USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings update: Mackenzie Dern jumps to No. 1 as Islam Makhachev stays atop

The USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings update released Aug. 18, covering the landscape after UFC 330, produced one clear shift at the very top of the publication’s MMA rankings. Mackenzie Dern is listed as the new No. 1, while Islam Makhachev remains the top-ranked fighter in the other top tier of the rankings, according to the update cited by Yahoo Sports.

The timing matters for how fans and teams interpret movement. Rankings that follow a major event like UFC 330 are intended to reweight momentum from the most recent performances, including how convincingly fighters handled their most current opponent. In this update, the headline change is Dern reaching the No. 1 spot, suggesting the publication views her current position as stronger than it was in the previous ledger.

For Makhachev, the update reinforces his standing as the division-leading centerpiece in the men’s pound-for-pound picture. The report characterizes him as still “on top,” meaning there was no swap for the top position even after the UFC 330 slate, which typically creates the most opportunities for rankings to change.

Dern’s rise to No. 1 places additional emphasis on consistency and how the rankings committee connects styles and results across recent fights. In a ranking system, that kind of top spot is rarely about one single outcome alone. It usually reflects a broader pattern, such as how a fighter’s skill set translates against the level of competition in their weight class and their ability to maintain separation from the pack.

Although the update is framed as a rankings “check” following UFC 330, the Yahoo Sports item provided for this writing is primarily a top-line preview rather than a full ranking list. That limits what can be stated precisely here about the rest of the top 10, the spacing between fighters, or exactly where other movers placed. Readers looking for full detail should consult the complete USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie ranking tables themselves.

Going forward, the practical question is whether the Dern No. 1 change holds when the next major event results arrive. Rankings at this level tend to react quickly to title fights, emphatic finishes, and fights where a contender clearly outperforms a ranked peer. If UFC schedules produce another high-leverage matchup for either Dern or the fighters close behind her, the top spot may become a recurring point of debate again.