Valentina Shevchenko has not fought since September, but the UFC women’s flyweight champion nonetheless has moved to the No. 1 spot in the latest ESPN pound-for-pound rankings.
That’s because the previous No. 1, Amanda Nunes, was upset at UFC 269, dropping her bantamweight championship. Nunes still is the featherweight champ, and she did not fall very far in the top 10.
The fighter who dethroned Nunes on Dec. 11, Julianna Peña, makes her debut in the new women’s rankings.
A UFC 269 performance also played a role in changing the men’s top 10, where Charles Oliveira moved up on the strength of his first lightweight title defense, a submission of Dustin Poirier.
Making his rankings debut is Glover Teixeira, who at age 42 won the UFC light heavyweight belt in October.
Departing the rankings were Poirier and Germaine de Randamie, the latter for inactivity. De Randamie has not competed — or even been booked for a fight — in over a year. Coincidentally, her most recent bout, in October 2020, was a submission victory over Peña.
Note: Results are current; rankings as of Dec. 15.
Men’s pound-for-pound rankings
1. Kamaru Usman 
UFC welterweight champion
Record: 20-1
Last: W (UD) Colby Covington, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
UFC middleweight champion
Record: 21-1
Last: W (UD) Marvin Vettori, June 12, 2021
Next: Feb. 12 vs. Robert Whittaker
UFC featherweight champion
Record: 23-1
Last: W (UD) Brian Ortega, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
T-4. Francis Ngannou
UFC heavyweight champion
Record: 16-3
Last: W (KO2) Stipe Miocic, March 27, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Ciryl Gane
T-4. Charles Oliveira 
UFC lightweight champion
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 32-8, 1 NC
Last: W (Sub3) Dustin Poirier, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Petr Yan
UFC bantamweight interim champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 16-2
Last: W (UD) Cory Sandhagen, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD vs. Aljamain Sterling
7. Max Holloway
UFC featherweight
Previous ranking: T-9
Record: 23-6
Last: W (UD) Yair Rodriguez, Nov. 13, 2021
Next: TBD
UFC flyweight champion
Previous ranking: T-9
Record: 19-5-2
Last: W (Sub3) Deiveson Figueiredo, June 12, 2021
Next: Jan. 22 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
T-9. Stipe Miocic 
UFC heavyweight
Previous ranking: 8
Record: 20-4
Last: L (KO2) Francis Ngannou, March 27, 2021
Next: TBD
T-9. Glover Teixeira
UFC light heavyweight champion
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 33-7
Last: W (Sub2) Jan Blachowicz, Oct. 30, 2021
Next: TBD
Other fighters receiving votes: Robert Whittaker and Dustin Poirier.
How our writers voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Israel Adesanya; 3. Alexander Volkanovski; 4. Max Holloway; 5. Petr Yan; 6. Charles Oliveira; 7. Francis Ngannou; 8. Robert Whittaker; 9. Dustin Poirier; 10. Brandon Moreno.
Marc Raimondi: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Israel Adesanya; 3. Francis Ngannou; 4. Alexander Volkanovski; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Petr Yan; 7. Stipe Miocic; 8. Dustin Poirier; 9. Glover Teixeira; 10. Robert Whittaker.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Charles Oliveira; 3. Israel Adesanya; 4. Alexander Volkanovski; 5. Francis Ngannou; 6. Petr Yan; 7. Brandon Moreno; 8. Max Holloway; 9. Glover Teixeira; 10. Robert Whittaker.
Mike Coppinger: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Israel Adesanya; 3. Alexander Volkanovski; 4. Charles Oliveira; 5. Francis Ngannou; 6. Brandon Moreno; 7. Max Holloway; 8. Petr Yan; 9. Robert Whittaker; 10. Glover Teixeira.
Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Kamaru Usman; 2. Francis Ngannou; 3. Israel Adesanya; 4. Alexander Volkanovski; 5. Charles Oliveira; 6. Petr Yan; 7. Stipe Miocic; 8. Glover Teixeira; 9. Brandon Moreno; 10. Dustin Poirier.
UFC flyweight champion
Previous ranking: 2
Record: 21-3
Last: W (TKO4) Lauren Murphy, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
2. Amanda Nunes
UFC featherweight champion
Previous ranking: 1
Record: 21-5
Last: L (Sub2) Julianna Peña, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
UFC strawweight champion
Record: 11-4
Last: W (SD) Zhang Weili, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
4. Cris Cyborg
Bellator featherweight champion
Record: 25-2, 1 NC
Last: W (KO1) Sinead Kavanagh, Nov. 12, 2021
Next: TBD
UFC bantamweight champion
Previous ranking: Unranked
Record: 11-4
Last: W (Sub2) Amanda Nunes, Dec. 11, 2021
Next: TBD
6. Zhang Weili
UFC strawweight
Previous ranking: 5
Record: 21-3
Last: L (SD) Rose Namajunas, Nov. 6, 2021
Next: TBD
UFC flyweight
Previous ranking: 6
Record: 22-9
Last: W (TKO1) Cynthia Calvillo, Sept. 25, 2021
Next: TBD
PFL lightweight champion
Previous ranking: 7
Record: 12-0
Last: W (Sub2) Taylor Guardado, Oct. 27, 2021
Next: TBD
9. Holly Holm
UFC bantamweight
Record: 14-5
Last: W (UD) Irene Aldana, Oct. 3, 2020
Next: TBD
10. Carla Esparza
UFC strawweight
Record: 18-6
Last: W (TKO2) Yan Xiaonan, May 22, 2021
Next: TBD
Other fighter receiving votes: Katlyn Chookagian.
How our writers voted
Brett Okamoto: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Rose Namajunas; 4. Cris Cyborg; 5. Kayla Harrison; 6. Zhang Weili; 7. Jessica Andrade; 8. Julianna Peña; 9. Carla Esparza; 10. Katlyn Chookagian.
Marc Raimondi: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Cris Cyborg; 4. Rose Namajunas; 5. Julianna Peña; 6. Kayla Harrison; 7. Zhang Weili; 8. Jessica Andrade; 9. Holly Holm; 10. Carla Esparza.
Carlos Contreras Legaspi: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Amanda Nunes; 3. Rose Namajunas; 4. Julianna Peña; 5. Cris Cyborg; 6. Holly Holm; 7. Kayla Harrison; 8. Jessica Andrade; 9. Zhang Weili; 10. Carla Esparza.
Mike Coppinger: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Rose Namajunas; 3. Julianna Peña; 4. Amanda Nunes; 5. Cris Cyborg; 6. Zhang Weili; 7. Jessica Andrade; 8. Holly Holm; 9. Kayla Harrison; 10. Carla Esparza.
Jeff Wagenheim: 1. Valentina Shevchenko; 2. Cris Cyborg; 3. Rose Namajunas; 4. Amanda Nunes; 5. Zhang Weili; 6. Jessica Andrade; 7. Julianna Peña; 8. Holly Holm; 9. Carla Esparza; 10. Kayla Harrison.