MMA pound-for-pound rankings, July 2026: After Conor McGregor’s disaster, all eyes shift to Islam Makhachev

Listen, if Conor McGregor had smoked Max Holloway in his return fight, here’s guessing at least one of our Uncrowned MMA Pound-for-Pound voters would’ve slotted him in the top 10 of this month’s list.

(We’re mostly kidding.)

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Yet given the anticlimactic nature of the ending of Saturday’s UFC 329 main event, the more realistic question was whether Max Holloway would break back into the top 10 space on the men’s side of the ledger, and the answer is … no. Holloway got the 69-second victory, but he didn’t need to do much in Las Vegas to secure it.

So as we enter the dog days of summer, the MMA pound-for-pound list stays steady with Islam Makhachev and Valentina Shevchenko holding down the top spots.

The panel of Ben Fowlkes, Chuck Mindenhall, Shaheen Al-Shatti, Petesy Carroll, Drake Riggs, Eric Jackman and Conner Burks have ranked both the men’s and women’s pound-for-pound best, one through 10, using a weighted points system to determine the final rankings (being voted No. 1 equals 10 points, No. 2 equals nine points, down to No. 10 equaling one point).

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Our only criterion for these monthly rankings is that a fighter has competed within at least a calendar year of the publication date or has at least had a fight booked within that window. If a fighter hasn’t competed in a year and books a fight after that time, he or she is once again eligible to be voted back in. Fighters who retire are no longer eligible for the rankings.

Though most of the best fighters are currently in the UFC, these rankings are not UFC exclusive. We take into consideration all the major promotions, from PFL to RIZIN to ONE Championship and beyond.

Without further ado, here are Uncrowned’s MMA pound-for-pound rankings for July 2026!

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS

1. Islam Makhachev — UFC welterweight champion 

The game within the game is to see what Makhachev posts on X after a big event, and this time he came right down to the point. “Conor beat Conor congrats Max,” he wrote after UFC 329. In a weird way, Makhachev is the last of the UFC’s “invincibles” — and the biggest attraction going — with McGregor, Ilia Topuria, Alex Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev all losing this summer. At UFC 330 in August, Ian Machado Garry awaits.

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2. Alexandre Pantoja — Former UFC flyweight champion

The countdown is on for Pantoja’s return, as it’s now been a half-year since he lost his title to Joshua Van in the flukiest of ways. Watching Van’s extended victory lap, which took the champ to Vegas this past International Fight Week where he did a meet-and-greet with fans, must feel like a lemon being squeezed on the wound.

3. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC featherweight champion 

The more you see champions get into big spots and lose, the more you appreciate a guy like Volkanovski, whose longevity as one of the best is nearly unparalleled. It looks like Movsar Evloev is next, and there are maybe a million details within that matchup that’ll fascinate the analysts in the months ahead.

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4. Petr Yan — UFC bantamweight champion

You wonder if Petr Yan is keeping tabs on Merab Dvalishvili, who popped up this past weekend (again) with RAF. Down 8-0 in his match with Henry Cejudo, Merab mounted a comeback for the ages (or, for those who cared to watch) to win 11-8. Merab won’t be denied, in other words, and it’s up to Yan to shut “The Machine” down.

5. Tom Aspinall — UFC heavyweight champion

One thing is certain: The Tom Aspinall and Cyril Gane sequel will be far bigger than the original. At this point it would feel like a victory for the UFC to circle a date for the rematch, but the news is that Aspinall is back in the gym and nearing a return. Fingers crossed nothing dumb happens.

6. Justin Gaethje — UFC lightweight champion

As it sinks in, there are a thousand little thoughts that enter your head when contemplating Justin Gaethje as the lightweight champion in mid-2026. Somehow, he beat Paddy Pimblett (in a fight nobody wanted) and Ilia Topuria (in a fight everybody expected him to lose), and his most likely next opponent is Arman Tsarukyan (if Gaethje doesn’t call it a career). Weird!

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7. Merab Dvalishvili — UFC bantamweight champion

His nose looked like it was painted onto his face by Picasso after his June RAF match against Frankie Edgar, just a crooked, craggy thing with a little unicorn nub starting to protrude. Yet he went to Georgia to face Cejudo just a month later, so you know who hates idling? Merab freaking Dvalishvili.

8. Ilia Topuria — Former UFC two-division champion

A lot of people are now on the bandwagon to see Topuria square off with his sworn enemy Paddy Pimblett. Not that long ago that fight felt like a rout for “El Matador,” yet after what Pimblett did to Benoit Saint Denis? Make it happen Hunter Campbell!

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9. Sean Strickland — UFC middleweight champion

As we wait for his first title defense (second reign), we content ourselves with Strickland’s X philosophies. In a recent post, he said, “Im not saying this is it ….. but every homie I have that has done steroids for too long their bodies become so fragile… Im not saying thats why but…. it does weaken everything…” We think this was a jab at McGregor.

10. Joshua Van — UFC flyweight champion

You see a guy like Brandon Royval go in there and starch Lone’er Kavanagh, after getting dropped earlier in the fight, and you arrive at a newfound respect for Van. This kid withstood Royval’s best and was able to style on him all the same. Van-Pantoja 2 can’t get here fast enough.

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(Others receiving votes: Alex Pereira, Arman Tsarukyan, Carlos Ulberg, Khamzat Chimaev)

WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS

1. Valentina Shevchenko — UFC flyweight champion

Everybody’s gunning for Valentina Shevchenko. After her victory over Traci Cortez at UFC 329, Wang Cong said she was “hunting Valentina.” Dakota Ditcheva, who doesn’t even belong to the same league, declared she’d “beat her.” This is what happens when you’ve been on top for as long as the ageless Shevchenko. Everyone wants a piece.

2. Kayla Harrison — UFC bantamweight champion

Harrison is on a bit of a tour right now. She was in Washington for the White House card, a reluctant spectator rather than a participant. And she was in Vegas this past weekend to watch UFC 329. The question now is: When does she return to the Octagon? And did the extended time out affect her momentum?

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3. Zhang Weili — Former UFC strawweight champion

You miss a fighter when you get to revisiting their body of work. During International Fight Week, Zhang Weili was inducted into the “Fight Wing” of the UFC Hall of Fame alongside Joanna Jedrzejczyk, after their butcher’s delight back in 2022. The question now is: When does she return to the Octagon? And did her extended time out affect her?Well, we hope to see her soon.

4. Cris Cyborg — PFL featherweight champion

Cyborg has quietly won nine in a row since losing her only fight in the last millennia, and at age 41 (which is a year past her preferred retirement age), we finally know what’s next. One of the game’s all-time greats will finally ride into the sunset on Aug. 22 when she defends her PFL belt Ketlen Vieira in her (MMA) retirement fight.

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5. Dakota Ditcheva — PFL flyweight contender

We’re only weeks out from Dakota Ditcheva’s first fight in the U.S. in nearly two years. She should be a big attraction on Long Island, because she’s perhaps the star with the most upside in the entire gamut of women’s MMA. If you’re wondering who she’s fighting, it’s … checks Wikipedia … oh yes, Denise Kielholtz.

6. Natalia Silva — UFC flyweight contender

It feels like veritable eons since Natalia Silva beat Rose Namajunas (it was January), and yet here we are in July still waiting to find out if she has a title shot. At this point it feels like a sweepstakes for Valentina Shevchenko, but if Silva doesn’t get the shot after winning all eight of her UFC fights, we riot.

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7. Manon Fiorot — UFC flyweight contender

Fiorot has a big one coming up against Alexa Grasso, who scored that double-finish of Maycee Barber back in March. Fiorot is a perennial dark horse to take over the women’s 125-pound division, yet at age 36, time isn’t on her side. Beating the ex-champ Grasso could expedite her journey to a title.

8. Seika Izawa — Former RIZIN super atomweight champion

She vacated the RIZIN super atomweight title in April after learning of her pregnancy, so it’s going to be a minute before we see the Japanese sensation again. Not to be a UFC snob, but it would be fun to see her compete there as a strawweight upon her return.

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9. Mackenzie Dern — UFC strawweight champion 

Did you see Mackenzie Dern in Vegas for UFC 329? She looked happy. And why not? A fight with Gillian Robertson looms at UFC 330, and it should be a good one. If Dern wins, perhaps she can do away with some of the credential concerns she’s encountered since winning the title over Virna Jandiroba. (Then again, she might need to beat Zhang before that sentiment cools down.)

10. Erin Blanchfield — UFC flyweight contender

The good news is that Blanchfield finally has a fight on the books. She faces off with Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, which will be a nice test for the “Cold Blooded” contender. The bad news? Last time she fought in the vicinity of her roots, she lost to Manon Fiorot.

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(Others receiving votes: Tatiana Suarez, Alexa Grasso, Virna Jandiroba, Liz Carmouche)

Here’s how we voted:

SHAHEEN AL-SHATTI

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexandre Pantoja

3. Tom Aspinall

4. Alex Pereira

5. Sean Strickland

6. Justin Gaethje

7. Ilia Topuria

8. Alexander Volkanovski

9. Petr Yan

10. Merab Dvalishivili

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Seika Izawa

6. Natalia Silva

7. Dakota Ditcheva

8. Tatiana Suarez

9. Mackenzie Dern

10. Alexa Grasso

CONNER BURKS

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Petr Yan

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Alexander Volkanovski

5. Tom Aspinall

6. Merab Dvalishvili

7. Joshua Van

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8. Carlos Ulberg

9. Justin Gaethje

10. Ilia Topuria

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Cris Cyborg

4. Zhang Weili

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Natalia Silva

7. Manon Fiorot

8. Seika Izawa

9. Mackenzie Dern

10. Erin Blanchfield

PETESY CARROLL

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexander Volkanovski

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Petr Yan

5. Tom Aspinall

6. Sean Strickland

7. Justin Gaethje

8. Ciryl Gane

9. Ilia Topuria

10. Alex Pereira

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Zhang Weili

3. Kayla Harrison

4. Dakota Ditcheva

5. Cris Cyborg

6. Mackenzie Dern

7. Natalia Silva

8. Manon Fiorot

9. Erin Blanchfield

10. Tatiana Suarez

BEN FOWLKES

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

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2. Alexander Volkanovski

3. Petr Yan

4. Merab Dvalishvili

5. Alexandre Pantoja

6. Tom Aspinall

7. Justin Gaethje

8. Ilia Topuria

9. Joshua Van

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Zhang Weili

3. Kayla Harrison

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Erin Blanchfield

7. Natalia Silva

8. Manon Fiorot

9. Alexa Grasso

10. Tatiana Suarez

ERIC JACKMAN

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexandre Pantoja

3. Petr Yan

4. Merab Dvalishvili

5. Sean Strickland

6. Ilia Topuria

7. Alexander Volkanovski

8. Joshua Van

9. Arman Tsarukyan

10. Khamzat Chimaev

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Manon Fiorot

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6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Tatiana Suarez

9. Dakota Ditcheva

10. Erin Blanchfield

CHUCK MINDENHALL

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Alexander Volkanovski

3. Alexandre Pantoja

4. Tom Aspinall

5. Petr Yan

6. Merab Dvalishvili

7. Justin Gaethje

8. Ilia Topuria

9. Joshua Van

10. Arman Tsarukyan

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Kayla Harrison

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Dakota Ditcheva

6. Manon Fiorot

7. Erin Blanchfield

8. Tatiana Suarez

9. Natalia Silva

10. Alexa Grasso

DRAKE RIGGS 

MEN

1. Islam Makhachev

2. Justin Gaethhe

3. Ilia Topuria

4. Alexandre Pantoja

5. Petr Yan

6. Alexander Volkanovski

7. Tom Aspinall

8. Merab Dvalishvili

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9. Carlos Ulberg

10. Sean Strickland

WOMEN

1. Valentina Shevchenko

2. Seika Izawa

3. Zhang Weili

4. Cris Cyborg

5. Kayla Harrison

6. Natalia Silva

7. Mackenzie Dern

8. Virna Jandiroba

9. Liz Carmouche

10. Dakota Ditcheva