The final UFC event of the year was capped by a first-round knockout by Manel Kape against former title challenger Brandon Royval. The win shot Kape up the flyweight rankings and squarely into the championship picture.
In the only other bout this past weekend featuring a fighter ranked by ESPN, Renan Ferreira lost his PFL heavyweight championship opportunity and his spot in the rankings to Vadim Nemkov, who ended the PFL Lyon main event in the first round with an arm triangle.
Here are the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings and a list of current UFC champions in all weight classes.
Results are current; rankings as of Dec. 16. To be eligible for the rankings, a fighter must have competed over the past 12 months or must have an upcoming fight booked. Fighters who have been dropped for inactivity can be reinstated only after they compete.
Heavyweight | Light heavyweight | Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Featherweight | Men's bantamweight
Men's flyweight | Women's bantamweight | Women's flyweight | Strawweight
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 15-3, 1 NC
Last: NC1 vs. Ciryl Gane, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2, 1 NC
Last: NC1 vs. Tom Aspinall, Oct.25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rizvan Kuniev, June 21
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 39-11
Last: W (SD) vs. Jailton Almeida, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Aug. 23
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4
Last: L (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-2
Last: W (KO1) vs. Shamil Gaziev, Nov. 22
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Derrick Lewis
Promotion: PFL champion
Previous ranking: NR
Record: 20-2
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Dec. 13
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta, June 7
Next: Jan. 31 vs. Ante Delija
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Tallison Teixeira, July 12
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 13-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 21-2-1, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-5-1
Last: W (KO3) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Dominick Reyes, Sept. 27
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-7, 1 NC
Last: L (KO3) vs. Jirí Procházka, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-0
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Aleksandar Rakić, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (KO1) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Sept. 27
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-6
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Azamat Murzakanov, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., June 21
Next: TBD
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 20-6-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov, Oct. 3
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Aug. 16
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Aug. 16
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-4, 1 NC
Last: W (US) vs. Caio Borralho, Sept. 6
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Feb. 8
Next: Feb. 21 vs. Anthony Hernandez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Feb. 1
Next: March 28 vs. Joe Pyfer
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Roman Dolidze, Aug. 9
Next: Feb. 21 vs. Sean Strickland
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Sept. 6
Next: March 7 vs. Reinier de Ridder
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-7
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Reinier de Ridder, Oct. 18
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Brendan Allen, Oct. 18
Next: March 7 vs. Caio Borralho
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Reinier de Ridder, July 26
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jack Della Maddalena, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Islam Makhachev, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Belal Muhammad, Nov. 22
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Sean Brady, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Nov. 22
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Joaquin Buckley, June 14
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Michael Morales, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Leon Edwards, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Kamaru Usman, June 14
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Randy Brown, Nov. 8
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 17-0
Last: W (KO1) vs. Charles Oliveira, June 28
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Dan Hooker, Nov. 22
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 36-11, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Oct. 11
Next: March 7 vs. Max Holloway
Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Dustin Poirier, July 19
Next: March 7 vs. Charles Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Paddy Pimblett
Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 20-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Paul Hughes, Oct. 3
Next: Feb. 7 vs. Alfie Davis
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-3
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Michael Chandler, April 12
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Justin Gaethje
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-4, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Charles Oliveira, Oct. 11
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-4 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes, June 21
Next: Jan. 31 vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) vs. Beneil Dariush, Nov. 15
Next: Feb. 1 vs. Dan Hooker
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 27-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, April 12
Next: Jan. 31 vs. Diego Lopes
Promotion: UFC
Record: 27-7
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Jean Silva, Sept. 13
Next: Jan. 31 vs. Alexander Volkanovski
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Patricio Pitbull, April 12
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0-1
Last: W (KO1) vs. Aaron Pico, Aug. 16
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Aug. 23
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Josh Emmett, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 37-8
Last: W (UD) vs. Dan Ige, July 19
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Aug. 23
Next: March 7 vs. Renato Moicano
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-6
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Youssef Zalal, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5
Last: W (TKO1) vs. David Onama, Nov. 1
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 20-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Dec. 6
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Dec. 6
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-3, 1 NC
Last: L (TechSub3) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, June 7
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Song Yadong
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 25
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Oct. 25
Next: Feb. 7 vs. Vinicius Oliveira
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TechDec) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 22
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Sean O'Malley
Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-5-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Montel Jackson, Oct. 11
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Promotion: UFC
Record: 23-11-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Aiemann Zahabi, Oct. 18
Next: Feb. 28 vs. David Martinez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Marlon Vera, Oct. 18
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-2
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 6
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-6
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Joshua Van, Dec. 6
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 18-1
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Brandon Moreno, Dec. 6
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 22-7
Last: W (KO1) vs. Brandon Royval, Dec. 13
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 17-9
Last: L (KO1) vs. Manel Kape, Dec. 13
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 23-9-2
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Dec. 6
Next: Feb. 28 vs. Asu Almabayev
Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 25-12, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, June 28
Next: TBD
Promotion: Brave CF champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 15-0, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Gerard Burns, Nov. 7
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Ode' Osbourne, Aug. 9
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-6
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Tim Elliott, Aug. 16
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-1
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Julianna Peña, June 7
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-6
Last: L (TechSub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, June 7
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Nov. 1
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5
Last: L (SD) vs. Norma Dumont, Nov. 1
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-8, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Macy Chiasson, Oct. 4
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Yana Santos, Oct. 4
Next: Feb. 28 vs. Ailin Perez
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Jan. 18
Next: Feb. 28 vs. Macy Chiasson
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Nora Cornolle, Aug. 2
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, Nov. 8
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-6-1, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti, Nov. 8
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius, Oct. 18
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, May 10
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Rose Namajunas
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-2
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Tracy Cortez, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karine Silva, Dec. 6
Next: March 28 vs. Alexa Grasso
Promotion: PFL
Record: 15-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Sumiko Inaba, July 19
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-5-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, May 10
Next: March 28 vs. Maycee Barber
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Manon Fiorot, Oct. 18
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-7
Last: W (UD) vs. Miranda Maverick, June 14
Next: Jan. 24 vs. Natalia Silva
Promotion: PFL
Record: 25-8
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jena Bishop, Aug. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Nov. 15
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Virna Jandiroba, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-4
Last: L (UD) vs. Mackenzie Dern, Oct. 25
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Virna Jandiroba, April 12
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Amanda Lemos, Sept. 13
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Sept. 13
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-8
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Marina Rodriguez, May 3
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Aug. 16
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Angela Hill, Aug. 9
Next: TBD
Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: W (KO2) vs. Amanda Ribas, July 26
Next: TBD