UFC rankings

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) rankings, which were introduced in February 2013, are generated by a voting panel made up of media members. These media members are asked to vote for whom they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight class and pound-for-pound. A fighter is only eligible to be voted on if they are of active status in the UFC. A fighter can appear in more than one weight division at a time. The champion and interim champion are considered to be in top positions of their respective divisions and therefore are not eligible for voting by weight class. However, the champions can be voted on for the pound-for-pound rankings.

On June 20, 2026, the promotion began replacing that system with the Meta UFC Rankings, an Elo‑based mathematical model designed to prioritize objectivity through factors such as opponent quality, activity, and decay for long layoffs or outdated wins. The new framework removes pound‑for‑pound rankings and minimizes human involvement, with the media panel continuing only during a transition period.