Sherdog’s WMMA Pound-for-Pound Top 10

Erin Blanchfield’s arrival as a Top 10 pound-for-pound talent has come ahead of schedule.

When Jessica Andrade stepped in as short-notice replacement for Taila Santos in the UFC Fight 219 headliner, that gave Blanchfield an opportunity to make an even greater statement by besting a pound-for-pound staple. The Elmwood, New Jersey, native delivered in that regard, as she held her own on the feet before taking her Brazilian opponent to the canvas and submitting her with a rear-naked choke 1:37 into the second round on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

As a result of that performance, Blanchfield makes her debut in Sherdog’s pound-for-pound rankings at No. 8. It’s a win that bodes well for her future prospects too, because Andrade has a history of only losing to the best talent the sport has to offer. The chance to make an even bigger leap in the poll could be on the horizon if a showdown with Valentina Shevchenko comes to fruition at some point in 2023.

Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.

1. Amanda Nunes (22-5) | UFC [1]

Nunes silenced the doubters in emphatic fashion in the UFC 277 headliner, as she captured a convincing unanimous decision triumph against Julianna Pena in their bantamweight championship rematch at American Airlines Arena in Dallas on July 30. Not only did “Lioness” bounce back from her shocking upset loss to Pena in 2021, but she re-established herself as a two-division title holder and the top pound-for-pound female talent in the sport. Trilogy fights against Pena or even Valentina Shevchenko remain possibilities, but Nunes could also defend one of her belts against a new contender in her next Octagon appearance.

2. Valentina Shevchenko (23-3) | UFC [2]

Shevchenko survived the most difficult title defense of her career to date, edging Taila Santos via split decision in the UFC 275 co-main event at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore on June 11. For much of the bout, “Bullet” struggled against her Brazilian foe in the clinch and on the mat, but the reigning flyweight queen got stronger as the fight progressed to earn her eighth victory in a UFC championship bout. Shevchenko will attempt to make her eighth successful title defense when she meets Alexa Grasso at UFC 285.

3. Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (26-2, 1 NC) | Bellator [3]

It took a little bit longer than their first meeting, but “Cyborg” nonetheless improved to 2-0 against Arlene Blencowe with a unanimous decision triumph in the Bellator 279 main event at Neil S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 23. The reigning featherweight queen has won six straight since her shocking loss to Amanda Nunes in December 2018 and still looks to be head and shoulders above the 145-pound field in Bellator. A potential cross-promotion with the PFL for a superfight with Kayla Harrison would be quite intriguing, though it lost some luster when Harrison fell to Larissa Pacheco in the PFL lightweight final on Nov. 25. n the meantime, “Cyborg” has earned a pair of victories as a professional boxer..

4. Weili Zhang (23-3) | UFC [4]

Zhang regained the strawweight throne with a second-round submission of Carla Esparza in the UFC 281 co-main event. The Chinese standout outclassed her wrestling-minded foe on the feet and on the ground and has now rebounded from back-to-back losses to Rose Namajunas in 2021 with emphatic victories over Esparza and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Given their recent history, it’s possible that a trilogy with Namajunas could be in store for the Fight Ready export.

5. Carla Esparza (19-7) | UFC [5]

Esparza’s second reign as strawweight champion was as short-lived as the first, as she relinquished the crown to Weili Zhang in a second-round submission defeat in the UFC 281 co-main event. “Cookie Monster” rebuilt her career after the first title bout loss to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2015, and it’s possible she could rise to the top again — especially if the title changes hands. After having a six-bout winning streak snapped in defeat, Esparza will be in line to face another highly ranked foe in her next outing.

6. Rose Namajunas (11-5) | UFC [6]

Namajunas gave one of the most perplexing performances by a defending champion in recent memory, as she refused to engage for the majority of 25 minutes against Carla Esparza in a split decision loss in the UFC 274 co-main event. Though Esparza didn’t do much to force the issue, the “Cookie Monster” did just enough to get the nod from two cageside judges and improve to 2-0 against “Thug Rose.” Namajunas may have new life in the division after Weili Zhang vanquished Esparza in the UFC 281 co-main event.

7. Liz Carmouche (18-7) | Bellator [8]

After a controversial stoppage tainted her championship-winning triumph over Juliana Velasquez in April, Carmouche authored a more emphatic victory in the rematch at Bellator 289, overwhelming her adversary with pressure, clinch work and takedowns en route to a second-round armbar at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. “Girl-Rilla” has won five consecutive contests since joining the California-based promotion, and her reign atop the Bellator flyweight division helps to erase the sting of failed title opportunities in two different weight classes in the UFC. Carmouche will look to make her second successful title defense against Justine Kish at Bellator 294

8. Erin Blanchfield (11-1) UFC [NR]

While Blanchfield has been on the radar as a future contender for some time now, her ascent to the top of the flyweight division accelerated following a second-round submission of Jessica Andrade in the UFC Fight Night 219 headliner. With five consecutive victories in UFC competition — including three via submission — “Cold Blooded” appears to be a serious threat to Valentina Shevchenko at just 23 years old. She’ll be an interested observer when Shevchenko defends her 125-pound belt against Alexa Grasso at UFC 285.

9. Jessica Andrade (24-10) | UFC [7]

Andrade’s decision to accept a short-notice fight against Erin Blanchfield backfired, as she was submitted in the second round of their flyweight headliner at UFC Fight Night 219. That halts any momentum the Brazilian might have hoped to build at 125 pounds on the heels of a victory over Lauren Murphy at UFC 283. However, Andrade still has designs on returning to 115 pounds, where she could pursue an eventual rematch with current title holder Weili Zhang.

10. Julianna Pena (11-5) | UFC [9]

The fairy tale ended for Pena at UFC 277, as she was battered and dominated for five rounds in a clear-cut unanimous decision loss to Amanda Nunes in their bantamweight championship rematch at American Airlines Arena in Dallas on July 30. Pena’s grit was on full display against her “Ultimate Fighter 30” coaching counterpart, but other than a few fleeting moments of success, the fight belonged to Nunes. “The Venezuelan Vixen” remains relevant in the division thanks to her massive upset of the two-division champ at UFC 269, but it’s currently unclear if an immediate trilogy is in store.

Other Contenders: Seika Izawa, Raquel Pennington, Seo Hee Ham, Manon Fiorot, Juliana Velasquez.

Sherdog’s divisional and pound-for-pound rankings are compiled by a panel of Sherdog.com staff members and contributors: Tristen Critchfield, Mike Fridley, Brian Knapp, Ben Duffy, Jay Pettry, Robert Sargent, Tudor Leonte, Keith Shillan, Mike Sloan, Tyler Treese, John Brannigan and Lev Pisarsky.