The 2024 MMA calendar is off and rolling with big events on the immediate horizon. The UFC will host its first pay-per-view of the year in Toronto with UFC 297. The first joint event between the PFL and Bellator will follow in February with a fascinating "champion vs. champion" card. Plus, big stars could make their anticipated returns to the cage, including Francis Ngannou and Conor McGregor.
Which fighters are poised to have the best 2024? We assembled our panel of MMA experts to determine who will rise up and thrive the most. This isn't a ranking of the best fighters on the planet. Instead, it's a projection of who will succeed over the next 12 months based on current performance, upcoming fights and other out-of-the-cage variables.
We've expanded this year's rankings from 30 to 50, to better recognize fighters across all promotions and various weight classes. Did your favorite fighter make the cut?
Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi, Jeff Wagenheim, Carlos Contreras Legaspi, Andres Waters and Eddie Maisonet assess what might be in store for the top fighters in the sport.
1. Islam Makhachev 
Previous rank: 1
UFC lightweight champion
MMA record: 25-1
For the second year in a row, the UFC's lightweight champion will have higher expectations on him than anyone else. In 2023, he met those high expectations by solidifying himself as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and winning ESPN's Fighter of the Year. It will be more of the same in 2024. Expect two appearances, likely both at lightweight. And if he's impressive again, he'll be looking at a potential move to welterweight in 2025. -- Okamoto
2. Alex Pereira 
Previous rank: 10
UFC light heavyweight champion
MMA record: 9-2
If middleweight Pereira was a problem, the light heavyweight version is an absolute destroyer. His power carried over to the heavier weight class, as Pereira knocked out Jiří Procházka to win the 205-pound title at UFC 295 in November. "Poatan" became only the ninth fighter to win championships in two UFC weight classes, and he was the quickest to do so -- in only seven UFC fights. The Brazilian kickboxer will likely be the favorite in potential title defenses against Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev. If he holds the title for all of 2024, Pereira will work his way close to the top of the pound-for-pound list. -- Raimondi
Leon Edwards defeats Colby Covington to retain the UFC welterweight title at UFC 296.
3. Leon Edwards
Previous rank: 12
UFC middleweight champion
MMA record: 22-3
Expectations for Edwards soared after his two defenses of the UFC welterweight title in 2023, first a tight decision win against former champ Kamaru Usman, then a shut-him-up domination of Colby Covington. And now the Brit has Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov headed his way -- two sizable challenges, but they also present Edwards with a couple of opportunities to show why he is firmly established in the pound-for-pound top five. If "Rocky" Edwards ends 2024 still holding the 170-pound belt, it will have been a very fine year. -- Wagenheim
4. Alexa Grasso
Previous rank: NR
UFC women's flyweight champion
MMA record: 16-3-1
At the beginning of 2023, few considered Grasso the next title challenger in the UFC women's flyweight division. However, Manon Fiorot's injury elevated Grasso to a challenge of champion Valentina Shevchenko. With brilliant preparation for that fight and seven years of evolution in the UFC, Grasso pulled off one of the biggest UFC championship fight upsets by submitting Shevchenko in the fourth round to win the belt. With the retirement of Amanda Nunes and another fight against Shevchenko that ended in a draw, Grasso established herself as the top women's star of the year. She could solidify her place in 2024 by either winning a trilogy bout against Shevchenko or successfully defending her title against the winner of the March 30 fight between Fiorot and Erin Blanchfield. -- Legaspi
Zhang Weili goes the distance with Amanda Lemos in the co-main event of UFC 292.
5. Zhang Weili
Previous rank: 9
UFC women's strawweight champion
MMA record: 24-3
ESPN has Zhang ranked as its No. 1 pound-for-pound women's fighter. Dominant performances in UFC strawweight title fights against Carla Esparza and Amanda Lemos solidified her atop that list and earned her a higher spot than last year on this list. First up for Zhang in 2024 will be a fight against Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 on April 13. If Zhang defends her title twice this year, she'll tie Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the most title fight victories in UFC strawweight history (6). If she defends it three times, she'll be on one of the best runs in women's MMA ever. -- Raimondi
6. Alexandre Pantoja
Previous rank: NR
UFC men's flyweight champion
MMA record: 27-5
Six months ago, Pantoja was an inactive enigma, having competed only once in 1½ years. Then, suddenly, he was a champion. In his first fight of 2023 in July, Pantoja scored a narrow decision win over Brandon Moreno -- his third win over Moreno, if you count their exhibition bout on "The Ultimate Fighter" -- to become UFC men's flyweight champ. Pantoja followed with a December win over Brandon Royval in another rematch. Looking ahead, Pantoja has some brand-new challengers lined up, if they can get past the fighters he has already defeated. -- Wagenheim
7. Erin Blanchfield
Previous rank: NR
UFC women's flyweight
MMA record: 12-1
The expectations placed on Blanchfield going into 2024 are strapped to a rocket, thanks to what she did in 2023. It's one thing to beat Jessica Andrade and Taila Santos, but it's another to make her victories look as effortless as Blanchfield did. The only knock on her was that maybe, at age 24, she was a little too young to have monumental expectations placed on her. That is no longer the case. The goal for Blanchfield in 2024 is nothing short of winning a UFC championship. -- Okamoto
8. Tom Aspinall
Previous rank: NR
UFC interim heavyweight champion
MMA record: 14-3
The future -- and present -- of the UFC heavyweight division. Aspinall rebounded from a knee injury in 2022 to knock out Marcin Tybura and Sergei Pavlovich in 2023 in a combined time of 2 minutes, 22 seconds -- the latter win earning him the interim heavyweight title. In a perfect world, Aspinall would get to prove his mettle against champ Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic, the most accomplished heavyweight in UFC history. Those matchups might not come together, but Aspinall can still have a banner year and continue to build his legacy with a couple of big wins in 2024. -- Raimondi
9. Alexander Volkanovski 
Previous rank: 2
UFC featherweight champion
MMA record: 26-3
Volkanovski entered 2023 as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in men's MMA, riding a 22-fight winning streak and just a few months removed from his third victory over all-time great Max Holloway. Even the UFC featherweight champ's narrow loss to lightweight titlist Islam Makhachev in February did not diminish Volkanovski's status. He fought twice more during the year, including a second loss to Makhachev. So, while Volkanovski enters 2024 with his 155-pound ambitions doused, he remains the man at 145 going into next month's title defense against Ilia Topuria. -- Wagenheim
10. Ilia Topuria
Previous rank: 19
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 14-0
Topuria went into 2023 as an exciting, yet somewhat unproven, featherweight contender. In other words, the jury was still out. This year is different. He heads into 2024 with a title shot against Volkanovski already on the books. If he wins, he'll immediately jump into pound-for-pound conversations, opening a ton of options for potential 145-pound title matchups. If things fall right, Topuria could be a Fighter of the Year candidate. -- Okamoto
11. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Previous rank: 29
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 18-0
Many people believe Rakhmonov is the UFC welterweight champion in waiting. He is 18-0 with 18 finishes in his professional MMA career and stopped Geoff Neal and Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson in 2023. The Uzbekistani-born Kazakh fighter sports a well-rounded game, dangerous on the feet and with his wrestling and grappling. -- Raimondi
Sean O'Malley joins "First Take" fresh off winning the bantamweight title at UFC 292 and talks about potentially reaching the height of Conor McGregor's popularity.
12. Sean O'Malley
Previous rank: 16
UFC bantamweight champion
MMA record: 17-1
O'Malley has been an MMA star seemingly forever -- at least since he put on a show on "Dana White's Contender Series" that left Snoop Dogg screaming "O'Malley! O'Malley!" from cageside on the broadcast. But it was in 2023 that "Suga Sean" went from a fun character with a Technicolor hairdo to an actual fighting standout. His knockout upset of Aljamain Sterling in August to take away the UFC men's bantamweight title made O'Malley a star with a championship pedigree. -- Wagenheim
13. Israel Adesanya
Previous rank: 6
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 24-3
Expectations for Adesanya are lower going into 2024 than in perhaps any other year he has been in the UFC, and a large part of that is due to Adesanya himself. He has been outspoken about his intent to fight less frequently moving forward. He still has the name and skill to put together a monster year, but that's no longer quite the expectation. -- Okamoto
14. Jon Jones
Previous rank: 7
UFC heavyweight champion
MMA record: 27-1
Jones is still the best fighter to ever live, with a résumé -- a 19-fight unbeaten streak and 15 title fight wins -- that will be hard to ever match, let alone exceed. But he tore a pec in October and had surgery to shave bone spurs on an elbow, thus making it unclear when he will return. Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, probably won't see the Octagon again until summer, at the earliest, which drops him on this list. -- Raimondi
15. Belal Muhammad
Previous rank: NR
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 23-3
Muhammad seems to spend half of his energy fighting in the cage and the other half fighting against being overlooked in the UFC's welterweight hierarchy. He fought only once in 2023, but his win over Gilbert Burns in May extended Muhammad's unbeaten run to 10 straight. Does it prove him worthy of a title shot? Stay tuned. -- Wagenheim
16. Marlon Vera
Previous rank: 13
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 21-8-1
Since defeating Dominick Cruz with a spectacular kick to the head in August 2022, the Ecuadorian fighter has been on the short list to be the next UFC bantamweight contender. A loss to Cory Sandhagen in March caused Vera to fall in the rankings, but a victory over Pedro Munhoz in September and his history with champion Sean O'Malley now position him as the challenger at UFC 299. -- Legaspi
17. Merab Dvalishvili
Previous rank: NR
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 16-4
The bantamweight that nobody really wants to face. Dvalishvili's wrestling is oppressive, and he sets an absolutely maniacal pace. There's no doubt that he's among the top 135-pound fighters in the world, and if he beats Henry Cejudo at UFC 298, he might finally earn a title shot. -- Raimondi
18. Sean Strickland
Previous rank: NR
UFC middleweight champion
MMA record: 28-5
Strickland is a train wreck with a microphone in front of him, with offensiveness oozing from practically every word. But in September he went on the offensive in the way fighters are supposed to, and he emerged as UFC middleweight champ after an aggressive beatdown of Israel Adesanya. On Saturday, we'll find out whether Strickland can keep the momentum going, when he defends his belt against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297. -- Wagenheim
Max Holloway and Arnold Allen put on a show in front of UFC fans in Kansas City.
19. Max Holloway
Previous rank: NR
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 25-7
The Blessed Express ain't shut down yet. Holloway enjoyed a comeback year of sorts in 2023, as he looked great in wins against Arnold Allen and Chan Sung Jung at a time when some were wondering whether he would slow down. He's still in an awkward spot, having lost to Volkanovski three times, so he took a lightweight bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. The future could still look bright for Holloway at age 32. -- Okamoto
20. Khamzat Chimaev
Previous rank: 4
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 13-0
In terms of pure in-cage skill, Chimaev would be near the top of this list. But his volatility -- weight-cutting issues, travel woes, illnesses and injuries -- has affected his standing, which in some cases is not his fault. Chimaev has fought only four times since 2020, when he set the UFC's modern record for the quickest fighter to get three fights in the promotion (66 days). -- Raimondi
21. Charles Oliveira
Previous rank: 21
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 34-9
Oliveira fought only once in 2023, but it was a strong performance, a first-round knockout of a hot Beneil Dariush. In April, Oliveira faces fellow top-10 lightweight Arman Tsarukyan, and a win would give Oliveira a strong claim to being the division's next title challenger. Again. -- Wagenheim
22. Jiri Prochazka
Previous rank: NR
UFC light heavyweight
MMA record: 29-4-1
Prochazka went into 2023 with pretty low expectations, because no one truly knew whether he would even compete last year because of a shoulder injury. He's coming off a loss in a UFC title fight to Alex Pereira, but Prochazka is still one of the top light heavyweights in the sport, without question, and he could easily exceed this ranking if he strings together a few wins. -- Okamoto
23. Dricus Du Plessis
Previous rank: NR
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 20-2
The South African fighter can be the UFC middleweight champion before the end of the weekend. Du Plessis was a bit of an afterthought at 185 pounds before 2023, but then he knocked out Derek Brunson and former champ Robert Whittaker. There was no denying him after that. -- Raimondi
Valentina Shevchenko talks about her recent fight against Alexa Grasso, when she will return from injury and a potential trilogy fight with Grasso.
24. Valentina Shevchenko
Previous rank: 3
UFC women's flyweight
MMA record: 23-4-1
Shevchenko's longtime hold on the UFC women's flyweight championship ended in 2023 in a submission loss to Alexa Grasso in March, and then she settled for a split draw in the September rematch. At age 35, does Shevchenko have it in her to make another run at the 125-pound title or even try for the belt at 135? -- Wagenheim
25. Arman Tsarukyan
Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 21-3
There is more than a decent chance we'll look back on these rankings at the end of the year and wonder how in the world we didn't rank Tsarukyan higher. He's going into 2024 with a booked matchup against Charles Oliveira. If he wins that fight, the UFC has indicated he would fight for the 155-pound belt next. Tsarukyan is phenomenally gifted, and it's certainly not unthinkable that he could close out the year as the champ. -- Okamoto
26. Usman Nurmagomedov
Previous rank: 23
Bellator lightweight champion
MMA record: 17-0
Still one of the best young fighters on the planet at age 25, Nurmagomedov slid in these rankings after testing positive for a banned substance in October. The failed drug test came from a prescribed medication that Nurmagomedov did not disclose, so it doesn't taint what he has been able to accomplish as Bellator lightweight champion. Nurmagomedov will be eligible to return from a six-month suspension in April. -- Raimondi
27. Francis Ngannou
Previous rank: 8
PFL heavyweight
MMA record: 17-3
Ngannou did not fight in a cage in 2023, and who knows whether he will in 2024. No matter. He has elevated the status of MMA among combat sports, putting on a stirring performance in the boxing ring against heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, and with a second lucrative boxing match scheduled for March against another big name, former champ Anthony Joshua. As Ngannou's star power soars, when will the PFL reap the benefit of an Ngannou fight in MMA? -- Wagenheim
28. Tatiana Suarez
Previous rank: NR
UFC strawweight
MMA record: 11-0
In 2023, we were reminded that Suarez is one of the most skilled grapplers on the UFC roster. She ended a nearly four-year layoff with dominant victories over Montana De La Rosa and former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. Suarez returned to ESPN's divisional rankings, showcasing her potential as a contender in two weight classes. A minor injury forced her off UFC 298, but she should be back soon. -- Legaspi
29. Cory Sandhagen
Previous rank: NR
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 17-4
Sandhagen has some of the most electrifying knockout wins ever in the UFC bantamweight division. But his 2023 was all about gutting out victories. He beat Marlon "Chito" Vera via split decision and used his wrestling and grappling to defeat Rob Font in a bout in which Sandhagen was injured. There's no doubt "The Sandman" is one of the world's best at 135 pounds. -- Raimondi
30. Justin Gaethje
Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight and BMF champion
MMA record: 25-4
Gaethje just keeps on rolling -- and keeps on entertaining. His two fights in 2023 showed what he is made of. He took on a tough, lower-ranked fighter no one else in the UFC lightweight division wanted to fight, Rafael Fiziev, and won a tight decision. Then Gaethje rematched Dustin Poirier and wowed the crowd with a head-kick KO victory. Up next: A clash with Max Holloway in April. -- Wagenheim
31. Umar Nurmagomedov
Previous rank: NR
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 16-0
The only thing that would hold Nurmagomedov back from improving this ranking might be his inability to book the right matchups. Nurmagomedov's talent is blatantly obvious, which has made it more difficult to book him a big fight. If he gets the right opportunities, he could easily have a breakout year in 2024. -- Okamoto
32. Jailton Almeida
Previous rank: NR
UFC heavyweight
MMA record: 20-2
The UFC's heavyweight division is a little messy at the moment, so it's hard to predict exactly what opportunities Almeida will get this year. As long as he just continues to perform at the level he has, however, the arrow on his career is pointing nowhere but up. -- Okamoto
33. Larissa Pacheco
Previous rank: NR
PFL women's featherweight champion
MMA record: 23-4
With a dominant 2023, the Brazilian slugger more than proved that her 2022 win over Kayla Harrison was no fluke. Pacheco went 4-0 to win PFL's featherweight title, her second straight $1 million championship. Pacheco won two of those fights with highlight-reel knockouts in less than a minute. -- Raimondi
34. Patchy Mix
Previous rank: NR
Bellator bantamweight champion
MMA record: 19-1
One could argue that at the time Bellator was purchased by the PFL in November, Mix was both the best and most exciting fighter in Bellator. He spent 2023 on the rise, capturing the Bantamweight World Grand Prix in April, then the bantamweight championship in November. The PFL is bullish on Mix, even with no 135-pound division for him to compete in. -- Wagenheim
35. Aljamain Sterling
Previous rank: 11
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 23-4
Expectations are far lower on Sterling going into 2024 compared to 2023 for a number of reasons. For one, he's no longer a champion. Secondly, he's moving up to featherweight, a weight class he hasn't competed in for over a decade. He's also getting a little up there in age, as he'll turn 35 this year. But Sterling is no stranger to exceeding expectations. -- Okamoto
36. Vadim Nemkov
Previous rank: NR
Bellator light heavyweight champion
MMA record: 17-2
Nemkov may not be on the short list of the biggest names at 205 pounds, but the Bellator light heavyweight champion is undoubtedly among the most talented. Nemkov (12-0, 1 NC) hasn't lost a fight since 2016 and has held the Bellator title since August 2020 (five defenses). Following the PFL's recent acquisition of Bellator, there should be many opportunities for Nemkov to generate more buzz. -- Waters
37. Brandon Moreno
Previous rank: 14
UFC men's flyweight
MMA record: 21-7-2
Moreno started 2023 with a win in Brazil against Deiveson Figueiredo in their fourth fight to end the rivalry with the UFC flyweight belt around his waist. But then, in July, Moreno lost to Alexandre Pantoja in one of the best fights of 2023. Now, after six consecutive championship bouts, Moreno must start his journey back to contention, facing Brandon Royval in Mexico City on Feb. 24. -- Legaspi
38. Dustin Poirier
Previous rank: NR
UFC men's lightweight
MMA record: 29-8
While he may not currently be in the UFC lightweight title picture, Poirier, 34, is still one of the best 155-pounders in the world. He has a chance to begin his climb back up the ladder when he takes on Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event at UFC 299 in March. -- Waters
39. Johnny Eblen
Previous rank: NR
Bellator middleweight champion
MMA record: 14-0
Eblen sits atop Bellator's middleweight division for good reason. He's undefeated as a pro, and as the level of competition has increased, so has his game. Although he has beaten some talented fighters to claim and defend his belt, Eblen will face his toughest test to date when he takes on 2023 PFL light heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay in his next fight on Feb. 24. -- Waters
40. Deiveson Figueiredo
Previous rank: 18
UFC bantamweight
MMA record: 22-3-1
After ending an iconic quadrilogy with Brandon Moreno with a loss to start 2023, Figueiredo finished the year with an impressive bantamweight debut win over Rob Font. Figueiredo has his eyes set on Sean O'Malley's UFC title, and with a few more wins on his ledger, he could get his title shot soon. -- Maisonet
41. Yan Xiaonan
Previous rank: NR
UFC strawweight
MMA record: 17-3
This could be a big year for Yan. Following a big knockout win over former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade at UFC 288, the talented striker has earned her first UFC title shot and will challenge her fellow Chinese fighter Zhang Weili in April. -- Waters
42. Kamaru Usman
Previous rank: 5
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 20-4
Usman was highly ranked on last year's list despite having his three-year reign as the king of UFC welterweights ended by Leon Edwards in August 2022. This past year proved more challenging for Usman, with unanimous decision losses to Edwards, in a rematch, and Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight. Usman is still a talented fighter, but his ranking hints that fighting for titles may no longer be in reach. -- Maisonet
43. Yair Rodriguez
Previous rank: 27
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 16-4
"El Pantera" earned the label of "future champion" from his early Octagon appearances and finally achieved that level by securing the interim featherweight title at UFC 284 with a surprising submission over Josh Emmett. However, at UFC 290, he was knocked out by Alexander Volkanovski in the title unification bout. With a rematch against Brian Ortega on the horizon, it seems Rodriguez needs a remarkable performance in 2024 to maintain his place as a top contender. -- Legaspi
44. AJ McKee
Previous rank: 22
Bellator lightweight
MMA record: 21-1
McKee's ranking here probably has more to do with the fighters above him earning titles and having opportunities in the spotlight than his move to lightweight and having to restart his journey to a championship. After dropping his Bellator featherweight belt in April 2022, McKee is 3-0 in a heavier weight class. If he keeps that up while navigating the new PFL/Bellator arrangement, that ranking should improve in no time. -- Maisonet
45. Jamahal Hill
Previous rank: NR
UFC light heavyweight
MMA record: 12-1
Hill, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, has been out of action due to injury since claiming the title over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 in January 2023. When he returns, the slugger is expected to challenge the reigning title holder for the belt that he never lost in the cage. -- Waters
Michael Chandler tells Brett Okamoto he thinks Conor McGregor is making a push to "pump himself up" ahead of their upcoming fight this summer.
46. Michael Chandler
Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 23-8
On one hand, having a 1-3 record in your past four fights could warrant raising eyebrows for a high ranking. On the other, having those four fights against fighters who have carried title belts deserves praise. Chandler's ability to give fight fans a drama show is always appreciated, and if a matchup against Conor McGregor comes to pass, it would represent the biggest money-making opportunity of Chandler's career. -- Maisonet
47. Jalin Turner
Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 14-7
Don't be fooled by his results in 2023. Turner, who dropped two of his three fights last year, is one of the best up-and-coming fighters in the UFC at 155 pounds. He was able to get back on track with an impressive knockout win over Bobby Green in his last fight, which could be the spark he needs to regain some momentum in 2024. -- Waters
48. Conor McGregor
Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 22-6
No fighter in MMA history has ever had more spotlight than McGregor, and "The Notorious" could finally make his return to the Octagon this summer. There was a time when McGregor being ranked No. 48 would be ludicrous, but the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is 1-3 in his past four fights and hasn't fought in almost three years. With a win over Michael Chandler, and the possibility of another fight, McGregor could end the year being ranked much higher. -- Maisonet
49. Cris Cyborg
Previous rank: NR
Bellator women's featherweight champion
MMA record: 27-2
Cyborg is one of the greatest fighters in the history of women's MMA. The Bellator women's featherweight champion has only two losses (Erica Paes in 2005 and Amanda Nunes in 2018) since making her pro debut in 2005, and she has successfully defended her title five times since claiming it in 2020. Cyborg is a former UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC featherweight champion, and even at 38 years old, she has proven that she can still compete at the highest level. -- Waters
50. Kayla Harrison
Previous rank: NR
PFL women's lightweight
MMA record: 16-1
Harrison ended 2023 with a win over Aspen Ladd and will look to remind the MMA world why she is one of the most imposing talents in the sport. Harrison's fighting options in 2024 may include some PFL megafights or jumping to the UFC. She could move up on this list depending on her results. Seeing Harrison in big fights is something we've been wanting from the two-time PFL lightweight champion. -- Maisonet