“I do know just one factor what I would like from UFC,” Khabib Nurmagomedov stated moments after his victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254. “You guys must put me No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, as a result of I deserve it.”
That he does.
And regardless of the undefeated light-weight champion having introduced his retirement instantly after his second-round submission win Oct. 24 on Combat Island, the UFC did preserve Nurmagomedov in its rankings and did elevate him to the highest spot, as he wished.
The ESPN pound-for-pound males’s rankings, however, have been forward of the curve. The 32-year-old Dagestani has been No. 1 for months. That is what a 29-0 report crammed with dominant victories will get you.
Nonetheless, Nurmagomedov nonetheless bought a lift within the ESPN prime 10: He now could be the unanimous best choice of our 4 voters.
There doubtless might be a shakeup on the prime of the mountain subsequent time these rankings are up to date, as Nurmagomedov doesn’t look like the kind to announce a retirement merely as a negotiation tactic. He left the game lower than 4 months after the demise of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, after promising his mom the Gaethje battle can be his final. “And if I give my phrase,” stated Nurmagomedov, “I’ve to comply with it.”
“That is actual,” his longtime pal and coaching companion Daniel Cormier stated. “Khabib does not lie. Khabib does not play ‘I am retiring and I am coming again.'”
So take into account this unanimous No. 1 rating ESPN’s goodbye to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The largest change in these rankings? It is one which carries a punch: Making his debut within the males’s prime 10 is heavyweight Francis Ngannou, whose previous 4 bouts have been knockouts in 45 seconds (Curtis Blaydes), 26 seconds (Cain Velasquez), 71 seconds (Junior dos Santos) and 20 seconds (Jairzinho Rozenstruik). His subsequent battle is anticipated to be a problem of champ Stipe Miocic.
Within the girls’s rankings, Jessica Andrade strikes up a spot on the energy of her Oct. 17 flyweight debut, a first-round TKO of ranked fighter Katlyn Chookagian.
(For Brett Okamoto’s division-by-division rankings, go here.)
Observe: Outcomes are present; rankings as of Oct. 28.
Males’s pound-for-pound rankings
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov  
Document: 29-0
Weight class: Light-weight
Final: W (SUB2) Justin Gaethje, Oct. 24
Subsequent: Introduced retirement
2. Jon Jones  
Document: 26-1, 1 NC
Weight class: Mild heavyweight
Final: W (UD) Dominick Reyes, Feb. 8
Subsequent: TBD
3. Stipe Miocic  
Document: 20-3
Weight class: Heavyweight
Final: W (UD) Daniel Cormier, Aug. 15
Subsequent: TBD
4. Israel Adesanya  
Document: 20-0
Weight class: Middleweight
Final: W (TKO2) Paulo Costa, Sept. 26
Subsequent: TBD
5. Kamaru Usman  
Document: 17-1
Weight class: Welterweight
Final: W (UD) Jorge Masvidal, July 11
Subsequent: TBD vs. Gilbert Burns
6. Alexander Volkanovski  
Document: 22-1
Weight class: Featherweight
Final: W (SD) Max Holloway, July 11
Subsequent: TBD
7. Demetrious Johnson  
Document: 30-3-1
Weight class: Flyweight
Final: W (UD) Danny Kingad, Oct. 12, 2019
Subsequent: TBD vs. Adriano Moraes
8. Deiveson Figueiredo  
Earlier rating: 9
Document: 19-1
Weight class: Flyweight
Final: W (TechSub1) Joseph Benavidez, July 19
Subsequent: Nov. 21 vs. Alex Perez
9. Dustin Poirier  
Earlier rating: 10
Document: 25-6, 1 NC
Weight class: Light-weight
Final: W (UD) Dan Hooker, June 27
Subsequent: TBD
10. Francis Ngannou  
Earlier rating: Unranked
Document: 15-3
Weight class: Heavyweight
Final: W (KO1) Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Might 9
Subsequent: TBD
Different fighters receiving votes: Justin Gaethje, Petr Yan, Max Holloway, Conor McGregor and Robert Whittaker.
How our writers voted
Brett Okamoto
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Israel Adesanya
4. Stipe Miocic
5. Kamaru Usman
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Deiveson Figueiredo
8. Demetrious Johnson
9. Dustin Poirier
10. Max Holloway
Marc Raimondi
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Kamaru Usman
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Deiveson Figueiredo
8. Petr Yan
9. Francis Ngannou
10. Robert Whittaker
Ariel Helwani
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Israel Adesanya
5. Kamaru Usman
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Dustin Poirier
8. Justin Gaethje
9. Demetrious Johnson
10. Conor McGregor
Jeff Wagenheim
1. Khabib Nurmagomedov
2. Jon Jones
3. Stipe Miocic
4. Demetrious Johnson
5. Israel Adesanya
6. Kamaru Usman
7. Alexander Volkanovski
8. Deiveson Figueiredo
9. Francis Ngannou
10. Dustin Poirier
1. Amanda Nunes  
Document: 20-4
Weight class: Bantamweight/featherweight
Final: W (UD) Felicia Spencer, June 6
Subsequent: Dec. 12 vs. Megan Anderson
2. Valentina Shevchenko  
Document: 19-3
Weight class: Flyweight
Final: W (TKO3) Katlyn Chookagian, Feb. 8
Subsequent: Nov. 21 vs. Jennifer Maia
3. Cris Cyborg  
Document: 23-2, 1 NC
Weight class: Featherweight
Final: W (SUB2) Arlene Blencowe, Oct. 15
Subsequent: TBD
4. Zhang Weili  
Document: 21-1
Weight class: Strawweight
Final: W (SD) Joanna Jedrzejczyk, March 7
Subsequent: TBD
5. Rose Namajunas  
Document: 9-4
Weight class: Strawweight
Final: W (SD) Jessica Andrade, July 11
Subsequent: TBD
6. Jessica Andrade  
Earlier rating: 7
Document: 21-8
Weight class: Flyweight
Final: W (TKO1) Katlyn Chookagian, Oct. 17
Subsequent: TBD
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk  
Earlier rating: 6
Document: 16-4
Weight class: Strawweight
Final: L (SD) Zhang Weili, March 7
Subsequent: TBD
8. Germaine de Randamie  
Document: 10-4
Weight class: Bantamweight
Final: W (TechSUB3) Julianna Peña, Oct. 3
Subsequent: TBD
9. Holly Holm  
Document: 14-5
Weight class: Bantamweight
Final: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3
Subsequent: TBD
10. Katlyn Chookagian  
Earlier rating: T-9
Document: 14-4
Weight class: Flyweight
Final: L (TKO1) Jessica Andrade, Oct. 17
Subsequent: TBD
Different fighters receiving votes: Julia Budd and Seo Hee Ham.
How our writers voted
Brett Okamoto
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Zhang Weili
4. Rose Namajunas
5. Cris Cyborg
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Katlyn Chookagian
Marc Raimondi
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Web optimization Hee Ham
Ariel Helwani
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
7. Jessica Andrade
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Katlyn Chookagian
Jeff Wagenheim
1. Amanda Nunes
2. Valentina Shevchenko
3. Cris Cyborg
4. Zhang Weili
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
8. Germaine de Randamie
9. Holly Holm
10. Julia Budd
