Sherdog’s Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

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Flyweight

1. Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) | UFC [1]

Pantoja made short work of former Rizin bantamweight king Kai Asakura in the UFC 310 headliner, winning via second-round submission at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “The Cannibal” now has three successful flyweight title defenses to his credit and for the first time during his reign, he didn’t need the full 25 minutes to get the job done. In the aftermath of his latest triumph, Pantoja issued an interesting callout to retired flyweight GOAT Demetrious Johnson. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the Brazilian is the current gold standard in the division.

2. Brandon Royval (17-7) | UFC [2]

Royval slowed Tatsuro Taira’s ascent in the UFC Vegas 98 headliner, as he outlanded his foe on the feet and survived some precarious grappling situations to capture a split-decision triumph at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Oct. 12. “Raw Dawg” has earned back-to-back victories over Taira and Brandon Moreno since falling to Alexandre Pantoja in a 125-pound title bout at UFC 296 in December 2023. The Factory X product was supposed to meet Manel Kape in a headlining matchup on March 1 but was forced to withdraw due to injury. That bout has been rescheduled for UFC 317.

3. Brandon Moreno (23-8-2) | UFC [3]

Moreno delighted the home crowd at UFC Mexico, taking a hard-fought five-round verdict over Steve Erceg in the evening’s main event at Arena CDMX in Mexico City on March 29. With back-to-back triumphs over Erceg and Amir Albazi, it’s clear that “Assassin Baby” belongs near the top of the flyweight division. After his latest victory, Moreno expressed a desire to fight on the upcoming Noche UFC card set for Guadalajara, Mexico on Sept. 13.

4. Amir Albazi (17-2) | UFC [4]

In his first Octagon appearance since June 2023, Albazi never got going against Brandon Moreno, losing a clear-cut unanimous decision in the UFC Edmonton headliner at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Nov. 2. Not only did “The Prince” suffer his first loss in six Octagon appearances, but he appeared to be a clear level below his Mexican opponent. It’ll be back to the drawing board for Albazi, who could have entered the title discussion had his night gone differently.

5. Kai Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC) | UFC [5]

In his first fight in more than a year, Kara-France made a statement, flooring former title challenger Steve Erceg twice on his way to a first-round technical knockout victory in the UFC 305 co-main event at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. That snaps a two-bout skid for “Don’t Blink” who was coming off a contentious split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. As impressive as the effort was, the City Kickboxing representative may need at least one more victory before he can lay claim to a flyweight title shot.

6. Askar Askarov (15-1-1) | ACA [6]

After being granted his UFC release in 2022, Askarov sat out for the majority of 2023 before making his return at Absolute Championship Akhmat 166, where he outpointed Alan Gomes. The 31-year-old Fighting Eagle representative has won four of five outings since 2020, a run that includes noteworthy triumphs against Alexandre Pantoja, Joseph Benavidez and Tim Elliott. Askarov did not compete at all in 2024, and his rankings eligibility will expire on May 24, 2025 if he doesn’t get another fight booked before then.

7. Steve Erceg (12-4) | UFC [7]

Though he actually outstruck Brandon Moreno in the UFC Mexico headliner, Erceg nonetheless lost a unanimous decision to the former flyweight king at Arena CDMX in Mexico City on March 29. After going 3-0 to begin his Octagon tenure, “Astro Boy” has dropped three consecutive outings — albeit all against top-tier competition in Moreno, Kai Kara-France and Alexandre Pantoja. Perhaps Erceg might be due for a softer matchmaking touch in his next fight.

8. Muhammad Mokaev (14-0, 1 NC) | UFC [8]

“The Punisher” won the battle but may have lost the war at UFC 304. While the 23-year-old phenom defeated Manel Kape by decision in a fight that was elevated to a grudge match by multiple scuffles during fight week, the fight itself was a strange, tepid affair. To make things worse for the Dagestani by way of England, UFC President Dana White, apparently tired of Mokaev's antics, announced after the event that the promotion would not be re-signing him. Mokaev has since signed with Brave FC and easily dispatched the unheralded Joevincent So via first-round submission on Dec. 13.

9. Manel Kape (21-7) | UFC [9]

Kape continued to make his case for a title shot in the UFC Vegas 103 headliner, as he stopped Asu Almabayev via third-round technical knockout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. By ending his opponent’s 17-bout professional winning streak, “Starboy” may have set himself up for a rematch with Alexandre Pantoja, who defeated the former Rizin champ in his Octagon debut in February 2021. Kape has won six of his last seven outings and will look to stake his claim to a title shot when he meets Brandon Royval at UFC 317.

10. Tatsuro Taira (16-1) | UFC [10]

Taira wasn’t quite ready to make the leap at UFC Vegas 98, where he dropped a split decision to Brandon Royval in the evening’s main event at the UFC Apex on Oct. 12. The Japanese standout looked dominant at times with his grappling, but his striking wasn’t on the same level — and that proved to be the difference in one of the year’s best fights. Taira’s stock won’t fall too far in a competitive defeat, and he figures to be in line for another prominent matchup when he’s ready to return to action.

Other Contenders: Alex Perez, Ramazonbek Temirov, Charles Johnson, Asu Almabaev, Tagir Ulanbekov.

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