Alexander Volkanowski has won 22 straight fights, the last 12 of which are in the UFC. Last Saturday at UFC 276, the featherweight champion defeated former champion Max Holloway for the third time. This was the shockingly impressive performance of the Australian fighter, which deserved an increase in the ESPN pound-for-pound MMA rankings.
Volkanowski broke the dominance of UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who has topped the men’s top 10 for several months. One voter, Brett Okamoto, has now approved Volkanowski for the top spot.
Okamoto said, “Now if I had to bet my life on one of the world’s fighters to win, it’s Alex easily.”
Another voter, Jeff Wegenheim, was so impressed by Volkanowski’s beating of Holloway that he moved from No. 4 to No. 2. “What Volk did over the weekend,” Wegenheim said, “no one does for Max.,
The voting panel welcomes a new member, former UFC featherweight and former Invicta FC champion Megan Anderson, now a battle analyst for ESPN.
Note: results are current; Ranking on July 6th
Men’s pound-per-pound ranking
1. Kamru Usman
UFC Welterweight Champion
Vikram: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, 6 November 2021
Next: August 20 vs. Leon Edwards
2. Alexander Volkanovsky 
UFC Featherweight Champion
Previous sort: 4. Built for
Vikram: 25-1
Last: W (UD) Max Holloway, 2 July 2022
Next: TBD
T-3. Israel Adesanya 
UFC Middleweight Champion
Vikram: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Jared Cannonier, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
T-3. Charles Oliveira 
UFC lightweight
Previous sort: 2
Vikram: 33-8, 1 nc
Last: w (all 1) Justin Gethje, 7 May 2022
Next: TBD
5. Francis Ngannou
UFC Heavyweight Champion
Previous sort: 4. Built for
Vikram: 17-3
Last: w (ud) Cyril Gain, 22 January 2022
Next: TBD
6. Jiri Prochazka
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Previous sort: 7. Built for
Vikram: 29-3-1
Last: W (sub5) Glover Teixeira, 11 June 2022
Next: TBD
7. Davson Figaredo
UFC Flyweight Champion
Previous sort: 9. Built for
Vikram: 21-2-1
Last: w (UD) Brandon Moreno, 22 January 2022
Next: TBD
8. Dustin Poirier
UFC lightweight
Previous sort: 7. Built for
Vikram: 28-7, 1 nc
Last:l (sub3) Charles Oliveira, 11 December 2021
Next: TBD
9. Aljman Sterling
UFC Bantamweight Champion
Vikram:21-3
Last:W (SD) Petr Yan, April 9, 2022
Next:September 10 vs. TJ Dilshow
10. Max Holloway
UFC featherweight
Previous sort: 6
Vikram: 23-7
Last: l (UD) Alexander Volkanowski, July 2, 2022
Next: TBD
Other fighters who received votes were: Robert Whitaker, Khamzhat Chimaev, Colby Covington and Glover Texera.
How our panel voted
Brett Okamoto : 1. Alexander Volkanovsky; 2. Kamru Usman; 3. Israel Adenasya; 4. Charles Oliveira; 5. Francis Engano; 6. Davison Figueroa; 7. Robert Whitaker; 8. Dustin Poirier; 9. Khamjat Chimayev; 10. Aljman Sterling.
Mark Raymondi : 1. Kamru Usman; 2. Israel Adenasya; 3. Alexander Volkanowski; 4. Francis Engano; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Aljman Sterling; 7. Jiri Prochazka; 8. Dustin Poirier; 9. Colby Covington; 10. Davison Figaredo.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi : 1. Kamru Usman; 2. Alexander Volkanowski; 3. Charles Oliveira; 4. Israel Adenasya; 5. Francis Engano; 6. Jiri Prochazka; 7. Max Holloway; 8. Davison Figueroa; 9. Aljman Sterling; 10. Glover Texera.
Megan Anderson : 1. Kamru Usman; 2. Alexander Volkanowski; 3. Charles Oliveira; 4. Israel Adenasya; 5. Francis Engano; 6. Max Holloway; 7. Jiri Prochazka; 8. Robert Whitaker; 9. Davison Figueroa; 10. Glover Texera.
Eddie Massenet III : 1. Kamru Usman; 2. Charles Oliveira; 3. Israel Adenasya; 4. Alexander Volkanovsky; 5. Francis Engano; 6. Dustin Poirier; 7. Davson Figaredo; 8. Aljman Sterling; 9. Jiri Prochazka; 10. Khamjat Chimayev.
Jeff Wegenheim : 1. Kamru Usman; 2. Alexander Volkanowski; 3. Francis Engano; 4. Charles Oliveira; 5. Israel Adasanya; 6. Jiri Prochazka; 7. Dustin Poirier; 8. Aljman Sterling; 9. Davison Figueroa; 10. Robert Whitaker.
1. Valentina Shevchenko
UFC Flyweight Champion
Vikram: 22-3
Last: W (SD) Tela Santos, 11 June 2022
Next: TBD
2. Amanda Nunes
UFC Featherweight Champion
Vikram: 21-5
Last: l (sub2) Juliana Pea, 11 December 2021
Next: July 30 Juliana Peas
3. Chris Cyborg
Ballet featherweight champion
Vikram: 26-2, 1 NC
Last: w (UD) Arlene Blencowe, 23 April 2022
Next: TBD
4. Juliana Pena
UFC Bantamweight Champion
Vikram: 11-4
Last: w (sub2) Amanda Nunes, 11 December 2021
Next: July 30 vs. Amanda Nunes
5. Zhang Velik
UFC Strovet
Previous sort: 7
Vikram: 22-3
Last: w (KO2) Joanna Jedrzejic, June 11, 2022
Next: TBD
6. Carla Esparza
UFC Strovet Champion
Previous sort: 9
Vikram: 19-6
Last: W (SD) Rose Prayer, May 7, 2022
Next: TBD
7. Name the rose:
UFC Strovet
Previous sort:6
Vikram:11-5
Last:l (sd) Carla Esparza, 7 May 2022
Next:TBD
8. Jessica Andrade
ufc flyweight
Previous sort:9
Vikram:23-9
Last:W (sub1) Amanda Lemos, 23 April 2022
Next:TBD
9. Kayla Harrison
PFL Lightweight Champion
Previous sort:8
Vikram:14-0
Last:W (TKO1) Caitlin Young, July 1, 2022
Next:August 20 v. Martina Jindrova
10. Marina Rodriguez
UFC Strovet
Previous sort:Without category
Vikram:16-1-2
Last:W (SD) Yan Xionan, March 5, 2022
Next:TBD
Other fighters who got votes: Caitlin Chukgyan, Holly Holm and Caitlin Vieira.
How our panel voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Chris Cyborg; 4. Name the rose; 5. Zhang Valley; 6. Juliana Pena; 7. Carla Esparza; 8. Jessica Andrade; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Caitlin Chukgyan.
Mark Raymondi: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Chris Cyborg; 4. Juliana Pena; 5. Carla Esparza; 6. Kayla Harrison; 7. Name the rose; 8. Zhang Valley; 9. Jessica Andrade; 10. Caitlin Chukgyan.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Juliana Pena; 4. Chris Cyborg; 5. Kayla Harrison; 6. Carla Esparza; 7. Zhang Valley; 8. Name the rose; 9. Jessica Andrade; 10. Holly Holm.
Megan Anderson: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Chris Cyborg; 4. Zhang Valley; 5. Name the rose; 6. Carla Esparza; 7. Jessica Andrade; 8. Marina Rodriguez; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Caitlin Vieira.
Eddie Massenet III: 1. Juliana Pena; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Valentina Shevchenko; 4. Zhang Valley; 5. Chris Cyborg; 6. Carla Esparza; 7. Jessica Andrade; 8. Name the rose; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Marina Rodriguez.
Jeff Wegenheim: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Chris Cyborg; 4. Zhang Valley; 5. Juliana Pena; 6. Jessica Andrade; 7. Carla Esparza; 8. Name the rose; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Caitlin Chukgyan.