UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Lightweight: Aug 7, 2017

UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor
UFC Performance Based Fighter Rankings: Lightweight: Aug 7, 2017
LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 03: Paul Felder celebrates after his victory over Danny Castillo at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 3, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Felder won the lightweight bout with a second-round knockout. (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
Ranks Rank Ranks    
1 1 1 Conor McGregor 406
2 2 3 Tony Ferguson 287
3 3 12 Al Iaquinta 258
4 4 8 Kevin Lee 243.5
5 NR 14 Anthony Pettis 229
6 5 9 Dustin Poirier 207
7 7 7 Nate Diaz 198
8 8 13 Beneil Dariush 180
9 9 11 Michael Chiesa 177
10 10 4 Eddie Alvarez 171.5
11 6 10 Michael Johnson 171
12 11 2 Khabib Nurmagomedov 170
13 12 James Vick 151
14 13 5 Edson Barboza 144.5
15 14 Francisco Trinaldo 117
16 15 Islam Makhachev 114.5
17 30 Paul Felder 107.5
18 16 15 Evan Dunham 106.5
19 18 Charles Oliveira 106
20 19 Leonardo Santos 101.5
21 20 Mairbek Taisumov 101
22 21 Rustam Khabilov 98
23 22 Rashid Magomedov 93.5
24 16 Jim Miller 92
25 23 Joe Lauzon 88.5
26 24 Abel Trujillo 87.5
27 26 Diego Sanchez 81.5
28 27 Adriano Martins 80.5
29 25 Stevie Ray 73
30 28 Alan Patrick 70.5
31 29 Jake Matthews 70
32 31 Tony Martin 57.5
33 32 16 Gilbert Melendez 56
34 55 Drew Dober 54.5
35 34 Dan Hooker 54
36 35 Jon Tuck 53
36 35 Olivier Aubin-Mercier 53
38 37 Magomed Mustafaev 52
39 38 Jason Saggo 49
40 40 David Teymur 47.5
41 41 Michel Prazeres 46.5
42 39 Chris Wade 45.5
43 42 Bobby Green 45
44 43 Gilbert Burns 44
45 NR Joseph Duffy 43
46 NR 6 Justin Gaethje 40
47 46 Vinc Pichel 38.5
48 48 Nik Lentz 38
49 49 Joaquim Silva 36
49 49 Lando Vannata 36
51 51 John Makdessi 35.5
51 51 Mitch Clarke 35.5
53 53 Johnny Case 35
54 77 Drakkar Klose 34.5
54 54 Gregor Gillespie 34.5
54 46 Marc Diakiese 34.5
57 56 Clay Guida 32
57 56 Will Brooks 32
59 58 Sage Northcutt 30.5
60 59 Marco Polo Reyes 30
61 60 Andrew Holbrook 25
61 60 Damir Hadzovic 25
61 82 Jordan Rinaldi 25
64 63 Erik Koch 24
64 63 Scott Holtzman 24
66 65 Teemu Packalen 22.5
67 66 Tae Hyun Bang 22
68 NR Alvaro Herrera 20
68 67 Desmond Green 20
68 67 Ross Pearson 20
71 69 Josh Emmett 17
72 70 Nick Hein 16.5
73 71 Kajan Johnson 14
74 72 Damien Brown 12.5
74 72 Takanori Gomi 12.5
76 74 Jason Gonzalez 10
77 75 Frankie Perez 8
78 76 Alex White 7.5
79 NR Danny Henry 5
79 77 Darrell Horcher 5
79 77 Dong Hyun Kim 5
79 77 Felipe Silva 5
83 81 Josh Burkman 3
84 82 Claudio Puelles 0
84 NR Daniel Teymur 0
84 82 Devin Powell 0
84 82 Marcin Held 0
84 82 Michael McBride 0
84 82 Thibault Gouti 0

 

Check back Friday for our featherweight rankings

Performance Based Rankings:

Heavyweights
Light Heavyweights
Middleweights
Welterweights
Featherweights
Bantamweights
Flyweights
Women’s Featherweights/Bantamweights

Women’s Strawweights
Pound for Pound

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