With the UFC’s schedule from mid-2023, there’s a lot to discuss and break down in every division.
The UFC has seen its most dominant champion so far, Amanda Nunes, hang up the gloves. It is also considered one of its most dominant champions, Valentina Shevchenkolost his title in a great sadness.
Israel Adesanya great equalizer first Alex Pereira in the middle class. Kamaru Usman1 weightlifter of this sport in 2022, has now suffered consecutive losses. Alexander Volkanovski gave Islam Makhachev run for his money at a light level. Jon Jones finally a heavyweight fighter, and a UFC heavyweight champion.
A lot has changed in 2023 – including how the divisions fall into ESPN’s latest weight strength rankings, with a draw for No. 1. Here are some pressing questions about front.
Note: Our panel ranks all 12 weight classes from top to bottom, looking at which weight classes are performing the best today and which have the best boxers. The ESPN panel includes Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi, Jeff Wagenheim, Megan Anderson, Ian Parker, Reed Kuhn, Andres Waters, Andrew Feldman and Eddie Maisonet.
We draw for the top spot
Raimondi: Make the case light weight in 1st place
I’ve been a bantamweight advocate for a long time. It has depth. The battles are always full of action. There are many candidates, young and old. But it’s time for the division that has been the best in the UFC for a very long time to bloom again.
In the last few weeks alone, there have been excellent performances in the lightweight division by the competitors Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan And Matt Frevola. Islam Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion, is arguably the best weightlifter in the world. Oliveira is also one of the top boxers, regardless of division. And the scrap everyone is talking about this summer – for the legendary BMF title – is arguably the two most exciting fighters in the UFC against each other, lightweight Dustin Poirier And Justin Gaethje.
Makhachev is expected to fight in October at UFC 294, and there are three potential opponents: Oliveira or featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch, or Poirier vs. Gaethje. I can’t imagine rational people getting upset with any of those options. How many times can a division with an elite champion boast that? This weekend alone at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, there are two upcoming lightweight fights to watch: Damir Ismagulov compare to dawson level And Ismael Bonfim compare to Saint Benoit.
Wagenheim: Stand for men’s bantamweight at #1
It makes sense that the 135th and 155th pound finished in a tie to take the top spot, and it’s no surprise that the 145 pound is only half a step behind. All three weight classes are stacked. But bantamweight is about to begin a spiral of dominant elite competition.
Cory Sandhagen started a busy August for the 135-pound division by defending his top five in an August 5 match against Umar Nurmagomedov. Then, at UFC 292 on August 19, three bantamweight fights were booked. I say it’s because of the fifth two-tournament champion Henry Cejudo withdraw from his match with Marlon “Chito” Vera because of a shoulder injury. That is a big loss.
But let’s look at what’s left. GBP will defend his title in the main event UFC 292 first Sean O’Malley, who has long been the biggest figure in the department and now gets the chance to show that it’s just a small part of who he is. On the same night, the top 10 heroes robber font will be put to the test by young people Tong A Dong.
What other weight class could produce a quartet of such quality in the space of two weeks?
Okamoto: Men’s featherweight is more interesting than chicken and lightweight
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Volkanovski: Rodriguez is one of the most dangerous boxers I have ever faced
Alexander Volkanovski explains why he’s so excited to face Yair Rodriguez, who he considers a dangerous boxer.
I voted featherweight as the top division and I support that for many reasons. Don’t get me wrong, light and bantamweight are both great — especially bantamweight, which I believe is the heaviest weight class in years. But featherweight stands out to me.
Volkanovski is arguably the most exciting UFC champion. The way he presents himself and his desire to claim a second belt – if I could watch only one UFC champion in the next 12 months, it would be the hyperactive Volkanovski.
But also, look at this division. Max Holloway still arguably a top 10 pound-for-pound talent. Ilia Topuria, Giga Chikadze And Movsar Evloev is as good as it gets on new candidates. I am still a person who believes in Brian Ortega And Arnold Allenif they commit to making minor tweaks to their game (which I believe they will).
And one more thing: No matter how brilliant Volkanovski is, I believe Yair Rodríguez is a real threat to him at UFC 290 on July 8, which only adds to the division’s intrigue.
Raimondi: Why women’s straw and flyweight classes are on the rise
Both of these divisions seem to be finding themselves again these days after some constant change at the top level.
This could be the most exciting female flyweight class ever, with Valentina Shevchenko now a challenger looking to regain her 125-pound belt after losing Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 in March. Former Straw Champion Namajuna rose move up and will face the top flyweight contender Manon Fiorot at UFC Paris in September. Erin Blanchfield is one of the most exciting young boxers in the world. And Maycee Barber looks like she finally figured it all out, defeated Amanda Ribas bloody last weekend and ended in TKO.
Everything is also good at 115 pounds. Yan Xiaonan And Amanda Lemos have emerged as legitimate opponents to Truong Ve Ly‘ throne, with Namajunas eliminated from the tournament and the former champion carla esparza pregnant with her first child. Mackenzie Dern It looks amazing to win the game Angela Hill last month. Tabatha Ricci continue his winning path with a nice victory first Gillian Robertson last weekend. And perhaps most interesting of all, Tatyana Suárezwho owns outstanding victories over Grasso and Esparza, returns to the strawweight division and will face the former champion Jessica Andrade on August 5. Big deal.
Okamoto: The heavyweights are going down, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel
The UFC’s weight class drops down our power rankings for a very obvious and good reason, which is Francis Ngannou. Ngannou’s decision to sign with the PFL ended any hope of a heavyweight showdown between Ngannou and Jones – and that’s sad.
However, I don’t think heavyweight should fall too far in this ranking.
And the reason I say that is because heavyweight is really stronger now than it was years ago. Probably ever, to be honest. I don’t expect Jones to stick around as a super-active champion, but if he chooses to do so, man, he has a lot of new games ahead of him. I think all of us at ESPN would rank heavyweight much higher in terms of plot.
Tom Aspinall is an all-out threat who can inspire an entire area behind him. Sergei Pavlovich is the most feared heavyweight striker since… Derrick Lewis? Alistair Overeem? But he may have a much higher level of skill in other areas than the others, to complement that strength. I’m slightly ready to sell on Ciryl Ganes as a future champion, but he certainly has the talent to prove me wrong. Almeida Prison as a top 10 talent?
Look, I get it. This division just lost a 265-pound monster in Ngannou. But there’s still a lot going on, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this department ranks higher on our staff after 12 months.
Wagenheim: What happened to the women’s bantamweight and featherweight division?
Two parts, two stories — but there’s only one name at the center of both.
The recent retirement of Amanda Nunes, the 135- and 145-pound champion and unmatched women’s GOAT, made bantamweight a whirlwind. Who is ready to take over and restore the regal glory? It may be Julianna Pena, who briefly dethroned Nunes in 2021? What do you think about Raquel Pennington, who has won five in a row, and whose only UFC loss was to a champion or former champion? Maybe Ketlen Vieira building some momentum in her July 22 fight with Pannie Kianzad? Those are all possibilities, but they seem unlikely in an uncertain future.
But at least bantamweight has a future.
Featherweight is a ghost town, and that was the case even before Nunes said goodbye. There are very few 145-pound women on the list to breathe life into a weight class whose expiration date seems to have run out.
