UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Lightweights: Nov 26/21

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 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 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	3	2	Dustin Poirier	507
3	2	3	Justin Gaethje	454
4	4	4	Beneil Dariush	435
5	5	5	Islam Makhachev	418
6	6	11	Gregor Gillespie	272.5
7	7		Grant Dawson	242
8	8	8	Tony Ferguson	194.5
9	13		Alexander Hernandez	179
10	14	12	Diego Ferreira	159.5
11	10	9	Dan Hooker	159
12	15		Jalin Turner	156
13	16	14	Arman Tsarukyan	145
14	17		Drew Dober	144.5
15	18	15	Rafael Fiziev	138
16	19		Scott Holtzman	137.5
17	20		Vinc Pichel	135
18	21		Jamie Mullarkey	134
19	23		Jim Miller	129
19	33	16	Joel Alvarez	129
21	22		Rick Glenn	128.5
22	11		Al Iaquinta	120
22	11	10	Conor McGregor	120
24	25	13	Brad Riddell	116
25	40		Bobby Green	107.5
26	26		Chris Gruetzemacher	106
27	24	6	Michael Chandler	104
28	28		Mateusz Gamrot	100
29	29		Jared Gordon	96.5
30	30		Renato Moicano	96
31	31		Joe Solecki	92
32	32		Leonardo Santos	89
33	34		Damir Hadzovic	86
34	35		Ignacio Bahamondes	80
35	37		Devonte Smith	64
36	38		Claudio Puelles	61
37	39		John Makdessi	60
38	41		Nasrat Haqparast	55.5
39	42		Don Madge	55
39	42		Mark O. Madsen	55
41	36		Thiago Moises	53
42	44		Joaquim Silva	52
43	66		Rafael Alves	50
43	45		Zhu Rong	50
45	46		Jordan Leavitt	45
46	NR		Jeremy Stephens	42.5
47	49		Clay Guida	40
47	66		Jai Herbert	40
47	49		Terrance McKinney	40
50	48		Marc Diakiese	38
51	52		Matt Frevola	37
52	53		Austin Hubbard	36.5
53	54		Damir Ismagulov	32
54	55		Christos Giagos	29.5
55	56		Mike Davis	28
56	57		Paddy Pimblett	20
56	57		Steve Garcia	20
58	59		Fares Ziam	19
59	60		Matt Sayles	18
59	60		Uros Medic	18
61	62		Luigi Vendramini	16
62	63		Michael Johnson	14
63	64		Guram Kutateladze	10
63	66		Mason Jones	10
63	66		Rafa Garcia	10
63	64		Rodrigo Vargas	10
67	66		Alexander Munoz	0
67	66		Brandon Jenkins	0
67	66		Charlie Ontiveros	0
67	66		Dakota Bush	0
67	NR		David Onama	0
67	NR		Erick Gonzalez	0
67	66		Mike Breeden	0
67	NR		Natan Levy	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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