Although she was overlooked by many oddsmakers and critics entering UFC 312 last weekend, 35-year-old women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili reminded us of her generational talents.
Continuing a trend of total domination ever since she lost consecutive title bouts to Rose Namajunas in 2021, Zhang (26-3) improved to 10-0 against every not named “Thug Rose” with a thorough beatdown of unbeaten Tatiana Suarez (11-1).
Not only did Zhang stuff every single takedown but the first offered by the often-injured Suarez in Round 1, she dominated the striking and left her opponent an exhausted, bloody and swollen mess following such a wide unanimous decision.
Although there remains debate surrounding Zhang’s real age (she claims her passport is incorrect and she’s still 34), there is little debate remaining as to where the first Chinese-born UFC champion stands among the pound-for-pound best in the game today.
At worst, Zhang would be No. 2 behind Valentina Shevchenko. To many, Zhang has already eclipsed the flyweight champion, who regained her title in a trilogy bout against Alexa Grasso last fall.
The best way to decide this P4P debate, of course, would be UFC allowing Zhang to move up to 125 pounds and challenge for the status of best female fighter today, along with providing Zhang an opportunity to become a two-division champion. UFC CEO Dana White seemed intrigued by the idea after UFC 312, although unbeaten top contender Manon Fiorot is already overdue for a shot at the flyweight title.
Either way, Zhang’s commitment to constantly evolving her game was on full display against Suarez as she neutralized her opponent’s dominant grappling skills and very much looked the part as, quite possibly, the best 115-pound fighter in the sport’s history (as she closes within one title defense and total title win of former strawweight queen and Hall-of-Famer Joanna Jedrezejczyk).
Men’s pound-for-pound rankings
1. Islam Makhachev — Lightweight champion
Record: 27-1 | Previous ranking: No. 1
Despite top contender Arman Tsarukyan pulling out of their rematch at UFC 311 in January just one day prior due to a back injury, Makhachev made quick work of late replacement Renato Moicano in a first-round submission. Makhachev, a teammate and protege of former 155-pound king Khabib Nurmagomedov, broke the record for lightweight title defenses with the win and extended his win streak to 15, which is one shy of Anderson Silva’s UFC record.
2. Ilia Topuria — Featherweight champion
Record: 15-0 | Previous ranking: 2
Topuria, a native of Georgia who fights out of Spain, looks very much to be the next breakout star in MMA after earning fighter of the year in 2024 with knockouts of the pound-for-pound ranked Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. The 145-pound champion has also teased an immediate move up to lightweight and called out champion Islam Makhachev on social media after UFC 311 in January.
3. Alex Pereira — Light heavyweight champion
Record: 12-2 | Previous ranking: 3
The 37-year-old Brazilian slugger remains the most valuable fighter on the UFC roster. Pereira returned in October to defend his 205-pound crown against Khalil Rountree Jr. The win set a new UFC record with three title defenses in a span of just 175 days. Pereira returns in March at UFC 313 in Las Vegas as a betting underdog when he faces Magomed Ankalaev.
4. Merab Dvalishvili — Bantamweight champion
Record: 19-4 | Previous ranking: 4
Despite a serious back injury and nasty cut on his leg, the underdog Dvalishvili outlasted unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in his first title defense. The native of Georgia, who just might possess the best cardio in UFC history, has now beaten a who’s who at 135 pounds since 2022. He may not be a finisher but “The Machine” is as tough a test as anyone in UFC.
5. Dricus du Plessis — Middleweight champion
Record: 22-2 | Previous ranking: 6
Say what you will about his lumbering and often raw style of forward pressure, the native of South Africa has achieved tremendous results throughout nine unbeaten trips to the Octagon. The defending 185-pound champion returned to Australia in February to widely outpoint Sean Strickland in their title rematch. A showdown with unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev looms although DDP has shown interest in fighting Alex Pereira at 205 pounds.
6. Jon Jones — Heavyweight champion
Record: 27-1, 1 NC | Previous ranking: 5
In just his second UFC appearance in nearly five years, Jones successfully shook off an 18-month layoff and recovery from pectoral surgery to dominate former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. While the performance was both complete and impressive for Jones, it came against a 42-year-old opponent who looked slow, hadn’t fought in three years and hadn’t won since 2020.
7. Alexandre Pantoja — Flyweight champion
Record: 29-5 | Previous ranking: 7
After relying much more on his iron will than his P4P skills to take the flyweight title from Brandon Moreno last summer, the Brazilian submission expert has stayed busy since with a trio of title defenses against Brandon Royval (in their rematch), Steve Erceg and, most recently, UFC debutant Kai Asakura. At 34, Pantoja seems to only have gotten better since winning UFC gold and is in the best shape of his career.
8. Belal Muhammad — Welterweight champion
Record: 24-4, 1 NC | Previous ranking: 8
With an unbeaten streak that reached 11 fights when he upset Leon Edwards to capture the welterweight title at UFC 304 in July, the time to doubt or undermine Muhammad’s world-class skills is no more. At 36, the proud Palestinian-American from Chicago also became the oldest fighter to win a UFC title at 170 pounds or below. With an injury behind him, Muhammad’s first title defense is expected to come against Shavkat Rakhmonov in 2025.
9. Khamzat Chimaev — Middleweight
Record: 14-0 | Previous ranking: 9
The only thing previously stopping Chimaev from joining this list has been inactivity, largely due to a bad-luck mixture of illness and injury. But a healthy Chimaev is as dangerous as any in the sport, as evidenced by the 30-year-old’s first-round destruction of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October, which left the former champion with a broken jaw. Despite the breakthrough win, Chimaev will have to wait for his title shot now that Dricus du Plessis-Sean Strickland II is set for March.
10. Leon Edwards — Welterweight
Record: 21-4, 1 NC | Previous ranking: 10
Fighting in his adopted backyard of England provided few advantages for Edwards against the crisp boxing and relentless pressure of Belal Muhammad as the inspirational 170-pound title reign of “Rocky” came to an end at UFC 304. Edwards blamed the early morning start time for his flat performance despite rallying to cut Muhammad late in Round 5. He’s expected to return at UFC London in March against Jack Della Maddalena.
Dropped out: None
Just missed: Umar Nurmagomedov, Tom Aspinall, Sean O’Malley, Magomed Ankalaev, Alexander Volkanovski
Women’s pound-for-pound rankings
1. Zhang Weili — Strawweight champion
Record: 25-3 | Previous ranking: No. 2
Zhang improved to 10-0 in the UFC against everyone not named Rose Namajunas when she dominated unbeaten Tatiana Suarez over five rounds at UFC 312 in February. At 35, Zhang only continues to round out her game while teasing aspirations of moving up to 125 pounds and attempting to become a two-division champion.
2. Valentina Shevchenko — Flyweight champion
Record: 24-4-1 | Previous ranking: No. 1
The future Hall of Famer cemented her legacy even further by becoming a two-time champion in her trilogy against Alexa Grasso at UFC 306. At 36, Shevchenko defied age and a one-year layoff to pitch a shutout of Grasso over five rounds thanks to her grappling and counterpunching. A lifelong student of martial arts, Shevchenko is only getting better.
3. Manon Fiorot — Flyweight
Record: 12-1 | Previous ranking: 3
A shutout, five-round decision over red-hot Erin Blanchfield looks to be the final hurdle that the 34-year-old native of France will have to clear en route to a title shot. Fiorot’s takedown defense and ability to avoid danger on the ground set the perfect stage for her pinpoint striking to shine. Expect Fiorot to get the first shot at Shevchenko in her second title reign at 125 pounds.
4. Kayla Harrison — Bantamweight
Record: 18-1 | Previous ranking: 4
Despite an insane weight cut down to 135 pounds that left her hospitalized and urinating blood just weeks before the fight, Harrison appears to have finally secured a shot at a UFC title with her October victory over No. 2-ranked Ketlen Vieira. Harrison was forced to overcome heavy swelling and blood after being cut for the first time in her career. While Harrison will be a heavy betting favorite against champion Julianna Pena, the real question comes down to whether she can continue to make the weight in this division after competing at 155 pounds in the PFL.
5. Alexa Grasso — Flyweight
Record: 16-4–1 | Previous ranking: NR
The former UFC women’s flyweight champion from Mexico hasn’t fought since surrendering her title via wide unanimous decision in their trilogy bout at UFC 306 last fall. Grasso remains 5-1-1 since moving up to 125 pounds in 2020 but proved against Shevchenko that her grappling skills could use some freshening up during her layoff.
Dropped out: Tatiana Suarez
Just missed: Erin Blanchfield, Julianna Pena, Yan Xiaonan, Virna Jandiroba, Suarez
Read the full article here