Rankings Shakeup: Mackenzie Dern undisputed No. 1 with Zhang Weili exit, blue-chip contender closing in

Mackenzie Dern has been crowned the undisputed No. 1 ranked strawweight fighter following an official rankings shakeup driven by Zhang Weili's prolonged absence from the division.

Dern solidified her claim to the top spot with a convincing decision victory over Gillian Robertson at UFC 330 on Saturday, marking her first successful title defense. The win came after Dern captured the strawweight crown by defeating Virna Jandiroba—notably without ever facing Zhang, who vacated the throne when she moved up to flyweight to pursue Valentina Shevchenko.

Zhang's removal from the rankings is now official. The former champion has not competed at 115 pounds since February 2025, an 18-month gap that triggered the MMA Fighting Rankings Committee's inactivity clause, forcing her withdrawal from divisional voting. Though Zhang retains her No. 2 position in the pound-for-pound rankings, her absence at strawweight leaves Dern unopposed at the summit.

While a potential showdown between Dern and a returning Zhang remains the division's dream matchup, several intriguing challengers have emerged. Tatiana Suarez, a former title challenger, sits in the mix alongside rising contenders Fatima Kline and Alexia Thainara. Kline, undefeated at 115 pounds with recent impressive wins over Tabatha Ricci and Angela Hill, jumped eight spots to crack the top 10. Thainara, riding a 13-fight winning streak since 2019, surged from No. 12 to No. 7 following her victory over Amanda Lemos. Either could be next in line to test Dern's reign if Zhang's return remains uncertain.