MMA divisional rankings: Can anyone break Sean Brady's grip on welterweight?

One way to move up in the rankings is to knock off someone ranked ahead of you. That's what Sean Brady did over the weekend, defeating former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, to move up to No. 4 in ESPN's 170-pound top 10.

Brady didn't merely win at the UFC Fight Night in London, he did so emphatically. Right there in Edwards' backyard, Brady put on a dominant performance on his way to fourth-round submission. Consider these stats from Round 2: Brady got a takedown right out of the gate and maintained top position for 4 minutes, 57 seconds -- all but the first 3 seconds of the round; and Brady landed 76 strikes (19 of them deemed significant) to zero for Edwards. As a result of the total wipeout, the former No. 2 falls out of ESPN's top five.

Light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg also won at Saturday's event, defeating former champion Jan Blachowicz, and moved up in that division's top 10. The only other movement in the rankings was the removal of two fighters whose extended inactivity makes them ineligible: lightweight Beneil Dariush and women's flyweight Maycee Barber.

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 March 25. 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 | Men's featherweight | Men's bantamweight
Men's flyweight | Women's bantamweight | Women's flyweight | Strawweight

HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 265 pounds)

1. Tom Aspinall

Promotion: UFC interim champion
Record: 15-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Curtis Blaydes, July 27
Next: TBD

2. Francis Ngannou

Promotion: PFL Super Fights champion
Record: 18-3
Last: W (KO1) vs. Renan Ferreira, Oct. 19
Next: TBD

3. Jon Jones

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 28-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Stipe Miocic, Nov. 16
Next: TBD

4. Ciryl Gane

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Alexander Volkov, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

5. Curtis Blaydes

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Tom Aspinall, July 27
Next: TBD

6. Alexander Volkov

Promotion: UFC
Record: 38-11
Last: L (SD) vs. Ciryl Gane, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

7. Sergei Pavlovich

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Feb. 1
Next: TBD

8. Jailton Almeida

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Serghei Spivac, Jan.18
Next: TBD

9. Renan Ferreira

Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 13-4, 3 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Francis Ngannou, Oct. 19
Next: TBD

10. Serghei Spivac

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Jailton Almeida, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

1. Magomed Ankalaev

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 21-1-1, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Alex Pereira, March 8
Next: TBD

2. Alex Pereira

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, March 8
Next: TBD

3. Jir Prochzka

Promotion: UFC
Record: 31-5-1
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jamahal Hill, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

4. Carlos Ulberg

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 13-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jan Blachowicz, March 22
Next: TBD

5. Jamahal Hill

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 10-3
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Jir Prochzka, Jan. 18
Next: April 26 vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.

6. Corey Anderson

Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 18-6, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Karl Moore, March 22
Next: TBD

7. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 13-6, 1 NC
Last: L (TKO4) vs. Alex Pereira, Oct. 5
Next: April 26 vs. Jamahal Hill

8. Aleksandar Raki

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 14-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Magomed Ankalaev, Oct. 26
Next: TBD

9. Volkan Oezdemir

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Carlos Ulberg, Nov. 23
Next: TBD

10. Johnny Walker

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-9, 1 NC
Last: L (KO1) vs. Volkan Oezdemir, June 22
Next: TBD

MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

1. Dricus du Plessis

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 23-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Sean Strickland, Feb. 8
Next: TBD

2. Khamzat Chimaev

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-0
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Robert Whittaker, Oct. 26
Next: TBD

3. Sean Strickland

Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Dricus Du Plessis, Feb. 8
Next: TBD

4. Nassourdine Imavov

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: W (KO2) vs. Israel Adesanya, Feb. 1
Next: TBD

5. Israel Adesanya

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: L (KO2) vs. Nassourdine Imavov, Feb. 1
Next: TBD

6. Robert Whittaker

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Oct. 26
Next: TBD

7. Johnny Eblen

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Fabian Edwards, Oct. 19
Next: TBD

8. Caio Borralho

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-0, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Jared Cannonier, Aug. 24
Next: TBD

9. Jared Cannonier

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-8
Last: W (TKO4) vs. Gregory Rodrigues, Feb. 15
Next: TBD

10. Roman Dolidze

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Marvin Vettori, March 15
Next: TBD

WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

1. Belal Muhammad

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Leon Edwards, July 27
Next: May 10 vs. Jack Della Maddalena

2. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 3
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Ian Machado Garry, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

3. Jack Della Maddalena

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 4
Record: 17-2
Last: W (KO3) vs. Gilbert Burns, March 9, 2024
Next: May 10 vs. Belal Muhammad

4. Sean Brady

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 18-1
Last: W (Sub4) vs. Leon Edwards, March 22
Next: TBD

5. Joaquin Buckley

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 21-6
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Colby Covington, Dec. 14
Next: TBD

6. Leon Edwards

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 22-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub4) vs. Sean Brady, March 22
Next: TBD

7. Ian Machado Garry

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

8. Gilbert Burns

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Sean Brady, Sept. 7
Next: TBD

9. Geoff Neal

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-6
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos, Oct. 26
Next: TBD

10. Colby Covington

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (TKO3) vs. Joaquin Buckley, Dec. 14
Next: TBD

LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

1. Islam Makhachev

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 27-1
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Renato Moicano, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

2. Arman Tsarukyan

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-3
Last: W (SD) vs. Charles Oliveira, April 13
Next: TBD

3. Charles Oliveira

Promotion: UFC
Record: 35-10, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Michael Chandler, Nov. 16
Next: TBD

4. Justin Gaethje

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Rafael Fiziev, March 8
Next: TBD

5. Dustin Poirier

Promotion: UFC
Record: 30-9, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub5) vs. Islam Makhachev, June 1
Next: TBD

6. Dan Hooker

Promotion: UFC
Record: 29-12
Last: W (SD) vs. Mateusz Gamrot, Aug. 17
Next: TBD

7. Renato Moicano

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-6-1
Last: L (Sub1) vs. Islam Makhachev, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

8. Usman Nurmagomedov

Promotion: Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 19-0, 1 NC
Last: W (MD) vs. Paul Hughes, Jan. 25
Next: TBD

9. Michael Chandler

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 23-9
Last: L (UD) vs. Charles Oliveira, Nov. 16
Next: April 12 vs. Paddy Pimblett

10. Mateusz Gamrot

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 24-3, 1 NC
Last: L (SD) vs. Dan Hooker, Aug. 17
Next: TBD

FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

1. Ilia Topuria

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 16-0
Last: W (KO3) vs. Max Holloway, Oct. 26
Next: TBD

2. Alexander Volkanovski

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-4
Last: L (KO2) vs. Ilia Topuria, Feb. 17
Next: April 12 vs. Diego Lopes

3. Max Holloway

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-8
Last: L (KO3) vs. Ilia Topuria, Oct. 26
Next: TBD

4. Diego Lopes

Promotion: UFC
Record: 26-6
Last: W (UD) vs. Brian Ortega, Sept. 14
Next: April 12 vs. Alexander Volkanovski

5. Brian Ortega

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Diego Lopes, Sept. 14
Next: TBD

6. Yair Rodriguez

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-5, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub3) vs. Brian Ortega, Feb. 24, 2024
Next: April 12 vs. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire

7. Movsar Evloev

Promotion: UFC
Record: 19-0
Last: W (UD) vs. Aljamain Sterling, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

8. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire

Promotion: None
Record: 36-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Jeremy Kennedy, March 22
Next: April 12 vs. Yair Rodriguez

9. Arnold Allen

Promotion: UFC
Record: 20-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Giga Chikadze, July 27
Next: TBD

10. Aljamain Sterling

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Movsar Evloev, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

MEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Merab Dvalishvili

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 19-4
Last: W (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

2. Sean O'Malley

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-2, 1 NC
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Sept. 14
Next: TBD

3. Petr Yan

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-5
Last: W (UD) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Nov. 23
Next: TBD

4. Umar Nurmagomedov

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Merab Dvalishvili, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

5. Cory Sandhagen

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-5
Last: L (UD) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, Aug. 3
Next: May 3 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

6. Deiveson Figueiredo

Promotion: UFC
Record: 24-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Petr Yan, Nov. 23
Next: May 3 vs. Cory Sandhagen

7. Mario Bautista

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-2
Last: W (SD) vs. Jos Aldo, Oct. 5
Next: TBD

8. Song Yadong

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-7-1, 1 NC
Last: W (TechDec) vs. Henry Cejudo, Feb. 22
Next: TBD

9. Jos Aldo

Promotion: UFC
Record: 32-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Mario Bautista, Oct. 5
Next: May 10 vs. Aiemann Zahabi

10. Patchy Mix

Promotion: Bellator champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (SD) vs. Magomed Magomedov, May 17
Next: TBD

MEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Alexandre Pantoja

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 29-5
Last: W (TechSub2) vs. Kai Asakura, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

2. Brandon Royval

Promotion: UFC
Record: 17-7
Last: W (SD) vs. Tatsuro Taira, Oct. 12
Next: TBD

3. Brandon Moreno

Promotion: UFC
Record: 22-8-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Amir Albazi, Nov. 2
Next: March 29 vs. Steve Erceg

4. Kai Kara-France

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-11, 1 NC
Last: W (TKO1) vs. Steve Erceg, Aug. 17
Next: TBD

5. Muhammad Mokaev

Promotion: Brave CF
Record: 14-0,1 NC
Last: W (Sub1) vs. Joevincent So, Dec. 13
Next: TBD

6. Tatsuro Taira

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-1
Last: L (SD) vs. Brandon Royval, Oct. 12
Next: TBD

7. Steve Erceg

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-3
Last: L (TKO1) vs. Kai Kara-France, Aug. 17
Next: March 29 vs. Brandon Moreno

8. Manel Kape

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-7
Last: W (TKO3) vs. Asu Almabayev, March 1
Next: TBD

9. Kai Asakura

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-5
Last: L (TechSub2) vs. Alexandre Pantoja, Dec. 7
Next: TBD

10. Alex Perez

Promotion: UFC
Record: 25-9
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Tatsuro Taira, June 15
Next: TBD

WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

1. Julianna Pea

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 12-5
Last: W (SD) vs. Raquel Pennington. Oct. 5
Next: TBD

2. Raquel Pennington

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-9
Last: L (SD) vs. Julianna Pea, Oct. 5
Next: TBD

3. Kayla Harrison

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Ketlen Vieira, Oct. 5
Next: TBD

4. Ketlen Vieira

Promotion: UFC
Record: 14-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Kayla Harrison, Oct. 5
Next: TBD

5. Holly Holm

Promotion: None
Record: 15-7, 1 NC
Last: L (Sub2) vs. Kayla Harrison, April 13
Next: TBD

6. Norma Dumont

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Irene Aldana, Sept. 14
Next: TBD

7. Irene Aldana

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Norma Dumont, Sept. 14
Next: TBD

8. Macy Chiasson

Promotion: UFC
Record: 10-3
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva, June 29
Next: TBD

9. Ailin Perez

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Karol Rosa, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

10. Karol Rosa

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Ailin Perez, Jan. 18
Next: TBD

WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

1. Valentina Shevchenko

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 24-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Alexa Grasso, Sept. 14
Next: May 10 vs. Manon Fiorot

2. Alexa Grasso

Promotion: UFC
Record: 16-4-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Sept. 14
Next: May 10 vs. Natalia Silva

3. Manon Fiorot

Promotion: UFC
Record: 12-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, March 30
Next: May 10 vs. Valentina Shevchenko

4. Erin Blanchfield

Promotion: UFC
Record: 13-2
Last: W (UD) vs. Rose Namajunas Nov. 2
Next: TBD

5. Dakota Ditcheva

Promotion: PFL champion
Record: 14-0
Last: W (TKO2) vs. Taila Santos, Nov. 29
Next: TBD

6. Natalia Silva

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 18-5-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Jessica Andrade, Sept. 7
Next: May 10 vs. Alexa Grasso

7. Taila Santos

Promotion: PFL
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 22-4
Last: L (TKO2) vs. Dakota Ditcheva, Nov. 29
Next: TBD

8. Liz Carmouche

Promotion: PFL / Bellator champion
Previous ranking: 9
Record: 22-8
Last: L (UD) vs. Taila Santos, Aug. 2
Next: TBD

9. Jessica Andrade

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: 10
Record: 26-13
Last: L (UD) vs. Natalia Silva, Sept. 7
Next: TBD

10. Rose Namajunas

Promotion: UFC
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 14-7
Last: L (UD) vs. Erin Blanchfield, Nov. 2
Next: June 14 vs. Miranda Maverick

STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)

1. Zhang Weili

Promotion: UFC champion
Record: 26-3
Last: W (UD) vs. Tatiana Suarez, Feb. 8
Next: TBD

2. Virna Jandiroba

Promotion: UFC
Record: 21-3
Last: W (Sub2) vs. Amanda Lemos, July 20
Next: April 12 vs. Yan Xiaonan

3. Yan Xiaonan

Promotion: UFC
Record: 18-4, 1 NC
Last: W (UD) vs. Tabatha Ricci, Nov. 23
Next: April 12 vs. Virna Jandiroba

4. Amanda Lemos

Promotion: UFC
Record: 15-4-1
Last: W (UD) vs. Iasmin Lucindo, March 8
Next: TBD

5. Tatiana Suarez

Promotion: UFC
Record: 11-1
Last: L (UD) vs. Zhang Weili, Feb. 8
Next: TBD

6. Jessica Andrade