Combat Press MMA Rankings: November 2025

Every month, Combat Press will provide MMA rankings for each weight class from heavyweight to flyweight, as well as the pound-for-pound rankings, including male and female athletes.

Note: the numbers in parentheses represent the fighter’s ranking from the previous month.

1. Jon Jones (1)
2. Francis Ngannou (2)
3. Ciryl Gane (3)
4. Tom Aspinall (4)
5. Alexander Volkov (5)
6. Curtis Blaydes (6)
7. Sergei Pavlovich (7)
8. Jailton Almeida (8)
9. Ante Delija (9)
10. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (10)

Four of the top-10 ranked heavyweights were in action at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 25. First, No. 5 Alexander Volkov defeated No. 8 Jailton Almeida by split decision. Unfortunately, the main event that evening did not make it that far. After 15 months on the bench, heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall was finally back in action, as he took on challenger Ciryl Gane. In the first round, No. 3 Gane was clearly winning the fight, but an accidental, albeit deep, eye poke rendered No. 4 Aspinall unable to continue. That fight was ruled a no contest. The heavyweight rankings remain unchanged.

1. Alex Pereira (2)
2. Magomed Ankalaev (1)
3. Jiří Procházka (3)
4. Khalil Rountree Jr. (4)
5. Carlos Ulberg (5)
6. Azamat Murzakanov (-)
7. Corey Anderson (7)
8. Jamahal Hill (8)
9. Jan Błachowicz (9)
10. Aleksandar Rakić (6)

Dropped from the rankings: Volkan Oezdemir (10)

Several ranked light heavyweights were in action in October. At UFC 320 on Oct. 4, No. 3 Jiří Procházka scored a third-round knockout of No. 4 Khalil Rountree. Later that evening, Alex Pereira stopped Magomed Ankalaev with a TKO in Round 1 to win back the undisputed title. At UFC 321 on Oct. 25, unranked Azamat Murzakanov finished No. 6 Aleksandar Rakić by first-round TKO. Pereira regains the top spot, Rakić falls to No. 10, and Murzakanov enters at No. 6. Volkan Oezdemir falls out of the rankings.

1. Khamzat Chimaev (1)
2. Dricus du Plessis (2)
3. Sean Strickland (3)
4. Nassourdine Imavov (4)
5. Israel Adesanya (5)
6. Brendan Allen (-)
7. Reinier de Ridder (6)
8. Robert Whittaker (7)
9. Anthony Hernandez (8)
10. Paulo Costa (10)

Dropped from the rankings: Caio Borralho (9)

At UFC Vancouver on Oct. 18, unranked Brendan Allen defeated No. 6 Reinier de Ridder by TKO due to corner stoppage after the fourth round. Allen enters at No. 6, those below him shift down, and Caio Borralho falls out of the rankings.

1. Jack Della Maddalena (1)
2. Belal Muhammad (2)
3. Sean Brady (3)
4. Kamaru Usman (4)
5. Leon Edwards (5)
6. Shavkat Rakhmonov (6)
7. Joaquin Buckley (7)
8. Colby Covington (8)
9. Ramazan Kuramagomedov (9)
10. Ian Machado Garry (10)

No top-10 fighters were in action this month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Islam Makhachev (1)
2. Ilia Topuria (2)
3. Arman Tsarukyan (3)
4. Charles Oliveira (4)
5. Justin Gaethje (5)
6. Max Holloway (6)
7. Paddy Pimblett (7)
8. Dan Hooker (8)
9. Michael Chandler (9)
10. Beneil Dariush (10)

At UFC Rio on Oct. 11, No. 4 Charles Oliveira defeated Mateusz Gamrot by submission with a face crank. The rankings remain unchanged.

1. Ilia Topuria (1)
2. Alex Volkanovski (2)
3. Diego Lopes (3)
4. Yair Rodriguez (4)
5. Aljamain Sterling (5)
6. Movsar Evloev (6)
7. Brian Ortega (7)
8. Lerone Murphy (8)
9. Jean Silva (9)
10. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (10)

No top-10 fighters were in action this month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Merab Dvalishvili (1)
2. Sean O’Malley (2)
3. Umar Nurmagomedov (3)
4. Cory Sandhagen (4)
5. Petr Yan (5)
6. Deiveson Figueiredo (6)
7. Song Yadong (7)
8. Mario Bautista (8)
9. Aiemann Zahabi (-)
10. Marlon Vera (9)

Dropped from the rankings: Patchy Mix (10)

October saw ranked bantamweights fighting every weekend, starting with UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320, when he defeated No. 4 Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision to defend his title on Oct. 4. The following weekend, No. 6 Deiveson Figueiredo won a split decision over Montel Jackson at UFC Rio. At UFC Vancouver on Oct. 18, unranked Aiemann Zahabi picked up a split decision against No. 9 Marlon “Chito” Vera, and, at UFC 321, No. 3 Umar Nurmagomedov won a unanimous decision over No. 8 Mario Butista. After the dust settled, the only changes to the rankings was Zahabi entering at No. 9, Vera falling to No. 10, and Patchy Mix exiting the rankings.

1. Alexandre Pantoja (1)
2. Joshua Van (2)
3. Brandon Moreno (3)
4. Brandon Royval (4)
5. Amir Albazi (5)
6. Muhammad Mokaev (6)
7. Kai Kara-France (7)
8. Manel Kape (8)
9. Tatsuro Taira (9)
10. Alex Perez (10)

No top-10 fighters were in action this month, so the rankings remain unchanged.

1. Islam Makhachev (1)
2. Jon Jones (2)
3. Ilia Topuria (3)
4. Alexander Volkanovksi (4)
5. Max Holloway (5)
6. Jack Della Maddalena (6)
7. Belal Muhammad (7)
8. Justin Gaethje (8)
9. Alex Pereira (-)
10. Magomed Ankalaev (9)

Dropped from the rankings: Alexandre Pantoja (10)

With Alex Pereira winning his title back from Magomed Ankalaev, he re-enters the rankings at No. 9, Ankaleav falls to No. 10, and Alexandre Pantoja loses his spot.

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Editor’s Note: Fighters are eligible to be ranked if they have competed in the last 18 months. Any fighter that chooses to switch weight classes will be ranked in their previous weight class until they have competed twice in their new division. Fighters who announce their retirement will remain ranked for a period of six months following their final bout.