mma / Columns

411 MMA Pound for Pound Rankings: Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones, More

April 13, 2021 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon

411’s MMA Rankings

Pound For Pound


1) Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC)

Weight Class: Heavyweight

Birthday: July 19, 1987

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Dominick Reyes – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 247 – February 8, 2020

– vs. Thiago Santos – Win via decision (split) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019

– vs. Anthony Smith – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019

– vs. Alexander Gustafsson – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 232 – December 29, 2018

– vs. Daniel Cormier – No Contest (originally – win via KO (punches)) – UFC 214 – July 29, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Jones is fishing for a shot at new heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou but nothing has been signed yet. It appears he wants a certain amount of money that the UFC does not want to pay. How this plays out in the months ahead could lead to one of the most anticipated fights in recent memory, or one of the more historic disappointments if it never happens.



2) Jan Blachowicz (28-8)

Birthday: February 24, 1983

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Israel Adesanya – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 259 – March 6, 2021

– vs. Dominick Reyes – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 253 – September 26, 2020

– vs. Corey Anderson – Win via KO (punch) – UFC Fight Night – February 15, 2020

– vs. Jacare Souza – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – November 16, 2019

– vs. Luke Rockhold – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 239 – July 6, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Blachowicz fended off a challenge from the best middleweight, handing Israel Adesanya his first career loss. It was a statement win and keeps him atop the light heavyweight division as the clear #1 in a post-Jon Jones landscape.



3) Kamaru Usman (18-1)

Weight Class: Welterweight

Birthday: May 11, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Gilbert Burns – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 258 – February 13, 2021

– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020

– vs. Colby Covington – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 235 – March 2, 2019

– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 30, 2018

– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – May 19, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Jorge Masvidal – UFC 261 – April 24, 2021

Comment: Usman to date may look like the most dominant champion. Two of his last three challengers were finished and Jorge Masvidal was never able to get a handle on the champion. Masvidal will get a second chance later this month, hoping he fares better. Usman, with another dominant showing, could be considered the best fighter in the world right now.



4) Francis Ngannou (16-3)

Birthday: September 5, 1986

Height: 6’4

Weight: 255

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Stipe Miocic – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 260 – March 27, 2021

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Ngannou is the new heavyweight champion having stopped Stipe Miocic, avenging one of the three losses in his professional career. He would love a chance to fight Jones and have a huge pay day, but regardless of who gets the first shot at the new champion, expect Ngannou to be the betting favorite.


5) Israel Adesanya (20-1)

Weight Class: Middleweight

Birthday: July 22, 1989

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jan Blachowicz – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 259 – March 6, 2021

– vs. Paulo Costa – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 253 – September 19, 2020

– vs. Yoel Romero – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 248 – March 7, 2020

– vs. Robert Whittaker – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC 243 – October 6, 2019

– vs. Kelvin Gastelum – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 236 – April 13, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



6) Alexander Volkanovski (22-1)

Weight Class: Featherweight

Birthday: September 29, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Max Holloway – Win via decision (split) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020

– vs. Max Holloway – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 237 – May 10, 2019

– vs. Chad Mendes – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 232 – December 29, 2018

– vs. Darren Elkins – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – July 14, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Brian Ortega – TBD – UFC



7) Dustin Poirier (27-6, 1 NC)

Weight Class: Lightweight

Birthday: January 19, 1989

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Conor McGregor – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 257 – January 23, 2021

– vs. Dan Hooker – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – June 27, 2020

– vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 242 – September 7, 2019

– vs. Max Holloway – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 236 – April 13, 2019

– vs. Eddie Alvarez – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC on Fox – July 28, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Conor McGregor – UFC 264 – July 10, 2021



8) Stipe Miocic (20-4)

Weight Class: Heavyweight

Birthday: August 19, 1982

Currently fighting with: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Francis Ngannou – Loss via KO (punch) – UFC 260 – March 27, 2021

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



9) Petr Yan (15-2)

<Weight Class: Bantamweight

Birthday: February 11, 1993

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Loss via DQ (illegal knee) – UFC 259 – March 6, 2021

– vs. Jose Aldo – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 251 – July 12, 2020

– vs. Urijah Faber – Win via KO (head kick) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Jimmie Rivera – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019

– vs. John Dodson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – February 23, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



10) Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling (20-3)

Weight Class: Bantamweight

Birthday: July 31, 1989

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Petr Yan – Win via DQ (illegal knee) – UFC 259 – March 6, 2021

– vs. Cory Sandhagen – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 250 – June 6, 2020

– vs. Pedro Munoz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 238 – June 8, 2019

– vs. Jimmie Rivera – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – February 17, 2019

– vs. Cody Stamann – Win via submission (kneebar) – UFC 228 – September 8, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: Sterling became the new bantamweight champion at UFC 259 due to an illegal knee to the head from Petr Yan at a time when Sterling was clearly a downed opponent. As a result of the knee to the head, Sterling was unable to continue and before the end of the fourth round, the action was ruled a disqualification win for Sterling and with it, the new champion was born. It would stand to reason that the UFC will book an immediate rematch whenever possible. At the time of the stoppage, the judges scorecards were 29-28 Yan, 29-28 Yan, 29-28 Sterling, and it was visibly apparent that Sterling was slowing down. In any event, hopefully we have a more definitive winner when these two are back.



11) Robert Whittaker (22-5)

Weight Class: Middleweight

Birthday: December 20, 1990

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jared Cannonier – Win via decision (unaninmous) – UFC 254 – October 24, 2020

– vs. Darren Till – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – July 25, 2020

– vs. Israel Adesanya – Loss via KO (strikes) – UFC 243 – October 6, 2019

– vs. Yoel Romero – Win via decision (split) – UFC 225 – June 9, 2018

– vs. Yoel Romero – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 213 – July 8, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Kelvin Gastelum – UFC on ESPN – April 17, 2021

Comment: Since Whittaker’s title loss in 2019, he has looked good with decision wins over Darren Till and Jared Cannonier. He’ll look for another win over another middleweight contender when he fights Kelvin Gastelum this weekend. In another world, Gastelum beats Adesanya at UFC 236 in the spring of 2019, then challenges Whittaker for the middleweight championship six months later. In this one, Gastelum, lost that fight and Whittaker lost the next one.




12) Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (32-4)

Height: 5’5

Birthday: July 7, 1987

Currently Fighting With: Bellator MMA

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Emmanuel Sanchez – Win via submission (guillotine choke) Bellator 255 – April 2, 2021

– vs. Pedro Carvalho – Win via KO (punch) – Bellator 252 – November 12, 2020

– vs. Juan Archuleta – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 228 – September 28, 2019

– vs. Michael Chandler – Win via TKO (strikes) – Bellator 221 – May 11, 2019

– vs. Emmanuel Sanchez – Win via decision (unanimous) – Bellator 209 – November 15, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. A.J. McKee – Bellator – TBD

Comment: Pitbull defended his featherweight title in dominant fashion against Emmanuel Sanchez, choking him out with a guillotine choke. The win moves him along to the Featherweight Grand Prix final against unbeaten A.J. McKee later this year.



13) Colby Covington (16-2)

Weight Class: Welterweight

Birthday: February 22, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via TKO (rib injury) – UFC Fight Night – September 19, 2020

– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via TKO (strikes) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Robbie Lawler – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – August 3, 2019

– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 225 – June 9, 2018

– vs. Demian Maia – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – October 28, 2017

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




14) Max Holloway (22-6)

Weight Class: Featherweight

Birthday: December 4, 1991

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Calvin Kattar – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – January 13, 2021

– vs. Alexander Volkanovski – Loss via decision (split) – UFC 251 – July 11, 2020

– vs. Alexander Volkanovski – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

– vs. Frankie Edgar – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 240 – July 27, 2019

– vs. Dustin Poirier – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 236 – April 13, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




15) Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1)

Weight Class: Flyweight

Birthday: December 18, 1987

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Brandon Moreno – Draw by decision (split) – UFC 256 – December 12, 2020

– vs. Alex Perez – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC 255 – November 21, 2020

– vs. Joseph Benavidez – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – July 19, 2020

– vs. Joseph Benavidez – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – February 29, 2020

– vs. Tim Elliott – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night – October 12, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Brandon Moreno – UFC 263 – June 12, 2021