With spring upon us, the UFC scene is witnessing a resurgence. The heavyweight division is invigorated by newcomers such as Josh Hokit and Gable Steveson. Meanwhile, in the women’s division, Alexa Grasso and Tatiana Suarez have re-emerged as key figures in the conversation.
This discussion encompasses the esteemed Uncrowned pound-for-pound rankings, where both Suarez and Grasso have garnered attention. Grasso made headlines with a stunning victory over Maycee Barber, arguably one of the most remarkable finishes in UFC history, while Suarez showcased her resilience by defeating Loopy Godinez in Miami.
Although both fighters gained recognition in their category, they couldn’t break into the top 10 due to a strong group of contenders. A voting panel, consisting of experts such as Ben Fowlkes, Chuck Mindenhall, and Shaheen Al-Shatti, employed a weighted scoring system to finalize both the women’s and men’s rankings.
The guidelines for these monthly rankings stipulate that a fighter must have competed within the previous year or have a fight scheduled during that time to be eligible. Retirement removes a fighter from consideration, while those who have been inactive for a year can return once they book a match.
Although top talent is primarily associated with the UFC, these rankings consider all significant promotions, including Bellator, PFL, and ONE Championship. Without further delay, here are Uncrowned’s April 2026 pound-for-pound rankings!
MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Islam Makhachev — UFC welterweight champion (Prev: 1)
Makhachev claims Ilia Topuria declined a fight at the UFC White House event due to financial disputes. This matchup would have been monumental.
2. Ilia Topuria — UFC lightweight champion (Prev: 2)
Topuria seemed content with facing Justin Gaethje at the White House event, as seen in the promotional materials.
3. Khamzat Chimaev — UFC middleweight champion (Prev: 3)
Chimaev’s fierce wrestling makes him a favorite against Sean Strickland, despite Strickland’s past upsets.
4. Alexandre Pantoja — Former UFC flyweight champion (Prev: 4)
Pantoja was seen recovering at UFC 327, ready to reclaim his spot in the title picture.
5. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC featherweight champion (Prev: 5)
Volkanovski is vocal about wanting to challenge undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev for a title shot.
