The UFC Rankings are voted by a panel, and with no clear playoffs or league structure, it is quite a convoluted process. There are other fighting promotions that use yearly tournaments to determine the top fighters, but the UFC follows the classic all year round fight night events, and champions can only become champions if they get a title shot and beat the defending champion.
The ranked fighters – or the Top 15 – are decided by a voting panel made of media members from MMA networks. Fighters who keep winning will naturally receive more attention, but there are also factors outside the cage such as the fighter’s marketing potential and their media presence. Then, we can look at the UFC Pound-For-Pound Rankings, which in itself is quite controversial, and has even been scrutinized by the top dogs such as Dana White and Joe Rogan.
UFC Rankings and Weight Classes Explained
The Professional Fighters League uses a league and points system, followed by the top fighters in each weight class proceeding to a playoffs, where the champion will be determined. Using that structure, there is no dispute about who the divisional champions are. But the UFC is different.
The UFC Rankings were only introduced in 2013, a good 20 years after the UFC was established. In the beginning, the rankings only featured the champion and the top 10 fighters. It has since expanded to include the top 15 fighters in each weight class, and there is a separate pound for pound rankings as well.
It can take years to break into the rankings and become a ranked fighter. Newly contracted UFC fighters need to continuously win fights and build a solid record in the UFC. In most cases, the ranked fighters are athletes in their late 20s or early 30s, who have won at least 10 fights and a good win percentage. Win streaks go a long way, and the next crucial milestone is to secure a fight against a UFC ranked fighter. Winning that fight can see the unranked fighter break into the rankings. From there, the fighter will get more opportunities against other ranked fighters in their weight classes, and if they keep winning, they will eventually get a shot at the title against the reigning champion.
UFC Weight Classes
In the early days of UFC, there were no weight classes. Fighters of different disciplines and fighting styles were matched together, but there were significant physical differences between the fighters. One prime example was in UFC where Keith Hackney fought Emmanuel Yarbrough, the latter of whom had 9 inches and 400 pounds over Hackney. It still did not “The Giant Killer” from pulverizing Yarbrough inside 2 minutes.
UFC 12, in 1997, saw the introduction of 2 weight classes (heavyweight and light heavyweight). By the year 2001 there were 5 weight classes. The next milestone for the UFC came in 2012 with the introduction of the women’s division, which was expanded to three weight classes by the year 2018.
Men’s UFC Weight Divisions
| Weight Classes | Maximum Weight in Pounds (kg) | Year Introduced |
|---|---|---|
| Flyweight | 125 (56.7) | 2012 |
| Bantamweight | 135 (61.2) | 2010 |
| Featherweight | 145 (65.8) | 2010 |
| Lightweight | 155 (70.3) | 2001 |
| Welterweight | 170 (77.1) | 1998 |
| Middleweight | 185 (83.9) | 2001 |
| Light Heavyweight | 205 (93) | 1997 |
| Heavyweight | 265 (120.2) | 1997 |
Women’s UFC Weight Divisions
| Weight Classes | Maximum Weight in Pounds (kg) | Year Introduced |
|---|---|---|
| Strawweight | 115 (52.2) | 2014 |
| Flyweight | 125 (56.7) | 2017 |
| Bantamweight | 135 (61.2) | 2012 |
UFC Pound For Pound Rankings
There is definitely room for subjectivity in the UFC Rankings, but the UFC P4P Rankings are far more controversial. Basically, the panelists vote on the very best men’s and women’s fighters across all divisions. For the most part, the champions involved have never faced each other (as mobility between the weight classes is not common), and even Dana White has voiced his disapproval of certain UFC Men’s Pound for Pound champions. The Pound for Pound rankings otherwise have the same structure of the UFC Rankings for the different weight divisions – in that they are updated regularly and there are 15 ranked fighters in the P4P rankings.
Typical Questions About the Rankings
There is lots more to dive into about the UFC Rankings, but instead of detailing it in a lengthy and convoluted block, we have answered the most typical questions about UFC rankings that we could find below.
How often are rankings updated?
The UFC Rankings are updated weekly, by a panel of MMA network representatives. These networks are based in the US, Brazil, Russia and a handful of other countries around the world. The biggest of which are: ESPN.com, NY Post, Burbank Leader, Gazeta Esportiva, MMA Weekly and Inside Fighting Radio.
Can a fighter hold two champions belts?
Yes, fighters are permitted to fight in multiple divisions if they meet the weight requirements, but they are assessed independently in different weight classes. For example, Randy Couture won the UFC heavyweight title when he beat Maurice Smith in 1997 at UFC Japan. He then moved to the light heavyweight division and won the championship in 2003, but he never held the two titles at the same time. Conor McGregor became the first fighter to hold 2 divisional titles in 2016, when he was the lightweight and the featherweight champ.
This feat has been repeated by Amanda Nunes, Daniel Cormier, and Henry Cejudo. However, it has to be noted that it is infrequent, even among the very best UFC Fighters of all time.
What is an interim champion?
When the UFC divisional champion is injured, they retain their championship title until they recover and can defend their title. While they are injured though, the UFC does not stop. Fights are still held, and if there is a fighter who rises to the top in the champion’s absence, they are given the interim champion title. The interim champion remains “second best” until the champion fully recovers and the two are given a title fight to determine whether the pretender will become the new champion or not.
The champion does not always have to be injured for an interim champion to be named. In rare cases, the champion may have a contractual dispute or simply refuse to give the pretender a title fight, in which case the UFC champion is not stripped of their title. If the champion cannot come to a conclusion about their contract or doesn’t want to defend their title, then eventually they will be stripped of their title, but there is a grace period in which the runner up has to remain interim.
Do UFC champions get a new belt after each successful defense?
In the past, yes. Until 2018 every time a reigning champion successfully defended their title, they were awarded a new belt. From 2019 onwards, champions win a custom UFC Legacy Belt, and every time they defend their title a new ruby is fitted onto the belt. When the champion loses their title, they get to keep their belt, as the new champion will receive a new one.
How UFC Rankings Affect Your Betting
Quite simply, they shouldn’t. The UFC Rankings give an indicator about a fighters record and their recent form, plus it can be interesting when an unranked fighter is matched with a ranked one, but this does not really give you any useful insights into a fight. Our cappers may make a note of a UFC fighter’s ranking (or ranking status), but we prefer to concentrate on specific details about each fighter such as their age, fighting disciplines, physical attributes, and how they usually win their fights.
Whenever a UFC Fight Night or big bout comes around, you can rely on the team at BettingTools to pitch in with our expert betting picks. Our mission is not only to pick fight winners but to look for good betting value among the top UFC sportsbooks in America. We may go for moneylines, but sometimes our experts find better opportunities in other UFC fight props and bets such as totals, method of victory, and more.
