It may have taken four meetings with the always dangerous Deveison Figueiredo to get there, but Brandon Moreno appears to have separated himself from the pack as the next great UFC flyweight to follow in the footsteps of Demetrious Johnson and Henry Cejudo.
Moreno, the first Mexican-born champion in UFC history, regained his 125-pound title at UFC 283 in Brazil on Jan. 21 with a third-round TKO of Figueiredo, in what is expected to be the final meeting of their historic quadrilogy.
The gambling scandal surrounding former UFC fighter and coach James Krause forced Moreno to switch camps ahead of the biggest fight of his career, joining forces with Sayif Saud of Fortis MMA in Dallas. But Moreno was able to limit the distractions by routinely beating Figueiredo to the punch while adding the constant threat of his takedowns to gain the upper hand.
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Not only did Moreno improve to 2-1-1 in his rivalry with Figueiredo, both of his victories came via stoppage in largely one-sided fights. For a fighter who was once cut by UFC in 2019, Moreno's steady evolution has been a revelation to behold.
That doesn't mean Moreno's immediate future as champion will be easy, especially considering the very dangerous Alexandre Pantoja, who owns a pair of prior victories over Moreno (including a submission victory on "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2016), is likely next in line for a title shot.
Using a criteria that takes into account everything from accomplishments to current form, let's take a closer look at the top fighters inside the Octagon.
For CBS Sports' updated divisional rankings, click here.
Men's pound-for-pound rankings
1. Alexander Volkanovski -- Featherweight champion (24-1)
Previous ranking: No. 1
With respect to Jose Aldo, Volkanovski took one step closer to featherweight G.O.A.T. status by leaving former champion Max Holloway a bloody mess in their trilogy bout. With four title defenses, Volkanovski has made the division his own and will look to chase history in February by moving up to lightweight to challenge Islam Makhachev.
2. Kamaru Usman -- Welterweight (20-2)
Previous ranking: No. 3
Usman looked on his way to a sixth title defense and a tie with Anderson Silva for consecutive UFC wins until a miraculous head-kick knockout from Leon Edwards in Round 5 shocked the world at UFC 278. A trilogy bout is set for March 18 in London where the 35-year-old Usman, who yielded the first takedown of his career in the opening round against Edwards, will get his shot at redemption.
3. Islam Makhachev -- Lightweight champion (23-1)
Previous ranking: 4
In the first UFC bout between fighters riding win streaks of 10 or more, Makhachev made his 11th win his most memorable one bydominating Charles Oliveira to start a new reignat 155 pounds. No longer can critics argue his level of competition. Up next, Makhachev begins his title reign in Australia on Feb. 11 when he faces featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
— UFC (@ufc) October 22, 2022ISLAM MAKHACHEV IS THE UNDISPUTED LW CHAMPION OF THE WORLD! 🏆
4. Israel Adesanya -- Middleweight champion (23-2)
Previous ranking: No. 5
Despite leading on all three scorecards in his UFC 281 title defense against long-time kickboxing rival Alex Pereira, Adesanya succumbed to a fifth-round stoppage for his first loss at middleweight inside the Octagon. An immediate rematch is likely despite the fact that Pereira now owns three victories over Adesanya across two combat sports.
5. Aljamain Sterling -- Bantamweight champion (22-3)
Previous ranking: No. 6
One fight after shutting his critics up by outpointing Petr Yan in their title rematch,Sterling's second title defense produced largely inconclusive results. While history will always show a second-round TKO win for Sterling against TJ Dillashaw, the former champion entered with a badly injured shoulder that was reaggravated seconds in.
6. Alex Pereira -- Middleweight champion (7-1)
Previous ranking: 7
At 35, making a late transition from kickboxing into MMA, it was hard to project just how good the Brazilian slugger might be. But just four fights into his UFC career, "Poaton" lived up to his "hands of stone" moniker by stopping middleweight king Israel Adesanya in Round 5 to capture the 185-pound crown in November.
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2022Took it out of the judges hands & won it with his own 👊@AlexPereiraUFC's title winning KO at #UFC281 is your first nominee for #UFCHonors Fan Choice Comeback of the Year!
[ 🏆 #UFCHonors | Presented By @ToyoTires ] pic.twitter.com/wiNkHJjSav
7. Jiri Prochazka -- Light heavyweight champion (29-3-1)
Previous ranking: No. 8
The unpredictable Prochazka achieved his full due of critical respect after extending his win streak to 13 in a dramatic andsavage fifth-round submission of Glover Teixeira at UFC 275. But Prochazka, who is 23-1-1 since 2013, suffered a serious shoulder injury which pulled him from the rematch and led to him vacating the belt. A late 2023 return could be in the cards depending upon the length of his recovery.
8. Charles Oliveira -- Lightweight (33-9)
Previous ranking: 9
Was the Brazilian finish machine's one-sided title loss to Islam Mahkachev the result of a bad stylistic matchup or did Oliveira's reckless and dramatic ways finally catch up to him? Either way, the 33-year-old will be forced to regroup after a remarkable 11-fight win streak that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
9. Leon Edwards -- Welterweight champion (20-3, 1 NC)
Previous ranking: 10
A true life "Rocky" story played out in front of the eyes of MMA fans when the often overlooked Edwards rallied to stop Kamaru Usman in dramatic fashion at UFC 278. Edwards extended his unbeaten streak to 11 fights since his 2015 defeat to Usman and now sets for a trilogy fight in London against Usman at UFC 286 in March.
— UFC (@ufc) August 21, 2022LOOK AT HIM NOW!!
Hear what @Leon_EdwardsMMA had to say after shocking the world at #UFC278 🌎 pic.twitter.com/FZcckzIf30
10. Brandon Moreno -- Flyweight champion (20-3, 1 NC)
Previous ranking: NR
"The Assassin Baby" appears to have found some closure in his four-fight series with Deveison Figueiredo after Moreno dominated the Brazilian slugger, in Rio de Janeiro, to reclaim the 125-pound title via third-round TKO at UFC 283. At 29, Moreno has rounded out his game beautifully, even after a late change in trainers following the UFC banishment of James Krause.
Dropped out: Francis Ngannou
Just missed:Robert Whittaker, Jamahal Hill, Dustin Poirier, Cyril Gane, Max Holloway
Women's pound-for-pound rankings
1. Amanda Nunes -- Two-division champion (21-4)
Previous ranking: No. 1
Nunes soundly outpointed a stubborn Julianna Pena at UFC 277 to regain her 135-pound title and remind everyone of her G.O.A.T. ways. The victory was also a big one considering Nunes, after leaving American Top Team, started her own gym and changed her style. A rumored bantamweight title defense against Irene Aldana is targeted for UFC 285.
🦁 @Amanda_Leoa just became the first woman in UFC history score three knockdowns in a single fight! #UFC277 pic.twitter.com/YVnWxLdkFW
— UFC (@ufc) July 31, 2022
2. Valentina Shevchenko -- Flyweight champion (23-3)
Previous ranking: No. 2
The combination of Nunes' comeback win and Shevchenko struggling in a disputed decision against Taila Santos dropped the 125-pound champion from the top spot. She may get a shot at leaving no doubt for good, however, should UFC move forward with a trilogy fight against Nunes at bantamweight. Up first, however, is a March title defense against Alexa Grasso.
3. Rose Namajunas -- Strawweight (11-5)
Previous ranking: No. 3
A baffling strategy of defensive circling led to Namajunas surrendering her 115-pound title to inaugural champion Carla Esparza in their May rematch. Namajunas was barely touched in her unanimous decision loss. An inevitable trilogy looms with new champion Zhang Weili, whom Namajunas has defeated twice.
4. Zhang Weili -- Strawweight (23-3)
Previous ranking: No. 4
The first Chinese-born UFC champion regained her 115-pound crown bydominating Carla Esparza at UFC 281via second-round submission. The victory showcased Zhang's continued improvement in her grappling game yet she won't truly gain recognition as the best strawweight in the sport until she can avenge a pair of losses to Namajunas.
5. Jessica Andrade -- Strawweight/Flyweight (24-9)
Previous ranking: NR
The Brazilian slugger, and former 115-pound champion, moved back up to flyweight in January and brutalized veteran contender Lauren Murphy over three rounds. Andrade remains a threat to the title in two divisions after extending her dominant win streak to three.
Dropped out: Julianna Pena
Just missed:Pena, Carla Esparza, Amanda Lemos, Taila Santos, Manon Fiorot
FAQs
Who is the number 1 pound for pound fighter in UFC? ›
Ciryl Gane (11-1) Ciryl Gane is the best heavyweight in the world not named Francis Ngannou. And the fact that the reigning champion had to become a wrestler to beat him confirms his place as the best striker in the division as well.
Who is the pound-for-pound hardest puncher? ›You remember now? Julian Jackson (True KO% 26.23). Pound-for-pound, arguably the purest puncher of the past 20 years. This guy literally seemed to be able to render an opponent senseless before he even hit the canvas.
Who is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter ever? ›1. Sugar Ray Robinson. But the term "pound-for-pound" entered the mainstream vernacular largely because of Robinson, who threw his unparalleled speed-power arsenal at the welterweight and middleweight divisions in the 1940s and '50s. He beat a stacked slate of competition, winning the 160-pound title five times.
Who is the most loved UFC fighter? ›Conor McGregor is undoubtedly the most famous UFC fighter of all time. Even non-UFC fans know who he is, and he's not only the most famous, he's also one of the best. McGregor has only suffered a handful of losses over his career, and has absolutely owned the octagon nearly every time he took on an opponent.
Who is the least hit fighter in UFC? ›Makhachev absorbs 0.79 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition, the best rate in company history.
Who is the coolest UFC fighter? ›- Stipe Miocic (20-4; 15 knockouts/TKOs, 5 decisions)
- Jon Jones (26-1, 1 No Contest; 10 KO/TKOs, 6 submissions, 10 decisions)
- Anderson Silva (34-11, 1 NC; 23 KO/TKOs, 3 submissions, 8 decisions)
- Georges St-Pierre (26-2; 8 KO/TKOs, 6 submissions, 12 decisions)
| Rank | Fighter | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Volkanovski | 25–1 |
| 2 | Islam Makhachev | 23–1 |
| 3 | Leon Edwards | 20–3 (1 NC) |
| 4 | Kamaru Usman | 20–2 |
Ngannou himself holds the current record for the hardest punch in the world, having clocked a striking power of 129,161 units on a PowerKube, which measures the power of a punch based on a variety of different factors, including force, speed and accuracy.
Who is the greatest UFC player of all time? ›
1. Georges St-Pierre. Canadian Georges “Rush” St-Pierre is widely considered to be one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history. St-Pierre was a phenomenal fighter, one who those enjoying online betting on UFC fights flocked to wager on because victory was all but guaranteed.
Who is hardest puncher ever? ›- Earnie Shavers. haNZAgod. 99.1K subscribers. ...
- George Foreman. Boxing Mates. 195K subscribers. ...
- Mike Tyson. The World of Boxing! ...
- Sonny Liston. Reznick. ...
- Lennox Lewis. BLTV Extra. ...
- David Tua. haNZAgod. ...
- Joe Louis. Reznick. ...
- Wladimir Klitschko. KobeIsGod81.
Deontay Wilder ranks among hardest-hitting boxers ever with more powerful punches than Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua ahead of Robert Helenius fight – but Mike Tyson and George Foreman knockouts were more devastating.
Which boxer has the strongest punch? ›Editors' Picks. While the Bronze Bomber has long been known for his strength, Bess said on the DAZN Boxing Show that he believes him to be the hardest puncher of any era, of any division. He said: “Sometimes we say Deontay Wilder is one of the - or perhaps the - hardest puncher of all time in every division.
Who is the top 10 boxer in the world? ›- 1 – Muhammad Ali (56-5) Muhammad Ali tops this list of the top 10 boxers.
- 2 – Joe Louis (66-3) ...
- 3 – Sugar Ray Robinson (174-19-6) ...
- 4 – Rocky Marciano (49-0) ...
- 5 – Floyd Mayweather Jr. ...
- 6 – Manny Pacquiao (62-8-2) ...
- 7 – Jack Dempsey (53-6-8) ...
- 8 – Roberto Duran (103-16) ...
1. Oleksandr Usyk (No Change)
Who is statistically the best boxer of all time? ›1. Muhammad Ali. Ali is widely considered the best among the best. Ali, who conquered the heavyweight crown three times and won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, finished his career with a 56-5 record (37 KOs).
Who are Dana White's favorite fighters? ›There are plenty of individuals that would be very credible shouts but if anyone should perhaps be listened to, it is the man who runs the whole show. "Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, GSP (Georges St-Pierre)," White said to GQ.
What is the most watched UFC fight ever? ›UFC: leading Pay-Per-View events as of August 2022, by buys. The biggest UFC event in terms of pay-per-view buys took place at UFC 229 in 2018. The UFC Lightweight Championship bout between current champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and former champion Conor McGregor was bought by 2.4 million PPV viewers.
Who has held a UFC title the longest? ›The longest reigning UFC Champion is Anderson Silva (Brazil) who held his title for 6 years 265 days between 14 October 2006 and 6 July 2013.
Who has never lost a match in UFC? ›
Mark O. Madsen, 10-0-0. Representing Rumble Sports, this 5"10”, 175lb fighter from Denmark, has never lost a match. Nicknamed “The Olympian,” Madsen has ten career wins.
What is the biggest underdog to win in UFC? ›Ronda Rousey (-1400) via second-round KO—UFC 193, Nov. 11, 2015. Among any upset in MMA history, Holly Holm vs.
Who has no losses in UFC? ›| Fighter | Gender | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Khabib Nurmagomedov | Male | 29–0 (8 KO, 11 SUB) |
| Yaroslav Amosov | Male | 26–0 (9 KO, 10 SUB) |
| Khusein Askhabov | Male | 23–0 (6 KO, 10 SUB) |
| Movlid Khaybulaev | Male | 19–0–1 (1 NC, 6 KO, 2 SUB) |
After he donned The Ultimate Fighter 2's champion crown and became one of the top 205-pound fighters in the world, Rashad Evans was one cocky dude.
Who is the best fighter to live? ›Who is the greatest living fighter, pound for pound? The first name out of almost everyone's mouth was Muhammad Ali, arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time and one of the best without regard to weight.
Who is the strongest fighter in the world ever? ›With 43 international victories at a record 70% winning percentage in his strongman career he is considered the greatest strength athlete of all time. During his career as a strongman, Pudzianowski won five World's Strongest Man titles, the most in history.
Who is the strongest fighter in the world? ›- 8 Yoel Romeo.
- 7 Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson.
- 6 Georges St. Pierre.
- 5 Chael Sonnen.
- 4 Daniel Cormier.
- 3 Matt Hughes.
- 2 Khabib Nurmagomedov.
- 1 Francis Ngannou.
...
| Keith Liddell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Boxer |
- Manny Pacquiao. We begin with one of the most accomplished boxers in history. ...
- Sugar Ray Leonard. ...
- Muhammad Ali. ...
- Roy Jones Jr. ...
- Pernell Whittaker.
- Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. 26-14-0, 1 NC. Recent Fights:
- Melvin "The Young Assassin" Guillard. 32-22-2, 3 NC. ...
- José Aldo "Junior" 31-8-0. ...
- Junior "Cigano" dos Santos. 21-10-0. ...
- Mike "Quick" Swick. 15-6-0. ...
- Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson. 24-4-1. ...
- Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski. 34-21-0, 2 NC. ...
- Anderson "The Spider" Silva. 34-11-0, 1 NC.
Who is the No 1 UFC fighter in the world? ›
Russian superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov is frequently called the best-ever lightweight UFC fighter of all time, and it is easy to see why. The man affectionately known as “The Eagle” retired with a perfect 29-0 record, going unbeaten throughout his professional fighting career, including 13 UFC battles.
Who is the deadliest man in UFC? ›| Ken Shamrock | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kenneth Wayne Kilpatrick February 11, 1964 Warner Robins, Georgia, U.S. |
| Other names | The World's Most Dangerous Man |
| Residence | Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
1. Muhammad Ali. The Greatest was not only one of the best heavyweights of all time, he was also one of the most colorful. He won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics and went on to become the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times.
Who is the most exciting UFC fighter? ›Israel Adesanya is the biggest star to hit the MMA scene since Conor McGregor. He has an entertaining kickboxing style that reminds many fans of Anderson Silva during his prime.
Who is the baddest MMA fighter ever? ›- Anderson Silva (34-11, 1 No Contest) UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship. ...
- Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0) UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship. ...
- Daniel Cormier (22-3, 1 No Contest) ...
- Stipe Miocic (20-4) ...
- Fedor Emelianenko (40-6, 1 No Contest) ...
- Amanda Nunes (21-5) ...
- Jose Aldo (31-7)
He competed in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion ever, having held the title from April 2018 to March 2021. With 29 wins and no losses, he retired with an undefeated record.
Who is the hardest puncher in the UFC? ›'" Ngannou holds the record for the hardest punch ever landed at 129,161 units, with Dana White putting that figure into real-life situations.
Who is the gangster of UFC? ›Chael Sonnen has become one of the biggest draws in mixed martial arts today. Whether you accept his media-driven persona or despise his bravado, there's no denying "The American Gangster" is transcending the sport.
Who is the hardest puncher in boxing history? ›
- Earnie Shavers. haNZAgod. 99.1K subscribers. ...
- George Foreman. Boxing Mates. 195K subscribers. ...
- Mike Tyson. The World of Boxing! ...
- Sonny Liston. Reznick. ...
- Lennox Lewis. BLTV Extra. ...
- David Tua. haNZAgod. ...
- Joe Louis. Reznick. ...
- Wladimir Klitschko. KobeIsGod81.
Muhammad Ali crowned 'King of Boxing'
Who is the best boxer alive? ›- Deontay Wilder (43-2-1) ...
- Anthony Joshua (24-3) ...
- Joe Joyce (15-0) ...
- Andy Ruiz Jr (35-2) ...
- Joseph Parker (30-3) ...
- Dillian Whyte (29-3) ...
- Frank Sanchez (21-0) ...
- Filip Hrgovic (15-0)