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
8. Usman Nurmagomedov
Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 19-0, 1 NC
Last: W (MD) vs. Paul Hughes, Jan. 25
Next: TBD
9. Michael Chandler
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 23-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Charles Oliveira, Nov. 16
Next: April 12 vs. Paddy Pimblett
10. Mateusz Gamrot
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Ilia Topuria
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (KO3) vs. Max Holloway, Oct. 26
Next: TBD
2. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17
Next: April 12 vs. Diego Lopes
3. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (KO3) vs. Ilia Topuria, Oct. 26
Next: TBD
4. Diego Lopes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14
Next: April 12 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
5. Brian Ortega
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14
Next: TBD
6. Yair Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: April 12 vs. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire
7. Movsar Evloev
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
8. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire
Promotion: None
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22
Next: April 12 vs. Yair Rodriguez
9. Arnold Allen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27
Next: TBD
10. Aljamain Sterling
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Movsar Evloev, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
MEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Merab Dvalishvili
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
2. Sean O'Malley
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14
Next: TBD
3. Petr Yan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 23
Next: TBD
4. Umar Nurmagomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
5. Cory Sandhagen
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3
Next: May 3 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
6. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Nov. 23
Next: May 3 vs. Cory Sandhagen
7. Mario Bautista
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2
Last: W (SD) vs. José Aldo, Oct. 5
Next: TBD
8. Song Yadong
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TechDec) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 22
Next: TBD
9. José Aldo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 5
Next: May 10 vs. Aiemann Zahabi
10. Patchy Mix
Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17
Next: TBD
MEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Alexandre Pantoja
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-5
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Kai Asakura, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
2. Brandon Royval
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Oct. 12
Next: TBD
3. Brandon Moreno
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amir Albazi, Nov. 2
Next: March 29 vs. Steve Erceg
4. Kai Kara-France
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-11, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
5. Muhammad Mokaev
Promotion: Brave CF
Record: 14-0,1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Joevincent So, Dec. 13
Next: TBD
6. Tatsuro Taira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Oct. 12
Next: TBD
7. Steve Erceg
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17
Next: March 29 vs. Brandon Moreno
8. Manel Kape
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Asu Almabayev, March 1
Next: TBD
9. Kai Asakura
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (TechSub2) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
10. Alex Perez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15
Next: TBD
WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Julianna Peña
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington. Oct. 5
Next: TBD
2. Raquel Pennington
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Julianna Peña, Oct. 5
Next: TBD
3. Kayla Harrison
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5
Next: TBD
4. Ketlen Vieira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Kayla Harrison, Oct. 5
Next: TBD
5. Holly Holm
Promotion: None
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13
Next: TBD
6. Norma Dumont
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14
Next: TBD
7. Irene Aldana
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14
Next: TBD
8. Macy Chiasson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29
Next: TBD
9. Ailin Perez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
10. Karol Rosa
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ailin Perez, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Valentina Shevchenko
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14
Next: May 10 vs. Manon Fiorot
2. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14
Next: May 10 vs. Natalia Silva
3. Manon Fiorot
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30
Next: May 10 vs. Valentina Shevchenko
4. Erin Blanchfield
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas Nov. 2
Next: May 31 vs. Maycee Barber
5. Dakota Ditcheva
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Taila Santos, Nov. 29
Next: TBD
6. Natalia Silva
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Sept. 7
Next: May 10 vs. Alexa Grasso
7. Taila Santos
Promotion: PFL
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 22-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dakota Ditcheva, Nov. 29
Next: TBD
8. Liz Carmouche
Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2
Next: TBD
9. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7
Next: May 10 vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
10. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 14-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, Nov. 2
Next: June 14 vs. Miranda Maverick
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Zhang Weili
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
2. Virna Jandiroba
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20
Next: April 12 vs. Yan Xiaonan
3. Yan Xiaonan
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Tabatha Ricci, Nov. 23
Next: April 12 vs. Virna Jandiroba
4. Amanda Lemos
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, March 8
Next: TBD
5. Tatiana Suarez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
6. Jessica Andrade
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7
Next: May 10 vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
7. Marina Rodriguez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5-2
Last: L (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, Oct. 5
Next: May 3 vs. Gillian Robertson
8. Mackenzie Dern
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: W (Sub3) vs. Amanda Ribas, Jan. 11
Next: TBD
9. Amanda Ribas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-6
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Jan. 11
Next: TBD
10. Loopy Godínez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Aug. 3
Next: March 29 vs. Julia Polastri