mma / Columns

411 Heavyweight MMA Rankings: Derrick Lewis, Francis Ngannou, More

March 2, 2021 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon

411’s Official MMA Rankings

Heavyweight Division


1) Stipe Miocic (20-3)

Birthday: August 19, 1982

Height: 6’4

Weight: 245

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 241 – August 17, 2019

– vs. Daniel Cormier – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 220 – January 20, 2018

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 211 – May 13, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Francis Ngannou – UFC 260 – March 27, 2021



2) Francis Ngannou (15-3)

Birthday: September 5, 1986

Height: 6’4

Weight: 255

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019

– vs. Cain Velasquez – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC on ESPN – February 17, 2019

– vs. Curtis Blades – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 24, 2018

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 226 – July 7, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Stipe Miocic – UFC 260 – March 27, 2021



3) Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC)

Birthday: February 7, 1985

Height: 6’3

Weight: 260

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Curtis Blaydes – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – February 20, 2021

– vs. Alexey Oleynik – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 8, 2020

– vs. Ilir Latifi – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 247 – February 8, 2020

– vs. Blagoy Ivanov – Win via decision (split) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – March 9, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Lewis caught Blaydes with a picture perfect uppercut when the latter blindly moved forward. Lewis is on a four-fight win streak but stressed he doesn’t want another five-round fight next. He’s been in consecutive main events, meaning he’s had to prepare for 25-minutes.




4) Curtis Blaydes (14-3, 1 NC)

Birthday: February 18, 1991

Height: 6’4

Weight: 250

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – February 20, 2021

– vs. Alexander Volkov – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 20, 2020

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – January 25, 2020

– vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 242 – September 7, 2019

– vs. Justin Willis – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 23, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: It’s a similar fate for Blaydes who in 2018 saw his six-fight unbeaten streak end thanks to a Francis Ngannou TKO in under a minute. Ten days ago, Blaydes was knocked out by Derrick Lewis in the second round, ending his four-fight win streak. Both times, it’s a rough roadblock for a potential title contender to fall back down to Earth. On the bright side, if history repeats, Blaydes is set for another winning streak.



5) Alexander “Drago” Volkov (33-8)

Birthday: October 24, 1988

Height: 6’7

Weight: 235

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – February 6, 2021

– vs. Walt Harris – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 254 – October 24, 2020

– vs. Curtis Blaydes – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 20, 2020

– vs. Greg Hardy – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 9, 2019

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 229 – October 6, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



6) Ciryl Gane (8-0)

Birthday: May 6, 1990

Height: 6’5

Weight: 248

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 13, 2021

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (elbow) – UFC 256 – December 12, 2020

– vs. Tanner Boser – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – December 21, 2019

– vs. Don’Tale Mayes – Win via submission (heel hook) – UFC Fight Night – October 26, 2019

– vs. Raphael Pessoa – Win via submission (Arm-Triangle choke) – UFC Fight Night – August 10, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Gane earned the biggest win of his career against Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the main event Saturday night. It went the full five-rounds and he won the decision in unanimous fashion, but that didn’t cease him from receiving criticism from UFC president Dana White for the lack of a highlight reel sequence. Regardless, Gane is undefeated and one of the top ranked challengers in the division.

There’s an interesting scenario at the top of the heavyweight division with matchmaking if they do intend to give the upcoming Miocic/Ngannou winner a challenge from Jon Jones later in 2021. This would force Lewis and Volkov, seen as the two natural title challengers into waiting. Does the UFC choose to book Volkov against Gane with the winner a step closer to a title fight? Or should the UFC go the route of Volkov and Lewis, perhaps Gane gets a lower ranked opponent such as Marcin Tybura.



7) Jairzinho Rozenstruik (11-2)

Birthday: March 17, 1988

Height: 6’2

Weight: 248

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Ciryl Gane – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 13, 2021

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Win via KO (punch) – UFC on ESPN – December 7, 2019

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



8) Alistair Overeem (47-19, 1 No Contest)

Birthday: May 17, 1980

Height: 6’5

Weight: 240

Birthday: May 17, 1980

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alexander Volkov – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – February 6, 2021

– vs. Augusto Sakai – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 5, 2020

– vs. Walt Harris – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – Nat 16, 2020

– vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC on ESPN – December 7, 2019

– vs. Alexey Oleynik – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – April 20, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



9) Augusto Sakai (15-2-1)

Birthday: May 19, 1991

Height: 6’3

Weight: 264

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 5, 2020

– vs. Blagoy Ivanov – Win via decision (split) – UFC on ESPN – May 30, 2020

– vs. Marcin Tybura – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 14, 2019

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – April 27, 2019

– vs. Chase Sherman – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 22, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov – UFC Fight Night – May 1, 2021



10) Marcin “Tybur” Tybura (21-6)

Birthday: November 9, 1985

Height: 6’3

Weight: 249

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Greg Hardy – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – December 19, 2020

– vs. Ben Rothwell – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 10, 2020

– vs. Maxim Grishin – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020

– vs. Sergey Spivak – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – February 29, 2020

– vs. Augusto Sakai – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – September 14, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. TBD – UFC 260 – March 27, 2021

Comment: Tybura was scheduled to fight Blagoy Ivanov next month but the latter suffered an unspecified injury and is off the show. It has not been confirmed whether Tybura will get a new opponent or if they may push him off the show and look for that fight within the next few months.



11) Chris Daukaus (11-3)

Birthday: September 25, 1989

Height: 6’2

Weight: 234

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alexey Oleynik – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – February 20, 2021

– vs. Rodrigo Nascimento Ferreira – Win via KO (punches) – UFC Fight Night – October 10, 2020

– vs. Danny Holmes – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 252 – August 15, 2020

– vs. Azunna Anyanwu – Loss via TKO – CFFC 73 – March 2, 2019

– vs. Edwin Smart – Win via TKO (strikes) – ROC 65 – September 21, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Daukaus earns his spot in the rankings off of another first round knockout win – this time against Alexey Oleynik in the first round a few weeks ago.



12) Walt Harris (13-9, 1 NC)

Birthday: June 10, 1983

Height: 6’5

Weight: 250

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Alexander Volkov – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 254 – October 24, 2020

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – Nat 16, 2020

– vs. Aleksei Oleinik – Win via KO (knee) – UFC on ESPN – July 20, 2019

– vs. Sergey Spivak – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – May 4, 2019

– vs. Andrei Arlovski – No Contest (win for Harris overturned due to banned substance) – UFC 232 – December 29, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



13) Sergei Pavlovich (14-1)

Birthday: May 13, 1992

Height: 6’3

Weight: 239

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Maurice Greene – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – October 26, 2019

– vs. Marcelo Golm – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – April 20, 2019

– vs. Alistair Overeem – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 24, 2018

– vs. Kirill Sidelnikov – Win via TKO (strikes) – FNG 79 – November 19, 2017

– vs. Mikhail Mokhnatkin – Win via decision (unanimous) – FNG 68 – June 2, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Pavlovich was set to return to action last summer against Ciryl Gane but suffered an injury in training. There’s been no update as to his return in 2021 just yet.




14) Alexey Oleynik (59-15-1)

Birthday: June 25, 1977

Height: 6’1

Weight: 240

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Chris Daukaus – Loss via TKO (punches) – UFC Fight Night – February 20, 2021

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – August 8, 2020

– vs. Fabricio Werdum – Win via decision (split) – UFC 249 – May 9, 2020

– vs. Maurice Greene – Win via submission (armbar) – UFC 46 – January 18, 2020

– vs. Walt Harris – Loss via KO (knee) – UFC on ESPN – July 20, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




15) Blagoy Ivanov (18-4, 1 NC)

Birthday: October 9, 1986

Height: 5’11

Weight: 251

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Augusto Sakai – Loss via decision (split) – UFC on ESPN – May 30, 2020

– vs. Derrick Lewis – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 244 – November 2, 2019

– vs. Tai Tuivasa – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019

– vs. Ben Rothwell – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 9, 2019

– vs. Junior dos Santos – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – July 14, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown