Glover Teixeira, Petr Yan climb into top spots

Glover Teixeira became a UFC champion at age 42 on his second try. Petr Yan returned to the top of a weight class he not long ago ruled. These are two of the most significant moves in the latest ESPN divisional rankings.

Teixeira dethroned Jan Blachowicz at light heavyweight on Oct. 30, six years after the Brazilian had made an unsuccessful bid for the belt during the Jon Jones reign.

That same night, Yan, who had the bantamweight strap taken away from him via disqualification back in March, won an interim belt by defeating Cory Sandhagen. That sets up Yan for a rematch with Aljamain Sterling, who became champion when Yan landed an illegal knee in their title fight.

Aside from those fighters, several have either solidified their positions in their divisional top-10 or are newly ranked. There’s a lot of movement, with more sure to come.

For the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings, click here. For a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes, click here.

Note: Results are current; rankings as of Nov. 10.

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. Francis Ngannou  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-3
Last: W (KO2) Stipe Miocic, March 27, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Ciryl Gane

2. Ciryl Gane  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-0
Last: W (TKO3) Derrick Lewis, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Francis Ngannou

3. Stipe Miocic  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Derrick Lewis  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-8, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) Ciryl Gane, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: Dec. 18 vs. Chris Daukaus

5. Curtis Blaydes  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Alexander Volkov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 34-9
Last: W (UD) Marcin Tybura, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Chris Daukaus  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: W (TKO2) Shamil Abdurakhimov, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: Dec. 18 vs. Derrick Lewis

8. Alistair Overeem  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 47-19, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO2) Alexander Volkov, Feb. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Ryan Bader  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 28-7, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Corey Anderson, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Marcin Tybura  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkov, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

On the strength of a dominant victory on Sept. 18, Anthony Smith is back in the light heavyweight top-10. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

1. Glover Teixeira  

Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 33-7
Last: W (Sub2) Jan Blachowicz, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Jan Blachowicz  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 28-9
Last: L (Sub2) Glover Teixeira, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

3. Corey Anderson  

Promotion: Bellator
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 16-5
Last: W (TKO1) Ryan Bader, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Vadim Nemkov

4. Jiri Prochazka  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 28-3-1
Last: W (KO2) Dominick Reyes, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Aleksandar Rakic  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Thiago Santos, March 6, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Vadim Nemkov  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-2
Last: W (UD) Julius Anglickas, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Corey Anderson

7. Anthony Smith  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 35-16
Last: W (Sub1) Ryan Spann, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Magomed Ankalaev  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 16-1
Last: W (UD) Volkan Oezdemir, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Thiago Santos  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 22-9
Last: W (UD) Johnny Walker, Oct. 2, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Dominick Reyes  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 12-3
Last: L (KO2) Jiri Prochazka, May 1, 2021
Next: TBD

MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

1. Israel Adesanya  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-1
Last: W (UD) Marvin Vettori, June 12, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Robert Whittaker  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-5
Last: W (UD) Kelvin Gastelum, April 17, 2021
Next: TBD

3. Marvin Vettori  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) Paulo Costa, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Jared Cannonier  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) Kelvin Gastelum, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Derek Brunson

5. Derek Brunson  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 23-7
Last: W (Sub3) Darren Till, Sept. 4, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Paulo Costa  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 13-2
Last: L (UD) Marvin Vettori, Oct. 23, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Darren Till  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4-1
Last: L (Sub3) Derek Brunson, Sept. 4, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Jared Cannonier

8. Jack Hermansson  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5
Last: W (UD) Edmen Shahbazyan, May 22, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Gegard Mousasi  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 48-7-2
Last: W (TKO3) John Salter, Aug. 13, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Austin Vanderford

10. Sean Strickland  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-3
Last: W (UD) Uriah Hall, July 31, 2021
Next: TBD

WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

1. Kamaru Usman  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Gilbert Burns  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-4
Last: W (UD) Stephen Thompson, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD

3. Leon Edwards  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 19-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Nate Diaz, June 12, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Jorge Masvidal

4. Colby Covington  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 16-3
Last: L (UD) Kamaru Usman, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Vicente Luque  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7-1
Last: W (Sub1) Michael Chiesa, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Stephen Thompson  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5-1
Last: L (UD) Gilbert Burns, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Yaroslav Amosov  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 26-0
Last: W (UD) Douglas Lima, June 11, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Douglas Lima  

Promotion: Bellator
Record: 32-10
Last: L (SD) Michael Page, Oct. 1, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Michael Chiesa  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: L (Sub1) Vicente Luque, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Sean Brady

10. Jorge Masvidal  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-15
Last: L (KO2) Kamaru Usman, April 24, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Leon Edwards

Once again, Dustin Poirier walked away a winner over Conor McGregor, this time at UFC 264. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Dustin Poirier  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 28-6, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) Conor McGregor, July 10, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Charles Oliveira

2. Charles Oliveira  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 31-8, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Michael Chandler, May 15, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Dustin Poirier

3. Justin Gaethje  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: W (UD) Michael Chandler, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Beneil Dariush  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 21-4-1
Last: W (UD) Tony Ferguson, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Islam Makhachev  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 21-1
Last: W (Sub1) Dan Hooker, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Michael Chandler  

Promotion: UFC
Previous rankin g: 4
Record: 22-7
Last: L (UD) Justin Gaethje, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Rafael dos Anjos  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-13
Last: W (SD) Paul Felder, Nov. 14, 2020
Next: TBD

8. Gregor Gillespie  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 14-1
Last: W (TKO2) Diego Ferreira, May 8, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Dan Hooker  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 21-11
Last: L (Sub1) Islam Makhachev, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Tony Ferguson  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-6
Last: L (UD) Beneil Dariush, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD

MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

1. Alexander Volkanovski  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Brian Ortega, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Max Holloway  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-6
Last: W (UD) Calvin Kattar, Jan. 16, 2021
Next: Nov. 13 vs. Yair Rodriguez

3. A.J. McKee  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 18-0
Last: W (Sub1) Patricio Freire, July 31, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Brian Ortega  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Patricio Freire  

Promotion: Bellator
Record: 32-5
Last: L (Sub1) A.J. McKee, July 31, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Zabit Magomedsharipov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Calvin Kattar, Nov. 9, 2019
Next: TBD

7. Calvin Kattar  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-5
Last: L (UD) Max Holloway, Jan. 16, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Yair Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Jeremy Stephens, Oct. 18, 2019
Next: Nov. 13 vs. Max Holloway

9. Chan Sung Jung  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: W (UD) Dan Ige, June 19, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Josh Emmett  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-2
Last: W (UD) Shane Burgos, June 20, 2020
Next: TBD

MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Petr Yan  

Promotion: UFC interim champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 16-2
Last: W (UD) Cory Sandhagen, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Aljamain Sterling  

Promotion: UFC champion
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 20-3
Last: W (DQ4) Petr Yan, March 6, 2021
Next: TBD

3. TJ Dillashaw  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Cory Sandhagen, July 24, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Cory Sandhagen  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (UD) Petr Yan, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Rob Font  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-4
Last: W (UD) Cody Garbrandt, May 22, 2021
Next: Dec. 4 vs. Jose Aldo

6. Jose Aldo  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-7
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: Dec. 4 vs. Rob Font

7. Merab Dvalishvili  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: W (TKO2) Marlon Moraes, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Cody Garbrandt  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4
Last: L (UD) Rob Font, May 22, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Kai Kara-France

9. Marlon Vera  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-7-1
Last: W (KO3) Frankie Edgar, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Pedro Munhoz  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Jose Aldo, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: TBD

Brandon Moreno defeated UFC men’s flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo, and they meet again on Dec. 11. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Brandon Moreno  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 18-5-2
Last: W (Sub3) Deiveson Figueiredo, June 12, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

2. Deiveson Figueiredo  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-2-1
Last: L (Sub3) Brandon Moreno, June 12, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Brandon Moreno

3. Adriano Moraes  

Promotion: One Championship champion
Record: 19-3
Last: W (TKO2) Demetrious Johnson, April 7, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Demetrious Johnson  

Promotion: One Championship
Record: 30-4-1
Last: L (TKO2) Adriano Moraes, April 7, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Rodtang Jitmuangnon (mixed rules)

5. Askar Askarov  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-0-1
Last: W (UD) Joseph Benavidez, March 6, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Alex Perez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-6
Last: L (Sub1) Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD

7. Alexandre Pantoja  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: W (Sub2) Brandon Royval, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Kai Kara-France  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-9, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) Rogerio Bontorin, March 6, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Cody Garbrandt

9. Brandon Royval  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (Sub2) Alexandre Pantoja, Aug. 21, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Rogerio Bontorin  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Matt Schnell, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD

Amanda Nunes owns two UFC championships, and she’ll defend the bantamweight strap on Dec. 11. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Amanda Nunes  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-4
Last: W (Sub1) Megan Anderson, March 6, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Julianna Peña

2. Germaine de Randamie  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-4
Last: W (TechSub3) Julianna Peña, Oct. 3, 2020
Next: Nov. 6 vs. Irene Aldana

3. Julianna Peña  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-4
Last: W (Sub3) Sara McMann, Jan. 23, 2021
Next: Dec. 11 vs. Amanda Nunes

4. Holly Holm  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3, 2020
Next: TBD

5. Irene Aldana  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 13-6
Last: W (TKO1) Yana Kunitskaya, July 10, 2021
Next: Nov. 6 vs. Germaine de Randamie

6. Aspen Ladd  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 9-2
Last: L (UD) Norma Dumont, Oct. 16, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Yana Kunitskaya  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, July 10, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Ketlen Vieira  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 11-2
Last: L (UD) Yana Kunitskaya, Feb. 20, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Raquel Pennington  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 12-8
Last: W (UD) Pannie Kianzad, Sept. 18, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Macy Chiasson  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 7-1
Last: W (UD) Marion Reneau, March 20, 2021
Next: TBD

It’s a familiar visual: Valentina Shevchenko celebrating victory in UFC flyweight title bouts. Alex Menendez/Getty Images

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Valentina Shevchenko  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO4) Lauren Murphy, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Katlyn Chookagian  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 16-4
Last: W (UD) Viviane Araujo, May 15, 2021
Next: TBD

3. Jessica Andrade  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-9
Last: W (TKO1) Cynthia Calvillo, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Lauren Murphy  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (TKO4) Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Jennifer Maia  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7-1
Last: L (UD) Valentina Shevchenko, Nov. 21, 2020
Next: TBD

6. Joanne Calderwood  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-6
Last: L (SD) Lauren Murphy, June 12, 2021
Next: Nov. 20 vs. Alexa Grasso

7. Juliana Velasquez  

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 12-0
Last: W (SD) Denise Kielholtz, July 16, 2021
Next: TBD

8. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane  

Promotion: Bellator
Record: 11-1
Last: L (UD) Juliana Velasquez, Dec. 10, 2020
Next: TBD

9. Viviane Araujo  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Roxanne Modafferi, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

10. Taila Santos  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Roxanne Modafferi, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD

Rose Namajunas captured the UFC strawweight championship from Zhang Weili in April, and on Nov. 6 she beat Zhang again. AP Photo/Gary McCullough

STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)

1. Rose Namajunas  

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (SD) Zhang Weili, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

2. Zhang Weili  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-2
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD

3. Carla Esparza  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (TKO2) Yan Xiaonan, May 22, 2021
Next: TBD

4. Marina Rodriguez  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1-2
Last: W (UD) Mackenzie Dern, Oct. 9, 2021
Next: TBD

5. Yan Xiaonan  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO2) Carla Esparza, May 22, 2021
Next: TBD

6. Mackenzie Dern  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-2
Last: L (UD) Marina Rodriguez, Oct. 9, 2021
Next: TBD

7. Claudia Gadelha  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: L (UD) Yan Xiaonan, Nov. 7, 2020
Next: TBD

8. Tecia Torres  

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-5
Last: W (UD) Angela Hill, Aug. 7, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Amanda Ribas  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 11-2
Last: W (UD) Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD

9. Nina Nunes  

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 10-7
Last: L (Sub1) Mackenzie Dern, April 10, 2021
Next: TBD