The Evolution of MMA Weight Classes: Impact on Fighters and Rankings
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Mixed Martial Arts has come a very long way as a global sporting phenomenon in the last couple of decades. With action-packed events in which only the best athletes come out on top, MMA is among the most demanding sports on the planet right now. Central to its popularity and growth are the changes in MMA weight classes that have profoundly affected the sport in several ways.
The sport has grown so popular, in fact, that it’s become a prominent part of online gambling too. Fans put their money on their favorite fighters on websites like Snatch Casino that enable wagering on sporting events. To do this, however, it’s important to understand the various implications and challenges of MMA weight classes to make the right choices.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 (02-08-2025)
Middleweight Championship (185)
[#1][#5DD][#5P4P][#1UFC] Dricus Du Plessis (22-2-0, -206) vs. [#2][#2UFC] Sean Strickland (29-6-0, +169)
Dricus Du Plessis is the All-Time #9 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Sean Strickland is the All-Time #17 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Dricus Du Plessis (3-0-0)
2024-08-17: W vs. [#5 MW] Israel Adesanya (24-5-0) via Submission (Face Crank) in 3:38 of round 4
2024-01-20: W vs. [#2 MW] Sean Strickland (29-6-0) via SD (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
2023-07-08: W vs. [#7 MW] Robert Whittaker (26-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:23 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Sean Strickland (2-1-0)
2024-06-01: W vs. [#9 MW] Paulo Costa (14-4-0) via SD (49-46, 50-45, 46-49)
2024-01-20: L vs. [#1 MW][#5DD][#5P4P] Dricus Du Plessis (22-2-0) via SD (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
2023-09-09: W vs. [#5 MW] Israel Adesanya (24-5-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Dricus Du Plessis | -206 | 64.42% | |
| Elo K170 | Dricus Du Plessis | 2342.57 | +202.95 | 76.28% |
| Elo Modified | Dricus Du Plessis | 2265.23 | +161.48 | 71.70% |
| Glicko-1 | Dricus Du Plessis | 2353.76 | +176.08 | 73.37% |
| WHR | Dricus Du Plessis | 2149.81 | +110.57 | 65.39% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dricus Du Plessis 175, Sean Strickland 252
Previous Match-up Record: Dricus Du Plessis leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Women Strawweight Championship (115)
[#1][#1DD][#1P4P][#1UFC] Weili Zhang (25-3-0, -116) vs. [*] Tatiana Suarez (10-0-0, -105)
Weili Zhang is the All-Time #5 ranked Women’s fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Weili Zhang (3-0-0)
2024-04-13: W vs. [#3 SW][#5DD][#7P4P] Xiaonan Yan (19-4-0) via UD (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)
2023-08-19: W vs. [#4 SW] Amanda Lemos (14-4-1) via UD (50-43, 50-44, 49-45)
2022-11-12: W vs. [*] Carla Esparza (19-8-0) via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in 1:05 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Tatiana Suarez (3-0-0)
2023-08-05: W vs. [#12 FLY] Jessica Andrade (26-13-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:31 of round 2
2023-02-25: W vs. [#26 FLY] Montana De La Rosa (13-9-1) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:15 of round 2
2019-06-08: W vs. [*] Nina Nunes (11-7-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Weili Zhang | -116 | 51.18% | |
| Elo K170 | Weili Zhang | 2044.50 | +194.83 | 75.43% |
| Elo Modified | Weili Zhang | 1998.60 | +143.52 | 69.56% |
| Glicko-1 | Weili Zhang | 2019.82 | +144.34 | 69.65% |
| WHR | Weili Zhang | 1911.21 | +34.12 | 54.89% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Weili Zhang 301, Tatiana Suarez 553
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#88][#25UFC] Justin Tafa (7-4-0, +127) vs. [#160] Tallison Teixeira (7-0-0, -154)
Last 3 Fights: Justin Tafa (1-1-0, 1 NC)
2024-03-23: L vs. [#75 HW+] Karl Williams (10-2-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2023-09-09: W vs. [#140 HW+] Austen Lane (13-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:22 of round 1
2023-06-24: NC vs. [#140 HW+] Austen Lane (13-5-0)
Last 3 Fights: Tallison Teixeira (3-0-0)
2024-09-17: W vs. [#324 HW+] Arthur Lopes (6-2-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:57 of round 1
2024-05-03: W vs. [#625 HW+] Matheus Fonseca (4-2-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 1:55 of round 1
2024-01-27: W vs. [NA] Arthur Mamute (3-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:31 of round 1
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Tallison Teixeira | -154 | 57.91% | |
| Elo K170 | Justin Tafa | 1439.06 | +32.89 | 54.72% |
| Elo Modified | Justin Tafa | 1521.83 | +89.07 | 62.54% |
| Glicko-1 | Justin Tafa | 1535.44 | +83.04 | 61.73% |
| WHR | Justin Tafa | 1434.77 | +27.93 | 54.01% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Justin Tafa 322, Tallison Teixeira 144
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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This Week’s WHR Bets/Parlays
Fights considered must satisfy all of the criteria below:
- Both fighters must be active (fought in 360 days prior to event). Reduces uncertainty.
- Both fighters must have at least 5 fights, with at least 1 draw or 1 loss (excluding debut). More data makes WHR happy.
- Both fighters must be rated in the same division as the fight. Further reduces uncertainty.
- Must have odds from at least three bookmakers.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC 311: Adesanya vs Imavov (02-01-2025)
Middleweight (185)
[#3][#3UFC] Israel Adesanya (24-4-0, -172) vs. [#5][#5UFC] Nassourdine Imavov (15-4-0, +142)
Israel Adesanya is the All-Time #2 ranked Middleweight and #12 ranked Absolute fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Israel Adesanya (1-2-0)
2024-08-17: L vs. [#1 MW/#5DD/#5P4P] Dricus Du Plessis (22-2-0) via Submission (Face Crank) in 3:38 of round 4
2023-09-09: L vs. [#2 MW] Sean Strickland (29-6-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2023-04-08: W vs. [#1 LHW/#7DD/#4P4P] Alex Pereira (12-2-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:21 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Nassourdine Imavov (3-0-0)
2024-09-28: W vs. [#11 MW] Brendan Allen (24-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2024-06-08: W vs. [#10 MW] Jared Cannonier (17-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:34 of round 4
2024-02-03: W vs. [#12 MW] Roman Dolidze (14-3-0) via MD (49-44, 47-47, 48-46)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Israel Adesanya | -172 | 60.48% | |
| Elo K170 | Nassourdine Imavov | 2129.10 | +55.48 | 57.92% |
| Elo Modified | Nassourdine Imavov | 2067.77 | +8.80 | 51.27% |
| Glicko-1 | Nassourdine Imavov | 2142.97 | +48.45 | 56.93% |
| WHR | Israel Adesanya | 2001.24 | +32.55 | 54.67% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Israel Adesanya 168, Nassourdine Imavov 126
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#16 WW][#12UFC WW] Michael Page (22-3-0, +157) vs. [#20][#17UFC] Sharabutdin Magomedov (15-0-0, -190)
Last 3 Fights: Michael Page (2-1-0)
2024-06-29: L vs. [#8 WW] Ian Garry (15-1-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2024-03-09: W vs. [#27 MW] Kevin Holland (26-13-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2023-03-10: W vs. [#50 WW] Goiti Yamauchi (29-7-0) via TKO (Leg Kick) in 0:26 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Sharabutdin Magomedov (3-0-0)
2024-10-26: W vs. [#83 MW] Armen Petrosyan (9-4-0) via KO (Spinning Backfists) in 4:52 of round 1
2024-08-03: W vs. [#47 MW] Michal Oleksiejczuk (20-9-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2024-06-22: W vs. [#427 MW] Antonio Trocoli (13-5-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 2:27 of round 3
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Sharabutdin Magomedov | -190 | 62.74% | |
| Elo K170 | Michael Page | 1975.46 | +48.71 | 56.96% |
| Elo Modified | Michael Page | 1965.28 | +29.17 | 54.19% |
| Glicko-1 | Michael Page | 2034.18 | +37.47 | 55.37% |
| WHR | Sharabutdin Magomedov | 1928.16 | +31.50 | 54.52% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Michael Page 217, Sharabutdin Magomedov 98
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#7][#6UFC] Sergei Pavlovich (18-3-0, -304) vs. [#12][#9UFC] Jairzinho Rozenstruik (15-5-0, +239)
Sergei Pavlovich is the All-Time #36 ranked Heavyweight fighter.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is the All-Time #45 ranked Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Sergei Pavlovich (1-2-0)
2024-06-22: L vs. [#5 HW+] Alexander Volkov (38-11-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2023-11-11: L vs. [#2 HW+/#9P4P] Tom Aspinall (15-3-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:09 of round 1
2023-04-22: W vs. [#6 HW+] Curtis Blaydes (18-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:08 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Jairzinho Rozenstruik (2-1-0)
2024-08-17: W vs. [#16 HW+] Tai Tuivasa (14-8-0) via SD (27-30, 29-28, 30-27)
2024-03-02: W vs. [#32 HW+] Shamil Gaziev (13-1-0) via TKO (Retirement) in 5:00 of round 4
2023-05-13: L vs. [#8 HW+] Jailton Almeida (22-3-0) via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in 3:43 of round 1
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Sergei Pavlovich | -304 | 71.83% | |
| Elo K170 | Sergei Pavlovich | 1922.30 | +39.40 | 55.65% |
| Elo Modified | Sergei Pavlovich | 1930.58 | +93.97 | 63.20% |
| Glicko-1 | Sergei Pavlovich | 2022.14 | +150.13 | 70.35% |
| WHR | Sergei Pavlovich | 1914.43 | +131.64 | 68.09% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Sergei Pavlovich 224, Jairzinho Rozenstruik 168
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Breaking Down the Latest UFC Rankings
The UFC rankings are a snapshot of the organization’s most skilled and accomplished fighters, showcasing the intense competition within each division. Updated regularly, these rankings reflect the results of recent fights, fighter activity, and performance trends. With top contenders battling for a shot at championship gold and new names emerging on the global stage, the rankings continue to evolve, offering fans insight into the dynamics of the sport.
This article takes an in-depth look at the latest UFC rankings, analyzing notable fighters, divisional movements, and trends shaping the future of mixed martial arts.
UFC 311: A Visual Preview
UFC 311 takes place on Saturday, January 18th at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, US. The main card broadcast begins at 10 PM EST live on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View. Prelims can be viewed on ESPN+ at 8 PM EST, and the early prelims start at 6 PM EST on UFC Fight Pass.
Main Card
Main Event: UFC Lightweight Championship (155)
(C) [#1/#2DD/#1P4P]Islam Makhachev(26-1-0, -412) vs [#2] Arman Tsarukyan (22-3-0, +309)
All-Time Greatest Lightweight Through History
Just in time for UFC 311…. #1 is surprising, but this is entirely about longevity at or near the top of the division.
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- This is entirely different than our All-Time Rankings, and much more simplistic. Fewer edge cases are handled here.
- Quarterly ranking data gathered from Generated Historical Rankings.
- 10 points awarded for #1 rank, #2 – 6pts, #3 – 4pts, #4 – 3pts, #5 – 2pts, #6 – 1.5pts, reducing 0.25 pt each rank to #10 (0.5 pt).
- Weak divisional depth penalty applied where necessary (early days of division).
- Fighter gets no points for the quarter if they did not win, draw, or have close loss (SD,MD) in the division in the previous 450 days.
- Date format (lower right) is year_month.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC 311: Makhachev vs Tsarukyan 2 (01-18-2025)
Lightweight Championship (155)
[#1/#2DD/#1P4P] Islam Makhachev (26-1-0, -412) vs. [#2] Arman Tsarukyan (22-3-0, +309)
Islam Makhachev is the All-Time #3 ranked Lightweight and #23 ranked Absolute fighter.
Arman Tsarukyan is the All-Time #42 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Islam Makhachev (3-0-0)
2024-06-01: W vs. [#6LW] Dustin Poirier (30-9-0) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 2:42 of round 5
2023-10-21: W vs. [#2FW] Alexander Volkanovski (26-4-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:06 of round 1
2023-02-11: W vs. [#2FW] Alexander Volkanovski (26-4-0) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 48-47)
Last 3 Fights: Arman Tsarukyan (3-0-0)
2024-04-13: W vs. [#3LW] Charles Oliveira (35-10-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2023-12-02: W vs. [#13LW] Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) via KO (Knee and Punches) in 1:04 of round 1
2023-06-17: W vs. [#85LW] Joaquim Silva (13-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:25 of round 3
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Islam Makhachev | -412 | 76.69% | |
| Elo K170 | Islam Makhachev | 2556.76 | +254.43 | 81.22% |
| Elo Modified | Islam Makhachev | 2486.06 | +287.50 | 83.96% |
| Glicko-1 | Islam Makhachev | 2615.44 | +351.80 | 88.34% |
| WHR | Islam Makhachev | 2401.98 | +275.75 | 83.02% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Islam Makhachev 231, Arman Tsarukyan 280
Previous Match-up Record: Islam Makhachev leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Bantamweight Championship (135)
[#1/#4DD/#6P4P] Merab Dvalishvili (18-4-0, +260) vs. [#4] Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0-0, -339)
Merab Dvalishvili is the All-Time #10 ranked Bantamweight fighter.
Umar Nurmagomedov is the All-Time #46 ranked Bantamweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Merab Dvalishvili (3-0-0)
2024-09-14: W vs. [#2BW] Sean OMalley (18-2-0) via UD (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
2024-02-17: W vs. [#8BW] Henry Cejudo (16-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2023-03-11: W vs. [#3BW] Petr Yan (18-5-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
Last 3 Fights: Umar Nurmagomedov (3-0-0)
2024-08-03: W vs. [#6BW] Cory Sandhagen (17-5-0) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
2024-03-02: W vs. [#92BW] Bekzat Almakhan (12-2-0) via UD (30-25, 30-26, 30-26)
2023-01-14: W vs. [#44BW] Raoni Barcelos (18-5-0) via KO (Body Kick and Punch) in 4:40 of round 1
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Umar Nurmagomedov | -339 | 73.54% | |
| Elo K170 | Merab Dvalishvili | 2333.07 | +201.36 | 76.12% |
| Elo Modified | Merab Dvalishvili | 2307.32 | +202.31 | 76.22% |
| Glicko-1 | Merab Dvalishvili | 2373.25 | +200.67 | 76.05% |
| WHR | Merab Dvalishvili | 2142.63 | +89.04 | 62.54% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Merab Dvalishvili 126, Umar Nurmagomedov 168
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#3] Jiri Prochazka (30-5-1, -109) vs. [#4] Jamahal Hill (13-2-0, -112)
Jiri Prochazka is the All-Time #25 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Jamahal Hill is the All-Time #31 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Jiri Prochazka (1-2-0)
2024-06-29: L vs. [#1LHW/#7DD/#4P4P] Alex Pereira (12-2-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 0:13 of round 2
2024-04-13: W vs. [#23LHW] Aleksandar Rakic (14-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:17 of round 2
2023-11-11: L vs. [#1LHW/#7DD/#4P4P] Alex Pereira (12-2-0) via TKO (Elbows) in 4:08 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Jamahal Hill (2-1-0)
2024-04-13: L vs. [#1LHW/#7DD/#4P4P] Alex Pereira (12-2-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:14 of round 1
2023-01-21: W vs. [*] Glover Teixeira (33-9-0) via UD (50-44, 50-44, 50-44)
2022-08-06: W vs. [#36HW+] Thiago Santos (22-13-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 2:31 of round 4
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Jamahal Hill | -112 | 50.32% | |
| Elo K170 | Jiri Prochazka | 2065.68 | +71.39 | 60.13% |
| Elo Modified | Jiri Prochazka | 2049.92 | +56.56 | 58.07% |
| Glicko-1 | Jiri Prochazka | 2147.96 | +78.90 | 61.16% |
| WHR | Jiri Prochazka | 1995.35 | +112.11 | 65.60% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jiri Prochazka 203, Jamahal Hill 280
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Current MMA Rankings Updated (01-12-2025)
In case you missed it, the forum is back.
Current MMA Rankings Updated (01-05-2025)
UPDATE: Re-posting the rankings shortly after 11:00 PM ET due to some amateur results incorrect marked as professional.