Volkanovski Climbs to No. 2 in ESPN MMA Rankings After Evloev KO

The ESPN pound-for-pound voting panel released its updated men’s rankings on Tuesday, placing Alexander Volkanovski at No. 2. The jump reflects his performance at UFC 333 on Saturday, where the UFC featherweight champion stopped Movsar Evloev in the second round. Volkanovski entered the event ranked No. 7 but moved five positions up the list following the victory.

At 38 years old, Volkanovski remains the highest-ranked fighter who has not recently competed against a top-five opponent in a different weight class. His record now stands at 29-4. The knockout of Evloev, who had been undefeated, marks the first loss for the challenger and solidifies Volkanovski’s status among the sport’s elite. The panel noted his ability to overcome age-related expectations and return to the summit of the featherweight division.

Petr Yan remains the only fighter ahead of Volkanovski. The UFC bantamweight champion dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 after defeating Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision in the co-main event. Yan’s win completed a trilogy against Dvalishvili, securing the bantamweight title for Yan. Dvalishvili, who had previously held the No. 3 spot, fell to a tie for eighth place after his second consecutive loss to Yan in their three-fight series.

The top of the list also saw the removal of Tom Aspinall, the former UFC heavyweight champion. Aspinall is no longer eligible for the rankings because he has not fought in over a year. He is still recovering from eye injuries sustained in a no-contest draw against Ciryl Gane in October 2025. To re-enter the rankings, Aspinall must compete again, as fighters dropped for inactivity can only be reinstated after a new bout.

Islam Makhachev holds the No. 1 position. The UFC welterweight champion is 29-1 and extended his winning streak to 17 fights with a victory over Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330. This run broke the UFC record for consecutive wins. Makhachev vacated the lightweight title to win the welterweight belt last November, a move that cemented his place in the sport’s history. He is currently awaiting a future opponent.

Other notable movements include Justin Gaethje, who sits at No. 5 after winning the lightweight title. Gaethje stopped Ilia Topuria in the fourth round at the UFC Freedom 250 event in June. Topuria, who was previously a two-division champion, remains at No. 4 after that loss. Arman Tsarukyan moved up to No. 7 following a first-round knockout of Mauricio Ruffy in September. Tsarukyan is now positioned for a potential title fight against Makhachev, having previously withdrawn from that matchup due to a back injury.

The panel consists of five members: Brett Okamoto, Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Andrew Davis, Dre Waters, and Jeff Wagenheim. Each voter submitted a top-10 list. Volkanovski received a No. 2 placement from four of the five voters, while one ranked him No. 3. Yan was ranked No. 2 by three voters and No. 3 by two. Makhachev was the consensus No. 1 pick across all five ballots.

Ciryl Gane is tied for eighth place. The UFC heavyweight champion vacated his title in favor of Gane after Aspinall’s injury, and Gane is scheduled to defend his belt against Josh Hokit on November 14. Alex Pereira, who lost to Gane in June, returns to the rankings at No. 10. Pereira is set to fight Sergei Pavlovich on December 12. The rankings are current as of October 28, 2026.