MMA pound-for-pound rankings (Dec. 2025): Petr Yan’s UFC 323 stunner remakes the year-end list

Surprise, surprise! Petr Yan is your new UFC bantamweight champion. Not many people would have given him the chance to overthrow Merab Dvalishvili, who a couple of years ago handed Yan the worst loss of his career. Yet the Russian challenger made the most of his mulligan. In fact, he put on a masterclass exhibition in how to bully a bully.

With his unanimous decision victory at UFC 323, the debates will rage on about how much of it was Yan’s superlative performance and how much of it was Dvalishvili’s decision to defend his title a fourth time in 2025. At 34 years old, the now-former champ was putting a mean toll on his body to make history, and perhaps it backfired on him.

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In any case, Yan dropped some jaws by taking care of business, and as a result he breaks into the men’s pound-for-pound MMA rankings this month, debuting at No. 6.

And though Joshua Van walked out of Las Vegas with the flyweight title, Alexandre Pantoja — who suffered a gruesome dislocation of his shoulder — doesn’t cede any ground. Even if it was a major bummer.

That fight, which didn’t last quite a half-minute, looked destined to be a banger.

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).

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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 PFL to RIZIN to ONE Championship.

Without further ado, the MMA pound-for-pound rankings for December 2025!

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Islam Makhachev — UFC welterweight champion (Prev: 1)

Sixteen straight UFC wins is a level of historical dominance, and now that Makhachev is holding that new shiny welterweight title, he has a queue of eager customers to choose from. Who should be next? Carlos Prates? Michael Morales? Ian Machado Garry? Kamaru Usman? It seems that Makhachev prefers the last name on this list, while fans prefer any of the others.

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2. Ilia Topuria — UFC lightweight champion (Prev: 2)

It’s a bummer we won’t see Topuria defend in the first quarter of 2026 as he deals with personal problems, and let’s face it, the Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett interim title fight scheduled for UFC 324 is bit of a hollow pinata. The hope now is we see him return in the summer, and if it’s Paddy Pimblett in Topuria’s crosshairs? Buckle up.

3. Khamzat Chimaev — UFC middleweight champion (Prev: 5)

Didn’t Makhachev’s dominance against Jack Della Maddalena remind you a little bit of Chimaev’s one-sided beatdown of Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319? Belts are not only changing hands in 2025, but they are also being used to whip those former champs as punishment for masquerading.

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4. Alexandre Pantoja — UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 4)

Pour one out for “Pants.” That was an awful thing to see happen, yet that fight with Van carries a king-sized asterisk. All week leading up to UFC 323 there were these beautiful serenades about Pantoja’s savagery in the Octagon, about how little regard for self-preservation he has, and about the kill switch that has made him great. In the 20-odd seconds he fought, it was there. That fight was shaping up to be wild.

5. Tom Aspinall — UFC heavyweight champion (Prev: 6)

The good news is that Dana White seems to want to bury the hatchet with Tom Aspinall, who is still dealing with the repercussions of the eye injuries he sustained in his first title defense against Ciryl Gane. The bad news is we still don’t have any kind of timetable for his return. The hope is his eyes will heal in full and it’ll happen sooner rather than later.

6. Petr Yan — UFC bantamweight champion (Prev: NR)

The fact that he won the championship rounds against a maniac like Dvalishvili is one of the great feats of the year. How impressive was it? Listen, not a lot of people gave Petr Yan a chance against Merab. He lost the first fight so bad it strained the imagination to figure out his path to victory in the rematch if he didn’t knock the bantamweight champion out. Did you hear those body shots? The screams of pain? Did you see Merab’s face afterward? Heavens to Betsy.

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7. Alex Pereira — UFC light heavyweight champion (Prev: 7)

The Cuban muscleman Robelis Despaigne says that Alex Pereira can put Jon Jones to sleep at heavyweight, and that’s a fine endorsement. But here’s the thing — it kind of feels like we’re going to find out, right? Jones wants the fight. Pereira wants the fight. The White House wants a big party, and these two know how to party.

8. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC featherweight champion (Prev: 8)

The news that Volkanovski will face Diego Lopes in the second big card on Paramount+ was met with an intense groan. “Volk” beat Lopes for the vacant 145-pound title in April, and it wasn’t controversial nor even super close, yet the UFC opted for Lopes over more qualified contenders like Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy. Oh well, if “Volk” has it his way, he’ll beat all three in 2026.

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9. Merab Dvalishvili — UFC bantamweight champion (Prev: 3)

The questions will be asked over the next couple of months. Was it a mistake to take a fourth title fight in 2026? Was another weight cut too much on his 34-year-old body? Was the five-round sparring session the same day as UFC 323 completely necessary? Did he take Yan too lightly? And was he too focused on putting on an “entertaining fight” to enforce his will? One thing is certain — all eyes will be on Dvalishvili when he returns.

10. Arman Tsarukyan — UFC lightweight contender (Prev: 9)

A nickname that Tsarukyan might consider is “Chopped Liver,” because that’s what he ended up being in the title race at 155 pounds. It’s true the head-butt he hit Dan Hooker with during faceoffs wasn’t a wise move, but Tsarukyan was billed as a No. 1 contender and went to UFC Qatar and won his fight with relative ease. So why are Pimblett and Gaethje fighting for the interim title and not Tsarukyan? (Seriously, we’d really love to know.)

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(Others receiving votes: Dricus du Plessis, Jack Della Madallena)

WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Valentina Shevchenko — UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 1)

She’s 37 years young, and she turned one of the great challenges of her career into a laugher. Shevchenko wore sunglasses all week leading to UFC 322, just as cool as hell. Then, after hearing all the experts predicting that the Zhang Weili would take her flyweight title, she went out and dominated the moonlighting strawweight champ as if to testify against our ignorance. Kudos, “Bullet.”

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

The countdown is on for UFC 324 in January, as Harrison will defend the women’s bantamweight title against the returning women’s GOAT, Amanda Nunes. Thing is, this should be the main event for that first big Paramount+ card, as it’s one of the biggest women’s title fights in history. On a side note: What a rough holiday season this will be for Harrison, who will not be indulging in any figgy pudding.

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

Best laid plans and all that. You can’t hate on Zhang for shooting her shot against Shevchenko, because what else was she going to do, beat up Mackenzie Dern at 115 pounds? Things didn’t go her way, but she doesn’t lose anything in terms of her dominance at strawweight. The guess here is she goes back where she’s still on top and reminds everyone she’s a force to be reckoned with (and beats up Mackenzie Dern).

4. Cris Cyborg — PFL super fights women’s featherweight champion (Prev: 4)

This weekend Cyborg will finally make her PFL return against Sara Collins in France, and we might want to savor the moment. For years Cyborg has said she intends to retire at the age of 40, and she hit that milestone in July. We’re undoubtedly winding down on one of the greatest careers in MMA. It’s crazy to think that her pro debut took place in May 2005, and she’s still here.

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5. Dakota Ditcheva — PFL women’s 2024 flyweight tournament champion (Prev: 5)

After emerging as the Breakout Fighter of the Year in 2024, Dakota Ditcheva’s encore for 2025 left a lot to be desired. She returned for one lonely bout against Sumiko Inaba after fighting four times the previous year, and it wasn’t her best. She needed all three rounds to score a decision after finishing the nine previous opponents she faced in PFL. Still, she’s a star. Next up: A fight with the Dutch fighter, Denise Kielholtz in February.

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

It would’ve made sense for Silva to get the next crack at Shevchenko’s belt, yet that’s not yet in the cards for Brazil’s quiet contender. She will instead face former strawweight champion, Rose Namajunas, on the first big show on Paramount+. We’ve seen contenders slip up in these penultimate spots before, and Namajunas can still bring it. But should Silva win, there’s simply no way she can be denied her chance to fight for gold. Right?

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

You know who makes house calls like a dang G? Manon Fiorot. Think about her past three fights. She went into Atlantic City and beat New Jersey’s own Erin Blanchfield like it was a day in the park. Then she went to Montreal and gave Shevchenko all she could handle before dropping a decision. Then she went to Vancouver and cooled off the scorching hot Canadian fighter Jasmine Jasudavicius in front of a partisan crowd. Beastwork.

8. Mackenzie Dern — UFC strawweight champion (Prev: 8)

If we’re Mackenzie Dern, we take as many pictures as we can with the strawweight belt and post them to all social media accounts. Not saying it’s all about to change, but the landlord is coming back in a foul temper. Zhang’s sabbatical to flyweight didn’t go as she’d planned, now she wants her old title back. Dern currently holds that title. That’s an old-fashioned conflict.

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

Izawa is scheduled to take on Rena Kubota at RIZIN’s big year-end soiree at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, and if you haven’t watched the atomweight champion get after it, do yourself a favor. She holds a perfect 17-0 record and has emerged as a cult icon in her home country. She also speeds around like an electron and submits people with sadistic glee, if these things speak to you (as they do us).

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

Blanchfield avenged her 19-year-old self by beating Tracy Cortez in the rematch with a brass tack submission at UFC 322. Now she’s a top contender in a complicated division. Will a title fight with Shevchenko materialize? With Natalia Silva now booked to face Rose Namajunas, it’s unclear if that means Blanchfield is at the front of the line, but one thing we will say: She deserves to be.

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(Others receiving votes: Maycee Barber, Larissa Pacheco, Virna Jandiroba, Julianna Pena, Liz Carmouche)

Here’s how we voted:

SHAHEEN AL-SHATTI

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Tom Aspinall

5. Khamzat Chimaev

6. Alex Pereira

7. Petr Yan

8. Merab Dvalishvili

9. Alexander Volkanovski

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Seika Izawa

6. Larissa Pacheco

7. Dakota Ditcheva

8. Mackenzie Dern

9. Natalia Silva

10. Maycee Barber

CONNER BURKS

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Khamzat Chimaev

4. Petr Yan

5. Alexandre Pantoja

6. Tom Aspinall

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7. Alexander Volkanovski

8. Alex Pereira

9. Dricus Du Plessis

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Cris Cyborg

4. Zhang Weili

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Natalia Silva

7. Larissa Pacheco

8. Manon Fiorot

9. Julianna Pena

10. Mackenzie Dern

PETESY CARROLL

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Khamzat Chimaev

4. Alexandre Pantoja

5. Tom Aspinall

6. Alex Pereira

7. Alexander Volkanovski

8. Petr Yan

9. Arman Tsarukyan

10. Merab Dvalishvili

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Zhang Weili

3. Kayla Harrison

4. Dakota Ditcheva

5. Cris Cyborg

6. Manon Fiorot

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Natalia Silva

9. Erin Blanchfield

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10. Maycee Barber

BEN FOWLKES

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Merab Dvalishvili

4. Khamzat Chimaev

5. Alexandre Pantoja

6. Alex Pereira

7. Tom Aspinall

8. Alexander Volkanovski

9. Merab Dvalishvili

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. Mackenzie Dern

10. Maycee Barber

ERIC JACKMAN

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Khamzat Chimaev

5. Petr Yan

6. Merab Dvalishvili

7. Alex Pereira

8. Tom Aspinall

9. Alexander Volkanovski

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

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2. Kayla Harrison

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Manon Fiorot

6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Dakota Ditcheva

9. Larissa Pacheco

10. Virna Jandiroba

CHUCK MINDENHALL

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Khamzat Chimaev

4. Alexandre Pantoja

5. Tom Aspinall

6. Alexander Volkanovski

7. Petr Yan

8. Merab Dvalishvili

9. Alex Pereira

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. Natalia Silva

9. Mackenzie Dern

10. Maycee Barber

DRAKE RIGGS

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Ilia Topuria

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Khamzat Chimaev

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5. Petr Yan

6. Tom Aspinall

7. Alexander Volkanovski

8. Alex Pereira

9. Merab Dvalishvili

10. Jack Della Maddalena

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Seika Izawa

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Kayla Harrison

6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Virna Jandiroba

9. Liz Carmouche

10. Dakota Ditcheva