MMA Top Pound‑for‑Pound: Has Ilia Topuria Taken the Throne?

Ilia Topuria, fresh off headlining UFC 317, stunned everyone by winning the lightweight title with a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira. He’s now undefeated at 17–0, and he’s captured belts in two divisions. That big win has put him at No. 1 in the MMA top pound-for-pound rankings, bumping former champ Islam Makhachev down to No. 2.

1. Ilia Topuria – New No. 1

• Title: UFC lightweight champ
• Last fight: KO1 vs. Charles Oliveira on June 28
• Record now: 17–0
• Previous rank: 2 → 1

After knocking out two all-time great featherweights—Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway—Topuria moved up to lightweight. When Makhachev moved to welterweight, the lightweight title became vacant. Topuria seized that chance and delivered a brutal first-round KO of Oliveira to claim his second UFC belt. That performance was enough to leapfrog him above everyone else in the pound-for-pound list.

2. Islam Makhachev – Now No. 2

• Title: UFC welterweight champ
• Last fight: Submission win vs. Renato Moicano on Jan. 18
• Record: 27–1

Makhachev still has a dominant legacy: a 15-fight win streak, four title defenses, and a 27–1 record—firmly in GOAT territory. But because he hasn’t fought since January and now sits out of lightweight, Topuria’s two-division knockout power stole the spotlight. Makhachev is preparing for a rumored fight at welterweight against Jack Della Maddalena. If he wins there, he could reclaim the top spot.

Full Pound‑for‑Pound Rankings (as of July 2)

1. Ilia Topuria – UFC Lightweight Champion (17–0)
2. Islam Makhachev – UFC Welterweight Champion (27–1)
3. Merab Dvalishvili – UFC Bantamweight Champion (20–4)
4. Tom Aspinall – UFC Heavyweight Champion (15–3)
5. Alexandre Pantoja – UFC Flyweight Champion (30–5)
6. Magomed Ankalaev – UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (20–1–1, 1 NC)
7. Dricus Du Plessis – UFC Middleweight Champion (23–2)
8. Alex Pereira – UFC Light Heavyweight (12–3)
9. Jack Della Maddalena – UFC Welterweight Champion (18–2)
10. Alexander Volkanovski – UFC Featherweight Champion (27–4)

Other fighters who got votes: Francis Ngannou and Khamzat Chimaev.

Why This Top‑10 Matters

• Activity matters: To appear, a fighter must have fought within the last year or have a future bout scheduled.
• Multiple Titles: Winning belts in two divisions—like Topuria and Makhachev—cements pound-for-pound status.
• Finishing Power: Knockouts and submissions carry big weight in rankings; dominant performances are key.

Panels & Votes

• Brett Okamoto: Topuria → Makhachev → Dvalishvili → Aspinall → Pantoja → Ankalaev → Du Plessis → Pereira → Volkanovski → Della Maddalena
• Andreas Hale: Topuria → Makhachev → Dvalishvili → Aspinall → Pantoja → Ankalaev → Della Maddalena → Volkanovski → Pereira → Du Plessis
• Ian Parker: Topuria → Makhachev → Dvalishvili → Du Plessis → Ankalaev → Pantoja → Della Maddalena → Aspinall → Pereira → Volkanovski
• Carlos Contreras Legaspi: Makhachev → Topuria → Dvalishvili → Pantoja → Du Plessis → Pereira → Ankalaev → Aspinall → Volkanovski → Della Maddalena
• Andrew Davis: Makhachev → Topuria → Dvalishvili → Aspinall → Ankalaev → Pantoja → Du Plessis → Della Maddalena → Pereira → Volkanovski
• Jeff Wagenheim: Topuria → Makhachev → Aspinall → Dvalishvili → Pantoja → Ngannou → Ankalaev → Chimaev → Pereira → Du Plessis

Women’s Pound‑for‑Pound Top 10

1. Zhang Weili – UFC Strawweight Champion
2. Valentina Shevchenko – UFC Flyweight Champion
3. Kayla Harrison – UFC Bantamweight Champion
4. Cris Cyborg – PFL Featherweight Champion
5. Natalia Silva – UFC Flyweight
6. Manon Fiorot – UFC Flyweight
7. Larissa Pacheco – PFL Featherweight Champion
8. Erin Blanchfield – UFC Flyweight
9. Virna Jandiroba – UFC Strawweight
10. Dakota Ditcheva – PFL Flyweight Champion

Topuria’s Knockout Legacy: The New MMA Top Pound-for-Pound Leader

Ilia Topuria didn’t just win another UFC belt—he made a loud statement. By knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round at UFC 317, Topuria claimed gold in the second division and left no doubt about his spot at the top. This kind of dominant, multi-division success is rare, and it’s exactly what pushed him past Islam Makhachev in the MMA top pound-for-pound rankings.

Topuria is now the face of two weight classes, and he’s undefeated at 17–0. While Makhachev still has one of the best records in UFC history, his move to welterweight and recent inactivity opened the door. Unless he returns soon and beats Jack Della Maddalena at 170 pounds, it’s Topuria’s time to reign.