Notable Info

• Rating code updated to v1.17b.  Corrected bug related to transition between quality performance penalties and inactive penalties, in the event where a fighter qualifies for both.
• Database updated with recent shows.  Most notable changes result from the YAMMA show.  Note: Could not grab the Cage Rage 4/12 results as they were not readily available.  This happens pretty often, but just figured I’d mention it as we have some Cage Rage fans that visit.

When Zuffa – the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship – purchased and subsequently dismantled Pride Fighting Championship in 2007, MMA fans worldwide expected that majority of the best fighters in the world will be consolidated under the UFC banner.  So far, the results have been decidedly mixed.  While three out of five UFC title belts are held by former Pride FC fighters,  the heavyweight division is still as much in shambles as it was two years ago, and a number of middleweight (185 lbs) contenders are scattered throughout various organizations.  In the lightweight division, Marcus Aurelio is the only Pride competitor who has stepped inside the UFC Octagon to date.

The only place where Zuffa had an undeniable success of consolidating the top talent is MMA’s marquee division – the light heavyweights (205 lbs).  Not only is UFC the home to the undisputed champion of the world at 205, they also employ all of the Top 5, 9 of the Top 10, and 14 of the Top 20 LHW fighters, according to the latest Fightmatrix.com ranking.

This would be a great time for the UFC to hold a Gran Prix-style tournament.  Alas, Zuffa brass are staunchly opposed to the tournament format.  Fortunately for the fans, we get the next best thing to a tourney: except for Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, all of the UFC’s top light heavyweights are slated to step into the Octagon over the course of the next few events.

Here is a closer look at what is coming up for the warriors of the light heavyweight division:

Keep Reading

There are several important changes to take into account before viewing this update.

Notable Info

• Rating code updated to v1.17.
• Code Change: Removal of quality performance exemptions for those who are stopped in recognized title bouts.
• Code Change: Acceleration of fighters who have early career trends of decisively beating higher-ranked fighters without quantifiable weakness in results.
• Ranking Page Change: Fighters are now ranked if they have a bout in the previous 450 days (was 1 calendar year).  Calculation-wise, this only has an impact on the division dominance list.  However, for this update, it had no impact whatsoever.
• Ranking Page Change: Those in the inactivity penalty stage will now have mauve colored last bout information.
• Bouts added to database.  Total count is now approximately 48,200 professional bouts.

The reason for the code changes was a result of some former champions hanging onto higher positions than they deserved, and proven fighters being beaten by barnstorming “up and comers”.  These were perceived problems and were able to be isolated via programming logic.

As a result, this stirred up two controversial results.  Tim Sylvia and Wanderlei Silva both dropped out of their respective Top 10 lists.  We would be happy to discuss these instances in our forum.

Notable Info

• Code update to 1.16.  Expanded on prediction-based launching.  Assisted the elevation of fighters who continually and decisively beat higher-rated fighters without quantifiable weakness in outcome.  This is a relatively minor change.
• Matt Serra and Ricardo Arona will have been inactive for more than one calendar year, and will be dropped from the rankings until they have another bout.
• Addition of a few minor shows.

Notable Info

• Ratings include effects from recent EliteXC, GCM Cage Force, Fatal Femmes, IFL, and other minor shows.

The next planned update is on Sunday, April 13.  However, there may be an intermediate release in the middle of the upcoming week if I decide to release a prediction-based code change that I am testing.

Notable Information

• Changes from recent UFC, KHAN, HEAT, and other shows.

Kenny Florian moves into the Lightweight Top 10, while Thiago Alves blasts his way into the Welterweight Top 5!  Check out all of the divisions to see the various changes caused by these recent shows.

The next update will be on Sunday, which will display the effects from the FatalFemmes and EliteXC shows, as well as others.

Notable Information

• Code updated to 1.15b.  Re-worked technical decision outcome consideration. Fixed bug in draws which could occur in fights w/ huge gap in points.  Reduced extreme upset protection, relying more on past results then prediction.
• Effects from shows in past week, as well as old shows recently added.