How UFC Fighter Rankings Are Voted on as Dana White Blasts Latest Update

Introduced in early 2013, the UFC fighter rankings have been an important part of the promotion. Playing a key role in matchmaking and career progress for fighters, they are set in place to provide order and structure to weight divisions. However, the rankings have received criticism over the years, including most recently from Dana White.

The UFC CEO Dana White spoke out on the rankings following UFC 307. On Tuesday, it was released that title challenger Khalil Rountree would maintain his No.8 ranking, despite a strong albeit losing performance versus Alex Pereira. However, it was felt by Dana White that this ranking was not a good representation of Rountree’s performance. White told reporters: “Khalil Rountree fights that badass fight against Pereira and the morons keep him ranked at No.8.” The UFC president would then go on to say he has lined up a meeting to discuss the rankings, and potential future changes. “Hopefully this week, I get this fixed.”

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What are the UFC Rankings?

The UFC rankings were introduced in February of 2013.

To understand Dana White’s lack of satisfaction with the UFC rankings, it is important to understand what the rankings are and what their purpose is. As of 2024, the UFC fighter rankings exist in every male and female weight class and consist of 15 fighters each. Fighters are ranked from 15-1, with the champion of the division being placed above the No.1-ranked fighter.

The purpose of the UFC fighter rankings is to show which fighters are considered top contenders, and to serve as a matchmaking foundation. Fighters move up and down the rankings based on their recent results. This means an impressive win could see a fighter move up numerous places, while a tough loss could see them fall down or out of the rankings.

As there are over 700 fighters on the roster, there are a significant number of fighters in the UFC who are not ranked. This means that fighters must compete and earn their place within the top 15. In order to get a ranking beside their name, fighters will have to accumulate wins over notable opponents to be considered a ranked competitor. Beating a ranked opponent as an unranked fighter is commonly the way in which individuals enter the rankings. However, an accumulation of impressive performances has also been known to earn a place in the top 15.

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Who Decides the UFC Rankings?

Dana White has no say in the fighter rankings

Alex Pereira ranks Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall

The UFC fighter rankings are based on opinion. There is no definitive structure to how many places a fighter may move after a performance or how changes are made. These decisions are made by a voting panel of media members. The panel is asked to decide on a weekly basis who they feel are the top fighters in each division, and pound for pound. According to the UFC, this voting panel is currently made up of media members from the following outlets: MMA Oddsbreaker, CFMU 93.3, Bursprak.se, FightNews, Fight Network, Gazeta Esportiva, Cherokee Scout, Burbank Leader, MMA Weekly, KIOZ 105.3, Vladusport.com, Wrestling Observer, Top Turtle Podcast, My MMA News, MMA Fight Radio, BoxeoMundial, Kimura.se, MMA Soldier, MMA NYTT, Blood & Sweat, Inside Fighting Radio.

Male UFC Pound for Pound Rankings
No.1	Islam Makhachev
No.2	Alex Pereira
No.3	Jon Jones
No.4	Ilia Topuria
No.5	Belal Muhammad
No.6	Dricus du Plessis
No.7	Merab Dvalishvili
No.8	Tom Aspinall
No.9	Leon Edwards
No.10	Alexander Volkanovski
No.11	Max Holloway
No.12	Alexandre Pantoja
No.13	Sean O’Malley
No.14	Sean Strickland
No.15	Charles Olivera

The decisions regarding what fighter is ranked in what position are not made by anyone directly employed by the UFC. The aim of the voting panel is to have independent decisions, with no form of bias included.

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Why Don’t the UFC Decide Their Rankings?

Dana White: ‘We can’t do it’

In response to Dana White’s comments regarding the ranking system, he was asked why the UFC does not dictate their rankings. “We can’t do it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s right that we would do the rankings. No matter how unbiased you try to be, it’s impossible. I’ll be honest with you, there’s some fighters that I don’t like, there’s fighters that I really like… There has to be a third party, or AI, or something that does the rankings.”

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Will There be Changes Made to the Fighter Ranking System?

UFC CEO White seems eager for change

Talking specifically about Khalil Rountree’s lack of rise in the rankings following UFC 307, White has insisted he is working towards the process of changing the system for fighter ranking. “I can’t let people I don’t believe know what the f*** their talking about deal with the rankings anymore,” White stated. He would also go on to say that he would undergo meetings to solidify these changes and find “the solution.”

Dana White had also stated previously that AI could be the solution to the rankings. However, it is currently unclear if the fighter rankings will be decided by artifical intelligence in the near future.

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