UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Light Heavyweights: Jan 25/21

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UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Light Heavyweights: Jan 25/21
Feb 15, 2020; Rio Rancho, New Mexico, USA; Corey Anderson (red) fights Jan Blachowicz (blue) in the light heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Santa Ana Star Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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 not.  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 Light Heavyweights.

 

*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 five year time limit, so if they have fought less than 10 times in past five 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, last column is official UFC ranking from UFC.com)

Stats Last  UFC Total
Rank Rank Rank
1 NR Israel Adesanya 539.5
2 1 1 Jan Blachowicz 277.5
3 2 2 Glover Teixeira 221
4 3 7 Anthony Smith 143
5 4 10 Johnny Walker 134
6 5 4 Dominick Reyes 131
7 6 8 Volkan Oezdemir 120
8 7 13 Jimmy Crute 111
9 8 3 Thiago Santos 110.5
10 9 5 Aleksandar Rakic 100
11 10 15 Paul Craig 96
12 11 Ovince Saint Preux 91
13 12 9 Nikita Krylov 89
14 13 12 Magomed Ankalaev 80.5
15 15 14 Ryan Spann 68
16 16 Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua 66.5
17 17 Ion Cutelaba 62
18 18 16 Jamahal Hill 54.5
19 22 6 Jiri Prochazka 40
20 23 Michal Oleksiejczuk 38
21 21 Khalil Rountree Jr 36.5
22 19 Ed Herman 35
23 24 Alonzo Menifield 33.5
24 25 Da Un Jung 32.5
25 26 Devin Clark 23
26 27 Klidson Abreu 22.5
26 27 Modestas Bukauskas 22.5
28 30 Dustin Jacoby 20
29 33 Roman Dolidze 14.5
30 34 Mike Rodriguez 10.5
31 35 Maxim Grishin 10
31 35 William Knight 10
33 37 Aleksa Camur 9
34 38 Danilo Marques 5
34 42 Ike Villanueva 5
34 42 Marcin Prachnio 5
37 41 John Allan 4.5
38 42 Andreas Michailidis 0
38 42 Vinicius Moreira 0

 

Check back Friday for our middleweight rankings

Performance Based Rankings:

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

 

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