Justin Gaethje has moved up to No. 2, right behind Khabib Nurmagomedov.
That rise in the ESPN lightweight division rankings, prompted by Gaethje’s May 9 TKO victory over the previously second-ranked Tony Ferguson, sets up a forthcoming matchup between the champ, Nurmagomedov, and the new interim champ, Gaethje, on a date still to be determined.
Several fighters made moves in their weight classes on the strength of recent victories, among them Glover Teixeira at light heavyweight, Calvin Kattar at featherweight and Carla Esparza and Claudia Gadelha at strawweight.
And then there’s Demetrious Johnson, who reclaimed the No. 1 spot at flyweight because Henry Cejudo has moved on from the division. Johnson is scheduled to vie for the One Championship title at the end of May.
There’s movement elsewhere as well. Check out my rankings within each MMA weight division by clicking on the links below.
For a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes, click here.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of May 19.
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. Stipe Miocic 
Record: 19-3
Last: W (TKO4) Daniel Cormier, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
2. Daniel Cormier
Record: 22-2, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) Stipe Miocic, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
3. Francis Ngannou
Record: 15-3
Last: W (KO1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, May 9
Next: TBD
4. Curtis Blaydes
Record: 13-2, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Junior dos Santos, Jan. 25
Next: June 20 vs. Alexander Volkov
5. Junior dos Santos
Record: 21-7
Last: L (TKO2) Curtis Blaydes, Jan. 25
Next: TBD
6. Derrick Lewis
Record: 23-7
Last: W (UD) Ilir Latifi, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
7. Alexander Volkov
Record: 31-7
Last: W (UD) Greg Hardy, Nov. 9
Next: June 20 vs. Curtis Blaydes
8. Ryan Bader
Record: 27-5, 1 NC
Last: NC Cheick Kongo, Sept. 7
Next: TBD
9. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Record: 10-1
Last: L (KO1) Francis Ngannou, May 9
Next: TBD
10. Alistair Overeem
Record: 46-18, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) Walt Harris, May 16
Next: TBD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)
1. Jon Jones
Record: 26-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Dominick Reyes, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
2. Ryan Bader
Record: 27-5, 1 NC
Last: NC Cheick Kongo, Sept. 7
Next: TBD vs. Vadim Nemkov
3. Dominick Reyes
Record: 12-1
Last: L (UD) Jon Jones, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
4. Jan Blachowicz
Record: 26-8
Last: W (KO1) Corey Anderson, Feb. 15
Next: TBD
5. Thiago Santos 
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 21-7
Last: L (SD) Jon Jones, July 6
Next: TBD
6. Corey Anderson
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 13-5
Last: L (KO1) Jan Blachowicz, Feb. 15
Next: TBD
7. Glover Teixeira
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 31-7
Last: W (TKO5) Anthony Smith, May 13
Next: TBD
8. Anthony Smith 
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 33-15
Last: L (TKO5) Glover Teixeira, May 13
Next: TBD
9. Volkan Oezdemir
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 17-4
Last: W (SD) Aleksandar Rakic, Dec. 21
Next: TBD
10. Aleksandar Rakic
Record: 12-2
Last: L (SD) Volkan Oezdemir, Dec. 21
Next: TBD
MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)
1. Israel Adesanya
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) Yoel Romero, March 7
Next: TBD
2. Robert Whittaker
Record: 20-5
Last: L (TKO2) Israel Adesanya, Oct. 6
Next: Aug. 15 vs Darren Till
3. Paulo Costa
Record: 13-0
Last: W (UD) Yoel Romero, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
4. Yoel Romero
Record: 13-5
Last: L (UD) Israel Adesanya, March 7
Next: TBD
5. Jared Cannonier
Record: 13-4
Last: W (TKO2) Jack Hermansson, Sept. 28
Next: TBD
6. Darren Till
Record: 18-2-1
Last: W (SD) Kelvin Gastelum, Nov. 2
Next: Aug. 15 vs Robert Whittaker
7. Kelvin Gastelum
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Darren Till, Nov. 2
Next: TBD
8. Jack Hermansson
Record: 20-4
Last: L (TKO2) Jared Cannonier, Sept. 28
Next: TBD vs. Chris Weidman
9. Ronaldo Souza
Record: 26-8 1 NC
Last: L (SD) Jan Blachowicz, Nov. 16
Next: TBD
10. Rafael Lovato Jr.
Record: 10-0
Last: W (MD) Gegard Mousasi, June 22
Next: TBD
WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)
1. Kamaru Usman
Record: 16-1
Last: W (TKO5) Colby Covington, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
2. Jorge Masvidal
Record: 35-13
Last: W (TKO3) Nate Diaz, Nov. 2
Next: TBD
3. Colby Covington
Record: 15-2
Last: L (TKO5) Kamaru Usman, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
4. Douglas Lima
Record: 32-7
Last: W (UD) Rory MacDonald, Oct. 26
Next: May 9 vs. Gegard Mousasi
5. Tyron Woodley
Record: 19-4-1
Last: L (UD) Kamaru Usman, March 2
Next: May 30 vs. Gilbert Burns
6. Leon Edwards
Record: 18-3
Last: W (UD) Rafael dos Anjos, July 20
Next: TBD
7. Rory MacDonald
Record: 21-6-1
Last: L (UD) Douglas Lima, Oct. 26
Next: TBD
8. Stephen Thompson
Record: 15-4-1
Last: W (UD) Vicente Luque, Nov. 2
Next: TBD
9. Gilbert Burns
Previous ranking: None
Record: 18-3
Last: W (TKO1) Demian Maia, March 14
Next: May 30 vs. Tyron Woodley
10. Michael Chiesa
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 17-4
Last: W (UD) Rafael dos Anjos, Jan. 25
Next: TBD
LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Record: 28-0
Last: W (SUB3) Dustin Poirier, Sept. 7
Next: TBD vs. Justin Gaethje
2. Justin Gaethje
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 22-2
Last: W (TKO5) Tony Ferguson, May 9
Next: TBD vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
3. Tony Ferguson
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 25-4
Last: L (TKO5) Justin Gaethje, May 9
Next: TBD
4. Dustin Poirier
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 25-6
Last: L (SUB3) Khabib Nurmagomedov, Sept. 7
Next: TBD
5. Dan Hooker
Record: 20-8
Last: W (SD) Paul Felder, Feb. 22
Next: TBD
6. Paul Felder
Record: 17-5
Last: L (SD) Dan Hooker, Feb. 22
Next: TBD
7. Conor McGregor
Record: 22-4
Last: W (TKO1) Donald Cerrone, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
8. Charles Oliveira
Previous ranking: None
Record: 29-8, 1 NC
Last: W (SUB3) Kevin Lee, March 14
Next: TBD
9. Michael Chandler
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 20-5
Last: W (KO1) Sydney Outlaw, Dec. 28
Next: TBD
10. Patricio Freire
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 30-4
Last: W (UD) Juan Archuleta, Sept. 28
Next: TBD
MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)
1. Alexander Volkanovski
Record: 21-1
Last: W (UD) Max Holloway, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
2. Max Holloway
Record: 21-5
Last: L (UD) Alexander Volkanovski, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
3. Brian Ortega
Record: 14-1, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) Max Holloway, Dec. 8
Next: TBA
4. Patricio Freire
Record: 30-4
Last: W (UD) Juan Archuleta, Sept. 28
Next: TBD vs. Pedro Carvalho
5. Zabit Magomedsharipov
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) Calvin Kattar, Nov. 9
Next: TBD
6. Yair Rodriguez
Record: 13-2, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Jeremy Stephens, Oct. 18
Next: TBD
7. Chan Sung Jung
Record: 16-5
Last: W (TKO1) Frankie Edgar, Dec. 21
Next: TBD
8. Calvin Kattar
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 21-4
Last: W (TKO2) Jeremy Stephens, May 9
Next: TBD
9. Josh Emmett
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 15-2
Last: W (TKO2) Mirsad Bektic, July 13
Next: TBD
10. Shane Burgos
Previous ranking: None
Record: 13-1
Last: W (TKO3) Makwan Amirkhani, Nov. 2
Next: TBD
MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Henry Cejudo
Record: 16-2
Last: W (TKO2) Dominick Cruz, May 9
Next: retired
2. Marlon Moraes
Record: 23-6-1
Last: W (SD) Jose Aldo, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
3. Aljamain Sterling
Record: 18-3
Last: W (UD) Pedro Munhoz, June 8
Next: TBD
4. Petr Yan
Record: 14-1
Last: W (KO3) Urijah Faber, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
5. Jose Aldo
Record: 28-6
Last: L (SD) Marlon Moraes, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
6. Cory Sandhagen
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) Raphael Assuncao, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
7. Raphael Assuncao
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 27-7
Last: L (UD) Cory Sandhagen, Aug. 17
Next: TBD
8. Pedro Munhoz
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) Aljamain Sterling, June 8
Next: TBD
9. Cody Garbrandt
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 11-3
Last: L (TKO1) Pedro Munhoz, March 2
Next: TBD
10. Dominick Cruz
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 22-2
Last: L (UD) Cody Garbrandt, Dec. 30, 2016
Next: May 9 vs. Henry Cejudo
MEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Demetrious Johnson
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 30-3-1
Last: W (UD) Dannyu Kingad, Oct. 12
Next: May 29 vs. Adriano Moraes
2. Deiveson Figueiredo
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO2) Joseph Benavidez, Feb. 29
Next: TBD
3. Joseph Benavidez
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 28-6
Last: L (TKO2) Deiveson Figueiredo, Feb. 29
Next: TBD
4. Brandon Moreno
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 16-5-1
Last: W (UD) Kai Kara-France, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
5. Alexandre Pantoja
Record: 22-4
Last: W (TKO1) Matt Schnell, Dec. 21
Next: TBD
6. Jussier Formiga
Record: 23-6
Last: L (TKO2) Joseph Benavidez, June 29
Next: TBD
7. Askar Askarov
Previous ranking: None
Record: 11-0-1
Last: W (UD) Tim Elliott, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
8. Kai Kara-France
Previous ranking: None
Record: 21-8, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Tyson nam, Feb. 23
Next: TBD
9. Rogerio Bontorin
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 16-2
Last: L (UD) Ray Borg, Feb. 15
Next: TBD
10. Alex Perez
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 23-5
Last: W (SUB1) Jordan Espinosa, Jan. 25
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)
1. Amanda Nunes
Record: 19-4
Last: W (UD) Germaine de Randamie, Dec. 14
Next: June 6 vs. Felicia Spencer
2. Germaine de Randamie
Record: 9-4
Last: L (UD) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
3. Aspen Ladd
Record: 9-1
Last: W (TKO3) Yana Kunitskaya, Dec. 7
Next: TBD vs. Julianna Peña
4. Julianna Peña
Record: 9-3
Last: W (UD) Nicco Montaño, July 13
Next: TBD vs. Aspen Ladd
5. Irene Aldana
Record: 12-5
Last: W (KO1) Ketlen Vieira, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
6. Holly Holm
Record: 13-5
Last: W (UD) Raquel Pennington, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
7. Ketlen Vieira
Record: 10-1
Last: L (TKO1) Irene Aldana, Dec. 14
Next: TBD vs. Marion Reneau
8. Raquel Pennington
Record: 9-8
Last: L (UD) Holly Holm, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
9. Cat Zingano
Record: 10-4
Last: L (TKO1) Megan Anderson, Dec. 29
Next: TBD
10. Yana Kunitskaya
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO3) Aspen Ladd, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)
1. Valentina Shevchenko
Record: 19-3
Last: W (TKO3) Katlyn Chookagian, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
2. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane
Record: 11-0
Last: W (UD) Kate Jackson, Dec. 21
Next: TBD
3. Katlyn Chookagian
Record: 13-3
Last: L (TKO3) Valentina Shevchenko, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
4. Joanne Calderwood
Record: 14-4
Last: W (SD) Andrea Lee, Sept. 7
Next: TBD
5. Liz Carmouche
Record: 13-7
Last: L (UD) Valentina Shevchenko, Aug. 10
Next: TBD vs. Mandy Bohm
6. Jennifer Maia
Record: 17-6-1
Last: L (UD) Katlyn Chookagian, Nov. 2
Next: TBD
7. Roxanne Modafferi
Record: 23-16
Last: W (UD) Maycee Barber, Jan. 18
Next: TBD
8. Jessica Eye
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) Viviane Araujo
Next: TBD
9. Viviane Araujo
Record: 8-2
Last: L (UD) Jessica Eye, Dec. 14
Next: TBD
10. Lauren Murphy
Record: 12-4
Last: W (SD) Andrea Lee, Feb. 8
Next: TBD
STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)
1. Zhang Weili
Record: 21-1
Last: W (SD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, March 7
Next: TBD
2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Record: 16-4
Last: L (SD) Zhang Weili, March 7
Next: TBD
3. Jessica Andrade
Record: 20-7
Last: L (TKO1) Zhang Weili, Aug. 31
Next: TBD
4. Rose Namajunas
Record: 8-4
Last: L (TKO2) Jessica Andrade, May 11
Next: TBD
5. Tatiana Suarez
Record: 9-0
Last: W (UD) Nina Ansaroff, June 8
Next: TBD
6. Carla Esparza
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 16-6
Last: W (SD) Michelle Waterson, May 9
Next: TBD
7. Claudia Gadelha
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 18-4
Last: W (SD) Angela Hill, May 16
Next: TBD
8. Nina Ansaroff
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 10-6
Last: L (UD) Tatiana Suarez, June 8
Next: TBD
9. Marina Rodriguez
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 12-0-2
Last: MD Cynthia Cavillo, Dec. 7
Next: TBD
10. Michelle Waterson
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 17-8
Last: L (SD) Carla Esparza, May 9
Next: TBD