Which MMA fighter is the best, regardless of weight division or fight promotion?
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Ariel Helwani and Jeff Wagenheim provide their top-10 picks, and their votes produce our consensus men’s and women’s pound-for-pound lists.
(You can find Okamoto’s division-by-division rankings here .)
Note: Rankings were updated March 4.
ESPN men’s pound-for-pound rankings Fighter Fights 1. Jon Jones Record: 24-1, 1 NC Weight class: Light heavyLast: W (UD) Anthony Smith , March 2Next: TBD2. Daniel Cormier Record: 22-1, 1 NC Weight class: HeavyweightLast: W (SUB2) Derrick Lewis , Nov. 3Next: TBD3. Khabib Nurmagomedov Record: 27-0 Weight class: LightweightLast: W (SUB4) Conor McGregor , Oct. 6Next: TBD4. Max Holloway Record: 20-3 Weight class: FeatherweightLast: W (TKO4) Brian Ortega , Dec.8Next: April 13 vs. Dustin Poirier 5. Henry Cejudo Record: 14-2 Weight class: FlyweightLast: W (TKO1) TJ Dillashaw , Jan. 19Next: TBD6. Demetrious Johnson Record: 27-3-1 Weight class: FlyweightLast: L (SD) Henry Cejudo , Aug. 4Next: March 31 vs. Yuya Wakamatsu T-7. Kamaru Usman Record: 15-1 Weight class: WelterweightLast: W (UD) Tyron Woodley , March 2Next: TBDT-7. Robert Whittaker Record: 20-4 Weight class: MiddleweightLast: W (SD) Yoel Romero , June 9Next: TBD9. Tony Ferguson Record: 24-3 Weight class: LightweightLast: W (TKO2) Anthony Pettis , Oct. 6Next: TBD10. TJ Dillashaw Record: 16-4 Weight class: BantamweightLast: L (TKO1) Henry Cejudo , Jan. 19Next: TBD
Other fighter receiving a vote: Stipe Miocic .
How our writers voted Rank Okamoto Helwani Wagenheim 1. Jon Jones Jon Jones Jon Jones 2. Daniel Cormier Daniel Cormier Daniel Cormier 3. Khabib Nurmagomedov Khabib Nurmagomedov Khabib Nurmagomedov 4. Max Holloway Max Holloway Max Holloway 5. Henry Cejudo Kamaru Usman Henry Cejudo 6. Demetrious Johnson Henry Cejudo Demetrious Johnson 7. Robert Whittaker Robert Whittaker Kamaru Usman 8. TJ Dillashaw Tony Ferguson Robert Whittaker 9. Tony Ferguson Demetrious Johnson Tony Ferguson 10. Kamaru Usman TJ Dillashaw Stipe Miocic
Amanda Nunes’ uplifting victory over Cris Cyborg on Dec. 29 has her atop the ESPN women’s pound-for-pound rankings. Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports ESPN women’s pound-for-pound rankings Fighter Fights 1. Amanda Nunes Record: 17-4 Weight class: Bantam/featherLast: W (TKO1) Cris Cyborg , Dec. 29Next: TBD2. Cris Cyborg Record: 20-2, 1 NC Weight class: FeatherweightLast: L (TKO1) Amanda Nunes , Dec. 29Next: TBD3. Valentina Shevchenko Record: 16-3 Weight class: FlyweightLast: W (UD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk , Dec. 8Next: TBD4. Rose Namajunas Record: 8-3 Weight class: StrawweightLast: W (UD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk , April 7Next: May 11 vs. Jessica Andrade5. Joanna Jedrzejczyk Record: 15-3 Weight class: FlyweightLast: L (UD) Valentina Shevchenko , Dec. 8Next: TBD6. Jessica Andrade Record: 19-6 Weight class: StrawweightLast: W (KO1) Karolina Kowalkiewicz , Sept. 8Next: May 11 vs. Rose Namajunas7. Tatiana Suarez Record: 7-0 Weight class: StrawweightLast: W (TKO3) Carla Esparza , Sept. 8Next: TBD8. Holly Holm Record: 12-4 Weight class: BantamweightLast: W (UD) Megan Anderson , June 9Next: TBD9. Ketlen Vieira Record: 10-0 Weight class: BantamtweightLast: W (SD) Cat Zingano , March 3Next: TBD10. Germaine de Randamie Record: 8-3 Weight class: BantamweightLast: W (UD) Raquel Pennington , Nov. 10Next: TBD
Other fighter receiving a vote: Karolina Kowalkiewicz .
How our writers voted Rank Okamoto Helwani Wagenheim 1. Amanda Nunes Amanda Nunes Amanda Nunes 2. Valentina Shevchenko Cris Cyborg Cris Cyborg 3. Cris Cyborg Valentina Shevchenko Valentina Shevchenko 4. Rose Namajunas Rose Namajunas Rose Namajunas 5. Joanna Jedrzejczyk Joanna Jedrzejczyk Joanna Jedrzejczyk 6. Jessica Andrade Jessica Andrade Jessica Andrade 7. Tatiana Suarez Holly Holm Ketlen Vieira 8. Holly Holm Tatiana Suarez Tatiana Suarez 9. Karolina Kowalkiewicz Ketlen Vieira Germaine de Randamie 10. Ketlen Vieira Germaine de Randamie Holly Holm
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