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          Inactive no more, Ngannou is back near top of heavyweight rankings

          • Brett OkamotoMay 19, 2026, 08:00 AM ET
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              Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
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          Francis Ngannou spent a long time at the top of the ESPN heavyweight rankings but fell out last fall because he'd been inactive for over a year. He returned on Saturday -- returned to the sport and returned to his old form as a ferocious finisher. Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round of their MVP MMA 1 bout, and as a result, he is back near the top of the rankings.

          It's unclear how active Ngannou, 39, will be now that he's signed with Jake Paul's fight promotion. But right now he is the No. 2 heavyweight in the ESPN divisional rankings, behind only UFC champion Tom Aspinall.

          The only other change in the latest rankings is at featherweight, where Arnold Allen moves up a spot to No. 9 on the strength of his unanimous decision win over Melquizael Costa in the main event of Saturday's UFC fight card. That event also featured a meeting of two ranked bantamweight women, and after No. 5 Ketlen Vieira defeated 10th-ranked Jacqueline Cavalcanti, both remain where they were in the top 10.

          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 May 19. 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 (up to 265 pounds)

          LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

          MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

          WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

          LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

          FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

          MEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

          MEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

          WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

          WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

          STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)