Winning top-four matchup elevates Ailin Perez in MMA divisional rankings

          Ailin Perez, right, had her hand raised after Saturday's fight with Norma Dumont, a clash of highly ranked women's bantamweights. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
          • Brett OkamotoSep 29, 2026, 09:00 AM ET
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              Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
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          Bad blood between UFC women's bantamweight title contenders Norma Dumont and Ailin Perez boiled over during their faceoff a day ahead of Saturday's fight, with matchmaker Sean Shelby forced to keep the fighters separated from each other.

          The next night, when the fight concluded with Perez announced as the winner, Dumont appeared shocked by the unanimous decision and Perez turned her back on Dumont and twerked in her direction. The fighters had to be separated again before being escorted from the cage.

          The fight that happened in between those fiery moments? It was not nearly as fierce. It began with a Round 1 in which Dumont landed eight significant strikes and Perez only four. And while the action picked up a little in the two rounds that followed, the women mostly circled each other.

          But Perez got the win, and as a result, she moved up two spots to No. 2 in the ESPN women's bantamweight rankings, bumping Dumont down to No. 3.

          That is the only movement in the latest rankings.

          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 Sept. 29. 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 (up to 265 pounds)

          LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (up to 205 pounds)

          MIDDLEWEIGHT (up to 185 pounds)

          WELTERWEIGHT (up to 170 pounds)

          LIGHTWEIGHT (up to 155 pounds)

          FEATHERWEIGHT (up to 145 pounds)

          MEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

          MEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

          WOMEN'S BANTAMWEIGHT (up to 135 pounds)

          WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT (up to 125 pounds)

          STRAWWEIGHT (up to 115 pounds)