mma / Columns

411 Pound for Pound MMA Rankings: Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou, More

December 28, 2021 | Posted by Jonathan Solomon

411’s MMA Rankings

Pound For Pound


1) Kamaru Usman (20-1)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: May 11, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Colby Covington – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 268 – November 6, 2021

– vs. Jorge Masvidal – Win via KO (punch) – UFC 261 – April 24, 2021

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown

Comment: As we approach the end of 2021, it seems apparent the best fighter in the world is Kamaru Usman. Is it undisputed? Perhaps not, but for Usman’s case, he spent this past year knocking out two top contenders and outlasting his rival for a second time. The only fresh contender next year may be Leon Edwards, which is likely why the welterweight champion talks more and more about retirement. If the money isn’t worth it, why put your mind, body and family through the rigors of MMA at this level.



2) 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:

– vs. Ciryl Gane – UFC 270 – January 22, 2022

Comment: Ngannou isn’t thrilled with the UFC and company president Dana White is not thrilled with Ngannou’s management. The former wants to be paid like a heavyweight champion while the latter does not want to pay a fighter more than his perceived worth. Of late, there’s been nasty talk publicly between the two sides and that’s with Ngannou set to defend the heavyweight crown in less than a month. Because of contract issues, Ngannou has only fought once in each of the past two years. Hopefully 2022 will see that pattern end.



3) Alexander Volkanovski (23-1)

Weight Class: Featherweight

Birthday: September 29, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Brian Ortega – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 266 – September 25, 2021

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



4) Israel Adesanya (21-1)

Weight Class: Middleweight

Birthday: July 22, 1989

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Marvin Vettori – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 263 – June 12, 2021

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Robert Whittaker – UFC 271 – February 12, 2022



5) Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira (32-8, 1 NC)

Height: 5’10

Birthday: October 17, 1989

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Dustin Poirier – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 269 – December 11, 2021

– vs. Michael Chandler – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 262 – May 15, 2021

– vs. Tony Ferguson – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 256 – December 12, 2020

– vs. Kevin Lee – Win via submission (guillotine choke) – UFC Fight Night – March 14, 2020

– vs. Jared Gordon – Win via KO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – November 16, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




6) Glover Teixeira (33-7)

Height: 6’2

Birthday: October 28, 1979

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Jan Blachowicz – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 267 – October 30, 2021

– vs. Thiago Santos – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC on ESPN – November 7, 2020

– vs. Anthony Smith – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC Fight Night – May 13, 2020

– vs. Nikita Krylov – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – September 14, 2019

– vs. Ion Cutelaba – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC Fight Night – April 27, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



7) Jan Blachowicz (28-9)

Weight Class: Light Heavyweight

Birthday: February 24, 1983

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Glover Teixeira – Loss via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 267 – October 30, 2021

– 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:

– vs. Aleksander Rakic – UFC on ESPN – March 26, 2022



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 (16-2)

Height: 5’7

Birthday: February 11, 1993

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Cory Sandhagen – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 267 – October 30, 2021

– vs. Aljamain Sterling – Loss via via Disqualification (illegal knee to head) – 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



10) Robert Whittaker (23-5)

Height: 6′

Birthday: December 20, 1990

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Kelvin Gastelum – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – April 17, 2021

– 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Israel Adesanya – UFC 271 – February 12, 2022



11) Colby Covington (16-3)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: February 22, 1988

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Kamaru Usman – Loss via decision (unanimous) – UFC 268 – November 6, 2021

– vs. Tyron Woodley – Win via TKO (strikes) – 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown



12) 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



13) Max Holloway (23-5)

Height: 5’11

Birthday: December 4, 1991

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Yair Rodriguez – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – November 13, 2021

– vs. Calvin Kattar – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – January 16, 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

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown




14) Brandon Moreno (19-5-2)

Weight Class: Flyweight

Birthday: December 7, 1993

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – Win via submission (rear naked choke) – UFC 263 – June 12, 2021

– vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – DRAW by decision (split) – UFC 256 – December 12, 2020

– vs. Brandon Royval – Win via TKO (strikes) – UFC 255 – November 21, 2020

– vs. Jussier Formiga – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – March 14, 2020

– vs. Kai Kara France – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 245 – December 14, 2019

Next scheduled appearance:

– vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – UFC 270 – January 22, 2022



15) Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC)

Height: 6’0

Birthday: August 25, 1991

Currently Fighting With: UFC

Last 5 fights:

– vs. Nate Diaz – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC 263 – June 2, 2021

– vs. Belal Muhammad – No Contest (accidental eye poke) – UFC Fight Night – March 13, 2021

– vs. Rafael dos Anjos – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC on ESPN – July 20, 2019

– vs. Gunnar Nelson – Win via decision (split) – UFC Fight Night – March 16, 2019

– vs. Donald Cerrone – Win via decision (unanimous) – UFC Fight Night – June 23, 2018

Next scheduled appearance:

– Unknown