There is constant debate about fighter rankings, which are normally 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, this time for Bellator. We’ll roll out a new weight class every Wednesday. 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 Bellator 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. For fighters who have also fought in the UFC during this time, those performances were counted also)
- Points based on a fighter’s opponent’s Bellator & 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
| Stats | Last | Total | |
| Rank | Rank | ||
| 1 | 1 | Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire | 529 |
| 2 | 2 | Michael Chandler | 298 |
| 3 | 3 | Benson Henderson | 195 |
| 4 | 4 | Brent Primus | 176.5 |
| 5 | 6 | Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire | 165 |
| 6 | 5 | Goiti Yamauchi | 163 |
| 7 | 7 | Adam Piccolotti | 100.5 |
| 8 | 8 | Aviv Gozali | 85 |
| 9 | 9 | Brandon Girtz | 71 |
| 10 | 10 | Kevin Ferguson Jr | 64.5 |
| 11 | 11 | Corey Browning | 59 |
| 12 | 12 | Mandel Nallo | 56 |
| 13 | 13 | Nicolo Solli | 52.5 |
| 14 | 21 | Jon Tuck | 50 |
| 15 | NR | Georgi Karakhanyan | 48 |
| 16 | 37 | Chris Bungard | 41 |
| 16 | 16 | Marcus Surin | 41 |
| 18 | 17 | Killys Mota | 40 |
| 19 | 23 | Joshua Jones | 38.5 |
| 20 | 18 | Devin Powell | 38 |
| 21 | 19 | Nick Newell | 36 |
| 22 | 22 | Alfie Davis | 35 |
| 23 | 41 | Akonne Wanliss | 34 |
| 24 | NR | Aaron McKenzie | 30 |
| 24 | 24 | Gavin Hughes | 30 |
| 26 | 24 | Charlie Leary | 26.5 |
| 27 | NR | Chris Duncan | 25 |
| 27 | 27 | Kirill Medvedovsky | 25 |
| 27 | 27 | Lance Gibson Jr | 25 |
| 30 | 26 | Nainoa Dung | 24.5 |
| 31 | 29 | Dan Cassell | 22.5 |
| 31 | 29 | Daniele Scatizzi | 22.5 |
| 31 | 29 | Sunni Imhotep | 22.5 |
| 34 | 33 | Myles Jury | 22 |
| 35 | 29 | Chris Avila | 20 |
| 35 | 34 | Darren Smith | 20 |
| 37 | 36 | Manny Muro | 19 |
| 38 | 34 | Terry Brazier | 18 |
| 39 | NR | Dustin Barca | 14.5 |
| 39 | 39 | Paul Redmond | 14.5 |
| 41 | 44 | Jeremy Petley | 13.5 |
| 42 | NR | Anthony Taylor | 12 |
| 43 | 41 | Luis Erives | 10 |
| 43 | 41 | Peter Queally | 10 |
| 43 | 50 | Tim Wilde | 10 |
| 46 | 44 | Christopher Gonzalez | 9.5 |
| 46 | 44 | Vladimir Tokov | 9.5 |
| 48 | NR | Philip Mulpeter | 5 |
| 48 | NR | Ryan Roddy | 5 |
| 48 | 50 | Soren Bak | 5 |
| 51 | 48 | Kane Mousah | 4.5 |
| 51 | 48 | Sean Clements | 4.5 |
| 51 | 47 | Sidney Outlaw | 4.5 |
| 54 | 50 | Alessandro Botti | 0 |
| 54 | NR | Brandon Bender | 0 |
| 54 | NR | Brandon Pieper | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Craig Fairley | 0 |
| 54 | NR | Daniel Crawford | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Dominic Clark | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Fred Freeman | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Gustavo Wurlitzer | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Luis Vargas | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Nathan Stolen | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Roger Huerta | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Ryan Scope | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Ryan Walker | 0 |
| 54 | 14 | Saad Awad | 0 |
| 54 | 50 | Sam Slater | 0 |
Check back next Wednesday for our featherweight rankings
Bellator Performance Based Rankings
Heavyweights
Light Heavyweights
Middleweights
Welterweights
Featherweights
Bantamweights
Women’s Featherweights
Women’s Flyweights
Pound for Pound
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