Pound for Pound
01 Islam Makhachev 60.4% vs own top 5 +150champion · former champ · 4 defenses 1848 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Welterweight, Makhachev wins 60.4% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1670, which puts Makhachev at 1698 on simulation alone. Then the belt, a previous reign and 4 title defenses add 150 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1848.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Welterweight champion
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +40 4 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
02 Alexander Volkanovski 44.8% vs own top 5 +195champion · former champ (regained) · 6 defenses 1838 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Featherweight, Volkanovski wins 44.8% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1657, which puts Volkanovski at 1643 on simulation alone. Then the belt, a previous reign won back after losing it and 6 title defenses add 195 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1838.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Featherweight champion
- +50 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign, and won one back after losing it)
- +60 6 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
03 Tom Aspinall 72.9% vs own top 5 +95champion · 1 defense 1810 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Heavyweight, Aspinall wins 72.9% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1648, which puts Aspinall at 1715 on simulation alone. Then the belt and 1 title defense add 95 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1810.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Heavyweight champion
- +10 1 title defense — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
04 Petr Yan 49.0% vs own top 5 +135champion · former champ (regained) 1788 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Bantamweight, Yan wins 49.0% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1656, which puts Yan at 1653 on simulation alone. Then the belt and 2 previous reigns, one of them won back add 135 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1788.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Bantamweight champion
- +50 held a belt before this reign (2 previous reigns, and won one back after losing it)
05 Sean Strickland 44.0% vs own top 5 +135champion · former champ (regained) 1784 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Middleweight, Strickland wins 44.0% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1665, which puts Strickland at 1649 on simulation alone. Then the belt and a previous reign won back after losing it add 135 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1784.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Middleweight champion
- +50 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign, and won one back after losing it)
06 Justin Gaethje 28.1% vs own top 5 +150champion · former champ (regained) · 1 defense · non-UFC title 1774 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Lightweight, Gaethje wins 28.1% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1687, which puts Gaethje at 1624 on simulation alone. Then the belt, a previous reign won back after losing it, 1 title defense and a world title won outside the UFC add 150 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1774.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Lightweight champion
- +50 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign, and won one back after losing it)
- +10 1 title defense — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
- +5 world title won outside the UFC
07 Max Holloway 55.7% vs own top 5 +65former champ · 4 defenses 1767 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Lightweight, Holloway wins 55.7% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1687, which puts Holloway at 1702 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and 4 title defenses add 65 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1767.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +40 4 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
08 Arman Tsarukyan 72.1% vs own top 5 1751 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Lightweight, Tsarukyan wins 72.1% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1687, which puts Tsarukyan at 1751 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
09 Carlos Ulberg 62.2% vs own top 5 +85champion 1746 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Light Heavyweight, Ulberg wins 62.2% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1628, which puts Ulberg at 1661 on simulation alone. Then the belt adds 85 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1746.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Light Heavyweight champion
10 Ilia Topuria 57.5% vs own top 5 +35former champ · 1 defense 1742 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Lightweight, Topuria wins 57.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1687, which puts Topuria at 1707 on simulation alone. Then 2 previous reigns and 1 title defense add 35 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1742.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (2 previous reigns)
- +10 1 title defense — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
11 Khamzat Chimaev 67.0% vs own top 5 +25former champ 1737 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Middleweight, Chimaev wins 67.0% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1665, which puts Chimaev at 1712 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign adds 25 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1737.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
12 Joshua Van 57.5% vs own top 5 +95champion · 1 defense 1735 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Flyweight, Van wins 57.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1620, which puts Van at 1640 on simulation alone. Then the belt and 1 title defense add 95 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1735.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +85 reigning Flyweight champion
- +10 1 title defense — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
13 Merab Dvalishvili 56.7% vs own top 5 +55former champ · 3 defenses 1729 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Bantamweight, Dvalishvili wins 56.7% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1656, which puts Dvalishvili at 1674 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and 3 title defenses add 55 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1729.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +30 3 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
14 Ciryl Gane 60.4% vs own top 5 +50former champ (regained) 1726 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Heavyweight, Gane wins 60.4% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1648, which puts Gane at 1676 on simulation alone. Then 2 previous reigns, one of them won back adds 50 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1726.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +50 held a belt before this reign (2 previous reigns, and won one back after losing it)
15 Dricus Du Plessis 50.3% vs own top 5 +50former champ · 2 defenses · non-UFC title 1716 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Middleweight, Du Plessis wins 50.3% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1665, which puts Du Plessis at 1666 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign, 2 title defenses and a world title won outside the UFC add 50 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1716.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +20 2 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
- +5 world title won outside the UFC
16 Aljamain Sterling 46.1% vs own top 5 +55former champ · 3 defenses 1701 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Featherweight, Sterling wins 46.1% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1657, which puts Sterling at 1646 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and 3 title defenses add 55 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1701.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +30 3 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
17 Michael Morales 60.5% vs own top 5 1699 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Welterweight, Morales wins 60.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1670, which puts Morales at 1699 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
18 Alex Pereira 42.6% vs own top 5 +90former champ (regained) · 3 defenses · non-UFC titles 1698 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Light Heavyweight, Pereira wins 42.6% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1628, which puts Pereira at 1608 on simulation alone. Then 3 previous reigns, one of them won back, 3 title defenses and 2 world titles won outside the UFC add 90 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1698.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +50 held a belt before this reign (3 previous reigns, and won one back after losing it)
- +30 3 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
- +10 world titles won outside the UFC
19 Magomed Ankalaev 65.1% vs own top 5 +25former champ 1695 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Light Heavyweight, Ankalaev wins 65.1% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1628, which puts Ankalaev at 1670 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign adds 25 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1695.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
20 Umar Nurmagomedov 62.1% vs own top 5 1689 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Bantamweight, Nurmagomedov wins 62.1% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1656, which puts Nurmagomedov at 1689 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
21 Movsar Evloev 61.5% vs own top 5 1688 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Featherweight, Evloev wins 61.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1657, which puts Evloev at 1688 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
22 Alexandre Pantoja 51.2% vs own top 5 +65former champ · 4 defenses 1688 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Flyweight, Pantoja wins 51.2% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1620, which puts Pantoja at 1623 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and 4 title defenses add 65 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1688.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +40 4 title defenses — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
23 Charles Oliveira 36.6% vs own top 5 +35former champ · 1 defense 1685 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Lightweight, Oliveira wins 36.6% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1687, which puts Oliveira at 1650 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and 1 title defense add 35 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1685.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +10 1 title defense — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
24 Sean O'Malley 46.5% vs own top 5 +35former champ · 1 defense 1681 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Bantamweight, O'Malley wins 46.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1656, which puts O'Malley at 1646 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and 1 title defense add 35 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1681.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +10 1 title defense — wins in a title fight while already holding the belt
25 Nassourdine Imavov 54.2% vs own top 5 1676 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Middleweight, Imavov wins 54.2% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1665, which puts Imavov at 1676 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
26 Carlos Prates 51.4% vs own top 5 1674 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Welterweight, Prates wins 51.4% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1670, which puts Prates at 1674 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
27 Diego Lopes 52.9% vs own top 5 1665 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Featherweight, Lopes wins 52.9% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1657, which puts Lopes at 1665 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
28 Ian Machado Garry 47.7% vs own top 5 1664 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Welterweight, Garry wins 47.7% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1670, which puts Garry at 1664 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
29 Manel Kape 60.0% vs own top 5 +5non-UFC title 1652 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Flyweight, Kape wins 60.0% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1620, which puts Kape at 1647 on simulation alone. Then a world title won outside the UFC adds 5 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1652.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +5 world title won outside the UFC
30 Lerone Murphy 44.8% vs own top 5 1643 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Featherweight, Murphy wins 44.8% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1657, which puts Murphy at 1643 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
31 Sergei Pavlovich 47.4% vs own top 5 1641 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Heavyweight, Pavlovich wins 47.4% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1648, which puts Pavlovich at 1641 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
32 Jack Della Maddalena 30.0% vs own top 5 +25former champ 1638 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Welterweight, Della Maddalena wins 30.0% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1670, which puts Della Maddalena at 1613 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign adds 25 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1638.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
33 Jiri Prochazka 41.5% vs own top 5 +30former champ · non-UFC title 1635 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Light Heavyweight, Prochazka wins 41.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1628, which puts Prochazka at 1605 on simulation alone. Then a previous reign and a world title won outside the UFC add 30 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1635.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +25 held a belt before this reign (1 previous reign)
- +5 world title won outside the UFC
34 Alexander Volkov 38.6% vs own top 5 +5non-UFC title 1622 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Heavyweight, Volkov wins 38.6% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1648, which puts Volkov at 1617 on simulation alone. Then a world title won outside the UFC adds 5 more, for a pound-for-pound rating of 1622.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
Where the championship credit comes from
- +5 world title won outside the UFC
35 Brendan Allen 34.5% vs own top 5 1622 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Middleweight, Allen wins 34.5% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1665, which puts Allen at 1622 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
36 Tatsuro Taira 49.4% vs own top 5 1618 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Flyweight, Taira wins 49.4% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1620, which puts Taira at 1618 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
37 Mario Bautista 35.7% vs own top 5 1616 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Bantamweight, Bautista wins 35.7% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1656, which puts Bautista at 1616 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
38 Khalil Rountree Jr. 38.6% vs own top 5 1596 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Light Heavyweight, Rountree wins 38.6% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1628, which puts Rountree at 1596 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
39 Curtis Blaydes 30.7% vs own top 5 1593 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Heavyweight, Blaydes wins 30.7% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1648, which puts Blaydes at 1593 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
40 Brandon Royval 31.9% vs own top 5 1569 P4P rating
Against the best four fighters in Flyweight, Royval wins 31.9% of simulated fights. That division's elite sit at a rating of 1620, which puts Royval at 1569 on simulation alone. With no championship credit, that is also the pound-for-pound rating.
The four fights behind that number
How the rating is made
(from Elo)
(from simulation)
credit
rating
40 fighters · 11,000,000 simulations across 110 matchups · computed August 24, 2026. Rankings are UFC's official top four per division plus the champion. Division rating level comes from the Bout Scout Elo engine, separation is simulated, and championship credit is read from every title fight in our database: +85 reigning champion, +25 former champion (+50 if the belt was lost and won back), +10 a title defense, +5 a world title won outside the UFC.
How this list is built — and why it isn't just the win rate
A round-robin is zero-sum: the average fighter in every division wins exactly 50% of these bouts. So the percentage tells you where a fighter stands in their own pond and nothing about how deep that pond is — 70% against a thin division is not 70% against a stacked one.
The simulator can't settle that on its own, because it can't honestly
fight a flyweight against a heavyweight. So the two halves come from two
places: the simulator sets your position in the pond,
Elo sets the pond's height. Your win rate is
converted to rating points on Elo's own scale and added to your
division's rating level. Nothing there is hand-tuned — the conversion
factor is measured from the gap between the two, not chosen.
Then the belt is added on top. A simulation can tell you how far clear of your peers you are today; it cannot see that you have carried a title for eight years and defended it nine times. So championship credit is scored separately and stated openly: +85 for holding the belt right now, +25 for having held one before — +50 if you lost one and won it back — +10 for every title defense, and +5 for a world title won outside the UFC. A defense means winning a title fight you went into as champion; taking a vacant belt starts a reign but is not itself a defense. Interim belts count toward defenses and past reigns, but only the current undisputed champion collects the +85.
These are big numbers on purpose — the whole board spans about 220 points, so the belt genuinely outweighs the simulation. That is why the credit is printed beside every name that has it: when a champion outranks a fighter with a better win rate, the reason should be on the card, not hidden in the total.