Debates over who stands as the ultimate fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship are a constant amongst its passionate fanbase. While the promotion maintains its own official lists, The Independent has compiled its updated men's pound-for-pound top 10, factoring in overall resumes, recent records, activity levels, and quality of opposition. This list is revised following each major event.
The Pound-for-Pound Elite: Who Makes the Cut?
Our latest rankings, updated after December's UFC 323, reflect the dramatic shifts and enduring dominance at the summit of mixed martial arts. From new two-weight champions to veterans reclaiming glory, the landscape is fiercely competitive.
10. Max Holloway (27-8, Lightweight)
Max Holloway returns to our list, replacing the recently defeated Jack Della Maddalena. The 33-year-old Hawaiian, a former featherweight champion, is now a perfect 2-0 at lightweight. His victories came against former interim champions, featuring an iconic last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje in 2024 and a decisive points win over Dustin Poirier in July 2025 to avenge two prior losses. Despite a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at featherweight, Holloway's legacy is bolstered by his current status as the 'Baddest Motherf*****' champion.
9. Dricus Du Plessis (23-3, Middleweight)
Dricus Du Plessis silenced his critics by bulldozing his way to the middleweight throne. The South African's unorthodox style led him to wins over elite competition, making him South Africa's first UFC champion with a narrow decision over Sean Strickland in 2024. That triumph was bookended by stoppages of former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Although he lost the belt to Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025, his resume of 20 stoppage wins secures his top-10 place.
8. Alexander Volkanovski (27-4, Featherweight Champion)
Alexander Volkanovski's journey from underrated to undeniable hit a bump with knockout losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. Many wrote off the 37-year-old Aussie, but when Topuria vacated the featherweight belt, Volkanovski seized his chance. In April 2025, he impressively outpointed rising star Diego Lopes to regain the championship and his position in these rankings.
7. Khamzat Chimaev (15-0, Middleweight Champion)
Khamzat Chimaev's path to gold was delayed by illness and travel issues, but his in-cage performances remained terrifying. With rapid submissions of fighters like Li Jingliang and Robert Whittaker, the hype never faded. When he finally challenged Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title in August 2025, Chimaev was utterly dominant, controlling the champion on the canvas to usher in his own era at 185lbs.
6. Tom Aspinall (15-3, 1 NC; Heavyweight Champion)
Tom Aspinall's ascent was meteoric. Taking a fight on two weeks' notice, he flattened Sergei Pavlovich to win the interim heavyweight title, then avenged his only UFC loss with a first-minute KO of Curtis Blaydes. When Jon Jones retired and vacated the undisputed belt, Aspinall was crowned. The 32-year-old Briton, a remarkable athlete for the division, saw a recent title defence against Ciryl Gane in October 2025 end in a no-contest due to an early eye poke.
5. Alex Pereira (13-3, Light-Heavyweight Champion)
Alex Pereira's meteoric rise saw him become a two-weight champion in record time. After a brief setback in a decision loss to Magomed Ankalaev in March 2025, 'Poatan' responded in devastating fashion. He knocked out Ankalaev in just 80 seconds in their October rematch, reaffirming his status as one of the sport's most ferocious finishers and a reliable headline act for the promotion.
Contenders and Kings: The Top Four
The upper echelon of the rankings features dominant champions and fighters with historic resumes, whose positions were solidified or challenged in the final events of 2025.
4. Alexandre Pantoja (30-6, Flyweight)
Alexandre Pantoja's inclusion was long overdue. The Brazilian flyweight had wiped out his division, boasting three wins over Brandon Moreno and two over Brandon Royval. However, his reign ended shockingly in December 2025 when he suffered an arm injury just 26 seconds into a defence against Joshua Van. Given the freak nature of the loss, his elite ranking remains protected for now.
3. Merab Dvalishvili (21-5, Bantamweight)
Merab Dvalishvili's historic 14-fight win streak culminated in a bantamweight title win and three successful defences in 2025. His remarkable run, which included wins over former champions like Jose Aldo and Henry Cejudo, ended in December 2025 when Petr Yan produced a near-perfect performance in their rematch. Notably, Dvalishvili made history by attempting four title defences in a single calendar year.
2. Ilia Topuria (17-0, Lightweight Champion)
Ilia Topuria, 'El Matador', is a force of nature. After brutally knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title in 2024, he defended it by stopping Max Holloway. Not content, he vacated the belt and moved up to lightweight. In June 2025, he knocked out former champion Charles Oliveira in under three minutes to become a two-division champion. At 28, he is a prime candidate for future pound-for-pound supremacy.
1. Islam Makhachev (28-1, Welterweight Champion)
Islam Makhachev stands as the best mixed martial artist in the world today. The Russian surpassed his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov's record for lightweight title defences, achieving four after winning the belt in 2022. His wins over Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano were dominant. In November 2025, he moved up to welterweight and dominated Jack Della Maddalena to become a two-weight champion, tying the all-time record for most consecutive UFC wins (16).
