The discussion over the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA is constantly shifting, but who are the best today, at this moment? Glad you asked …
15. Conor McGregor
Bold as ever, McGregor rolled the dice in his comeback fight, taking on the toughest challenge available in Khabib Nurmagomedov, though the risk didn’t provide the reward he had hoped. We were waiting to see how the former champ-champ responded once an NSAC suspension is up in April, but on March 11, he had another brush with the law, which might leave everything up in the air for him once again.
14. Brian Ortega
Ortega ran into a buzzsaw in Max Holloway but proved his durability in a 20-minute battle. “T-City” went 14 fights without a loss before that.
13. Tyron Woodley
Woodley wanted to be known as the greatest welterweight of all time, but that goal hit a major hurdle when he was dominated by Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 and lost the title in a lopsided unanimous decision. But Woodley still has four title defenses to his credit.
12. Stipe Miocic
Miocic’s run as the UFC’s longest defending heavyweight champion came to an end at the hands of Daniel Cormier, but he hopes he can earn a rematch. Prior to the loss, Miocic had won six fights in a row.
11. Tony Ferguson
“El Cucuy” had his UFC interim lightweight title stripped after suffering a knee injury, but he rebounded with an impressive win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 229 and is on a mission for gold once again. Could we finally see that Khabib Nurmagomedov showdown happen? For now, Ferguson remains on the shelf.
10. T.J. Dillashaw
Dillashaw sacrificed to get down to 125 pounds, and looked good doing it, but he suffered a 32-second TKO loss to Henry Cejudo and is now calling for a rematch. He could always choose to defend his bantamweight title.
9. Kamaru Usman
Usman was utterly dominant in his first UFC title shot and took the welterweight belt from Tyron Woodley in the UFC 235 co-main event. Woodley swept all five rounds on the judges’ scorecards and stayed perfect in the UFC at 10-0.
8. Robert Whittaker
Whittaker broke his hand in his latest bout with Yoel Romero but once again proved his grit in battling through five rounds to edge out the “Soldier of God.” Kelvin Gastelum was supposed to be up next for the New Zealander on a nine-fight winning streak until he had to be hospitalized the day of the fight at UFC 234. His return remains up in the air, and now Gastelum will fight Israel Adesanya for an interim middleweight title.
7. Ryan Bader
With a stellar run through Bellator’s heavyweight grand prix, Bader is now the first two-division champion in the promotion’s history and could defend both titles for the time being. The former “Ultimate Fighter” winner has won 12 of his past 13 fights dating back to December 2013, when he was still in the UFC.
6. Henry Cejudo
Put an asterisk to them if you must, but the reigning UFC flyweight champion now owns victories over pound-for-pound greats T.J. Dillashaw and Demetrious Johnson. And he’s got an Olympic gold medal, you know?
5. Max Holloway
Holloway is moving to lightweight and will take on Dustin Poirier for an interim 155-pound title at UFC 236. But he’s also made a case as the greatest featherweight of all time. The champ is on a 13-fight winning streak that dates back 2014.
4. Jon Jones
Jones is once again UFC light heavyweight champion and could eventually have a third meeting with Daniel Cormier in his future, though “Bones” says he doesn’t see a need to move to heavyweight to do it. He’s coming off another impressive performance with a title win over Anthony Smith at UFC 235.
3. Khabib Nurmagomedov
After submitting Conor McGregor at UFC 229, no one can doubt the unbeaten Nurmagomedov’s legitimacy as lightweight champion. A rematch would bring big dollars, but “The Eagle” has said he has his sights set on other opposition. Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier will fight for an interim lightweight title in April, and the winner presumably will be next for Nurmagomedov in a unification fight.
2. Demetrious Johnson
Johnson set the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses before dropping a decision to reigning flyweight champion Henry Cejudo last year. Johnson then bolted the UFC in a surprising decision, taking his talents to Asia’s ONE Championship, where “Mighty Mouse” says he’ll finish his career.
1. Daniel Cormier
Cormier defended both his UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight titles, becoming the first man to do so. He relinquished the 205-pound belt but remains the heavyweight champ. Cormier, who turns 40 later this month, has suggested his next fight could be his last.
