Makhachev surpasses Topuria, retakes spot as UFC pound-for-pound king
Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is back on top of the pound-for-pound list.
Makhachev moved up to the No. 1 position in the men's rankings Tuesday, surpassing lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. The 34-year-old Dagestani defeated Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision at UFC 322 on Saturday to claim the 170-pound title.
Makhachev, a former lightweight champ, was previously the pound-for-pound king for over 600 days, from November 2023 to July 2025. Topuria took the No. 1 spot after capturing the vacant 155-pound belt with a knockout win over Charles Oliviera at UFC 317.
Here's a look at the updated rankings:
| UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings |
|---|
| 1. Islam Makhachev (+1) |
| 2. Ilia Topuria (-1) |
| 3. Merab Dvalishvili |
| 4. Khamzat Chimaev |
| 5. Alexandre Pantoja |
| 6. Alex Pereira |
| 7. Alexander Volkanovski |
| 8. Tom Aspinall (+1) |
| 9. Jack Della Maddalena (-1) |
| 10. Dricus Du Plessis |
| 11. Max Holloway |
| 12. Magomed Ankalaev |
| 13. Belal Muhammad |
| 14. Arman Tsarukyan |
| 15. Charles Oliveira |
Makhachev is on one of the greatest runs the sport has ever witnessed. The victory over Della Maddalena made him the 11th fighter to win UFC titles in two weight classes and tied him with Anderson Silva for the longest winning streak in promotion history (16).