UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Lightweights: Sept 3/21

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 a 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 five-year time limit, so if they have fought less than 10 times in the 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, third column is official UFC ranking from UFC.com)

Stats	Last	UFC		Total
Rank	Rank	Rank
1	1	1	Charles Oliveira	595
2	2	3	Justin Gaethje	576
3	3	2	Dustin Poirier	507
4	4	4	Beneil Dariush	438
5	5	6	Islam Makhachev	367
6	6	11	Gregor Gillespie	274
7	7		Grant Dawson	242
8	8	9	Dan Hooker	230
9	9	7	Tony Ferguson	226.5
10	11	8	Rafael dos Anjos	213
11	NR		Al Iaquinta	192
11	10	10	Conor McGregor	192
13	12	12	Diego Ferreira	159.5
14	13		Alexander Hernandez	159
15	15		Drew Dober	144.5
16	17	14	Rafael Fiziev	138
17	16		Scott Holtzman	137.5
18	14		Vinc Pichel	135
19	18		Rick Glenn	128.5
20	19		Jim Miller	124.5
21	20		Leonardo Santos	119
22	21	5	Michael Chandler	117
23	22	13	Brad Riddell	116
24	23	15	Arman Tsarukyan	112
25	24		Jalin Turner	110
25	24		Joe Solecki	110
27	26		Chris Gruetzemacher	106
28	27		Khama Worthy	104
29	28		Mateusz Gamrot	100
30	29		Ottman Azaitar	98
31	30		Renato Moicano	96
32	31		Devonte Smith	88
33	32		Joel Alvarez	87
34	33		Damir Hadzovic	86
35	65		Ignacio Bahamondes	80
36	37		Luis Pena	68
36	37		Nasrat Haqparast	68
38	39	16	Thiago Moises	67.5
39	40		Claudio Puelles	61
40	41		Jamie Mullarkey	60
40	41		John Makdessi	60
42	35		Roosevelt Roberts	59.5
43	36		Bobby Green	58.5
44	44		Don Madge	55
44	55		Mark O. Madsen	55
46	46		Joaquim Silva	52
47	48		Jordan Leavitt	45
47	NR		Magomed Mustafaev	45
49	49		Jared Gordon	43.5
50	50		Jeremy Stephens	42.5
51	47		Clay Guida	40
51	51		Terrance McKinney	40
53	NR		Alan Patrick	38
54	52		Matt Frevola	37
55	45		Austin Hubbard	36.5
56	53		Christos Giagos	36
57	54		Damir Ismagulov	32
58	55		Mike Davis	28
59	57		Michael Johnson	25
60	58		Uros Medic	20
61	59		Fares Ziam	19
62	60		Luigi Vendramini	18
63	61		Guram Kutateladze	10
63	61		Rodrigo Vargas	10
65	63		Alex da Silva	9
66	65		Alexander Munoz	0
66	NR		Charlie Ontiveros	0
66	65		Dakota Bush	0
66	65		Jai Herbert	0
66	64		Jessin Ayari	0
66	NR		Mason Jones	0
66	65		Rafa Garcia	0
66	65		Rafael Alves	0
66	65		Rong Zhu	0
66	NR		Steve Garcia	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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