UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Lightweights: Aug 31/18

UFC 205: Alvarez v McGregor
UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Lightweights: Aug 31/18
LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 20: Nate Diaz (L) squares off against Conor McGregor during their welterweight rematch at the UFC 202 event at T-Mobile Arena on August 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. McGregor won by majority decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

 

There is constant debate about the “official” UFC fighter rankings, which are based on voting from a panel of journalists.  Such is the case with something as subjective as voting – it’s totally based on voter’s opinion, and biases are bound to seep through, whether intentional or no.  So to try to put a fresh, objective, data-driven spin on rankings, The MMA Manifesto has come up with a performance based ranking system, solely based on how a fighter has performed in the cage.  Next up: The Lightweights.

 

*stipulations: 1) any fighter currently suspended or 2) inactive for at least 12 months (without an upcoming fight scheduled) are excluded from the rankings 

 

  • Scoring based on a fighter’s past 10 UFC performances (we use a seven year time limit, so if they have fought less than 10 times in past seven years, only the fights within that time frame are counted)
  • Points based on a fighter’s opponent’s UFC win/loss record (ie strength of schedule – the more successful a vanquished opponent is, the more points awarded), extra points given for finishes, extra points given for title fight wins.  
  • Points are weighed so most recent fights are worth more (ie most recent fight counts the most, 10th most recent fight the least)
  • No points awarded for a loss

 

(first column performance based ranking, second column is last ranking, third column is official UFC ranking from UFC.com)

Stats Last UFC Total
Rank Rank Rank
1 NR 2 Conor McGregor 406
2 1 3 Tony Ferguson 384
3 2 1 Khabib Nurmagomedov 311
4 3 6 Kevin Lee 242.5
5 4 13 James Vick 235
6 5 10 Al Iaquinta 226
7 9 16 Islam Makhachev 211.5
8 7 4 Dustin Poirier 209.5
9 6 15 Dan Hooker 204.5
10 NR 11 Nate Diaz 198
11 8 9 Anthony Pettis 196
12 9 5 Eddie Alvarez 159.5
13 11 Francisco Trinaldo 153.5
14 12 12 Michael Chiesa 151
15 13 Beneil Dariush 149
16 14 David Teymur 124.5
17 15 Mairbek Taisumov 119
18 47 8 Justin Gaethje 118
19 17 Charles Oliveira 117
20 18 Gregor Gillespie 116.5
21 30 14 Alexander Hernandez 113
22 16 Olivier Aubin-Mercier 103
23 20 7 Edson Barboza 99.5
24 21 Rustam Khabilov 91.5
25 22 Carlos Diego Ferreira 87
26 23 Evan Dunham 85.5
27 25 Clay Guida 76
28 26 Abel Trujillo 73
29 27 Davi Ramos 72.5
29 27 Joe Lauzon 72.5
31 29 Gilbert Burns 71
32 24 Kajan Johnson 68.5
33 31 Alan Patrick 66.5
34 32 Jim Miller 65
35 33 Desmond Green 64
36 34 Chris Gruetzemacher 63.5
36 34 Stevie Ray 63.5
38 36 Vinc Pichel 57.5
39 36 John Makdessi 56.5
40 NR Drew Dober 51
40 40 Polo Reyes 51
42 42 Nik Lentz 47.5
43 38 Jon Tuck 45.5
44 43 Bobby Green 40.5
45 56 Damir Hadzovic 40
46 44 Joseph Duffy 37.5
47 46 Drakkar Klose 32.5
48 47 Joaquim Silva 32
48 47 Lando Vannata 32
50 50 Dong Hyun Kim 31.5
51 52 Alex White 28
52 51 Marc Diakiese 26.5
53 53 Scott Holtzman 25.5
54 72 Devin Powell 25
54 54 Luis Pena 25
56 55 Jared Gordon 24.5
57 NR Gray Maynard 23
58 56 Jordan Rinaldi 22.5
59 59 Andrew Holbrook 22
60 60 Alvaro Herrera 17.5
61 63 Josh Emmett 17
62 64 Mizuto Hirota 16
63 60 Ross Pearson 14.5
64 62 Erik Koch 14
65 65 Nick Hein 12.5
66 72 Nasrat Haqparast 10
67 NR Christos Giagos 9
67 66 Jason Gonzalez 9
69 67 John Gunther 5
69 67 Mike Trizano 5
71 69 Darrell Horcher 4.5
71 69 Felipe Silva 4.5
71 69 Thibault Gouti 4.5
74 72 Alex Reyes 0
74 72 Allan Zuniga 0
74 72 Claudio Puelles 0
74 72 Dan Moret 0
74 72 Matt Frevola 0

 

Check back Monday for our featherweight rankings


Performance Based Rankings:

Heavyweights
Light Heavyweights
Middleweights
Welterweights
Featherweights
Bantamweights
Flyweights
Women’s Feather/Bantamweights
Women’s Flyweights
Women’s Strawweights
Pound for Pound

 

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