Are you ready for a new ranking system to debut in the UFC?
For years fans have complained about the extremely basic and oftentimes nonsensical ranking system the UFC built years ago that has fallen into disrepute over the years. A panel of experts from the media was put together that allegedly vote every week on updates to the rankings, but the listed panel is now woefully out of date, including sports websites and radio stations that don’t even exist any more.
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Do these ghost outfits still turn in their rankings every week? No one really knows. What we do know is how the rankings work in practice: If you beat the No. 5 ranked guy, you take his rank, and everyone slides down. This is the case if you’re No. 7 or if you’re No. 2. If your opponent is below you in the rankings? You’ll be lucky to move up one spot.
It’s pretty dumb and who knows what fights we’re not getting because fighters (rightfully given the realities of the situation) refuse to fight down the rankings.
All that will change soon, according to announcer Brendan Fitzgerald on last night’s UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim broadcast.
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“A new UFC ranking system is currently being developed that will be based on measurable performance, not opinion, not popularity,” Fitzgerald said. “By evaluating who you beat, strength of competition, activity and consistency. The system is being designed to reward performance and better reflect results inside the octagon.”
For a hot minute back in the fall of 2024, UFC CEO Dana White got real heated about the rankings and how silly they were. He promised a fix, and he suggested A.I. would play a part. Since then we’ve heard rumors of deals with IBM and Meta regarding the issue. A year and a half later, and there still hasn’t been a fix.
White was in England promoting a Zuffa Boxing event this weekend so wasn’t on hand in the Meta Apex to discuss the upcoming change, how it would work, who would be making these determinations, and when it would debut. But whatever they’ve decided to do, we’re sure it will be better than what we have now.
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