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MMA World Light Heavyweight Rankings - Top 50 MMA Fighter Rankings

MMA World Light Heavyweight Rankings

Men’s Divisions
Heavyweight (265) – Light Heavyweight (205) – Middleweight (185)Welterweight (170)Lightweight (155)Featherweight (145)Bantamweight (135)Flyweight (125)Pound-4-Pound

Women’s Divisions
W-Featherweight (145+)W-Bantamweight (135)W-Flyweight (125)W-Strawweight (115) – Pound-4-Pound

#FIGHTERORGOVRLAST 3NEXT FIGHT
1Alex Pereira12-2W-Khalil Rountree (TKO)
W-Jiri Prochazka (TKO)
W-Jamahal Hill (KO)
2Jiri Prochazka30-5-1L-Alex Pereira (TKO)
W-Aleksandar Rakic (TKO)
L-Alex Pereira (TKO)
3Magomed Ankalaev18-1-1W-Aleksandar Rakic (DEC)
W-Johnny Walker (KO)
NC-Johnny Walker (NC)
4Jamahal Hill13-2L-Alex Pereira (KO)
W-Glover Teixeira (DEC)
W-Thiago Santos (TKO)
5Corey Anderson18-6W-Karl Moore (DEC)
W-Phil Davis (DEC)
L-Vadim Nemkov (DEC)
6Yoel Romero16-7W-Thiago Santos (DEC)
L-Vadim Nemkov (DEC)
W-Melvin Manhoef (KO)
7Khalil Rountree13-6L-Alex Pereira (TKO)
W-Anthony Smith (TKO)
W-Chris Daukaus
(TKO)
8Carlos Ulberg10-1W-Volkan Oezdemir (DEC)
W-Alonzo Menifield (KO)
W-Da Un Jung (SUB)
9Volkan Oezdemir20-7L-Carlos Ulberg (DEC)
W-Johnny Walker (TKO)
W-Bogdan Guskov (SUB)
10Johnny Walker21-9L-Volkan Oezdemir (KO)
L-Magomed Ankalaev (KO)
NC-Magomed Ankalaev (NC)
11Azamat Murzakanov14-0W-Alonzo Menifield (KO)
W-Dustin Jacoby (DEC)
W-Devin Clark (TKO)
12Roman Dolidze14-3W-Kevin Holland (TKO)
W-Anthony Smith (DEC)
L-Nassourdine Imavov (DEC)
13Anthony Smith38-20L-Roman Dolidze (DEC)
W-Vitor Petrino (SUB)
L-Khalil Rountree (TKO)
14Aleksandar Rakic14-5L-Magomed Ankalaev (DEC)
L-Jiri Prochazka (TKO)
L-Jan Blachowicz (TKO)
15Bogdan Guskov16-3W-Ryan Spann (TKO)
W-Zac Pauga (KO)
LVolkan Oezdemir (SUB)
16Ryan Spann22-10W-Ovince St.Preux (SUB)
L-Bogdan Guskov (TKO)
L-Anthony Smith (DEC)
17Dominick Reyes13-4W-Dustin Jacoby (KO)
L-Ryan Spann (KO)
L-Jiri Prochazka (KO)
18Philipe LinsFree Agent18-5W-Ion Cutelaba (DEC)
W-Maxim Grishin (DEC)
W-Ovince St.Preux (KO)
19Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov24-7-1W-Rob Wilkinson (DEC)
W-Simon Biyong (DEC)
W-Jakob Nedoh (TKO)
20Rob Wilkinson19-3L-Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (DEC)
W-Joshua Silveira (DEC)
W-Tom Breese (TKO)
21Thiago Santos22-13L-Denis Goltsov (TKO)
L-Yoel Romero (DEC)
NC-Rob Wilkinson (NC)
22Alonzo Menifield15-5-1L-Azamat Murzakanov (KO)
L-Carlos Ulberg (KO)
W-Dustin Jacoby (DEC)
23Dustin Jacoby19-9-1L-Dominick Reyes (KO)
L-Alonzo Menifield (DEC)
W-Kennedy Nzechukwu (TKO)
24Ion Cutelaba18-10-1W-Ivan Erslan (DEC)
L-Philipe Lins (DEC)
W-Tanner Boser (TKO)
25Vitor Petrino11-1LAnthony Smith (SUB)
W-Tyson Pedro (DEC)
W-Modestas Bukauskas (KO)
Ineligible for Rankings
* Suspension
* Inactivity>15 months
* Moving Divisions
4Jan Blachowicz29-10-1L-Alex Pereira (DEC)
D-Magomed Ankalaev (DEC)
W-Aleksandar Rakic (TKO)
7Phil Davis24-7L-Corey Anderson (DEC)
W-Julius Anglickas (DEC)
W-Yoel Romero (DEC)
Nikita Krylov30-9W-Ryan Spann (SUB)
W-Volkan Oezdemir (DEC)
W-Alexander Gustafsson (KO)
MMA World Rankings FAQ
MMA World Rankings are comprised of all fighters, regardless of promotion. These rankings are sometimes referred to as "Global Rankings" or "Overall Rankings." RankingMMA has been publishing MMA world rankings since 2006.

So, how do we compile our rankings? What separates us from other web sites that formulate rankings?

We are the only source that uses computerized analytics rankings system & actual fight footage to determine rankings similar. The reason we do this is to avoid ranking bias. By using analytics, fighters are scored no matter the promotion they are in. From there, tiers are created and fighters are ranked from within those tiers.

Here is the rankings criteria that encompasses a fighter ranking:
- Most recent performance
- Performance against top competition
- Estimated ability against future competition
- Strength of competition
- Activity in the last 3 years
- Last 5 fights

There are many fighters sporting undefeated records from developing fight scenes, especially abroad. Something we take into consideration is the strength of competition they have faced. If a fighter has compiled a bunch of wins against competition that is lackluster they will likely have a difficult time moving up in the rankings until they face stiffer competition in order for us to accurately predict how they would perform against exceedingly tougher competition.

If a fighter has fought elite competition and fallen short, we factor in how they performed. If a fighter fairs well against a higher-ranked adversary, they could still move up in the rankings.

Actual fight footage is reviewed, regardless of promotion in order to formulate these rankings.

= Fighter moves up in the rankings after recent fight
= Fighter moves down in the rankings after recent fight

Reasons a fighter is ineligible for Non-UFC Rankings (* = Not Ranked)
= Inactivity over 15 months
= Changing weight classes. A fighter must debut in their new weight class in order to officially be ranked there. Upon their debut, they will be removed from their former weight class. If the fighter temporarily competed outside of their division, they will be ranked in their primary division of choice.
= Suspension. Should a fighter be suspended for performance enhancing substances or fighter conduct, they will be removed from the rankings.

7 Comments on this post.
  • Jeffrey
    26 October 2022 at 5:34 PM
    Leave a Reply

    Yoel shouldn’t be on this list

    • D.C. Ross
      27 October 2022 at 10:26 PM
      Leave a Reply

      He now fights at 205 lbs.

  • dominik86
    8 October 2020 at 6:58 AM
    Leave a Reply

    It’s funny you don’t take into account fighters from ACA Butorin ,Bahytzhanuly ,Egemberdiev ,Magomedov ,Nasrudinov . ACA is after UFC the best mma federation .

    • D.C. Ross
      9 October 2020 at 11:35 PM
      Leave a Reply

      Thank you for your reply, and I 100% do take into account fighters from ACA. Current ACA fighters ranked across divisions are Magomed Bibulatov, Mukhumat Vakhaev, Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, Daniel Omielanczuk, Magomed Ismailov, Artem Frolov, Azbdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov, and Azamat Kerefov.Nasrudinov and Magomedov were ranked in the Top 50 within the last 60 days. Inactivity and strength of competition are the only thing preventing their rise. Drug testing and promoter interference are extremely concerning for the ACA promotion as recently detailed (Link: https://mmasucka.com/2020/09/05/eduard-vartanyan-decision-scandal-rocks-aca/ ). Regardless of those controversies, that does not interfere with their fighters being ranked as rankings only are based off actual fight results and performance. Please let me know of any fighters that you feel are deserving of being ranked in the Top 50 as I try to do my very best keeping up to date with every event/promotion.

  • CS
    31 January 2020 at 4:34 PM
    Leave a Reply

    Shouldn’t Rafael Carvalho be ranked in this? He moved to light heavyweight and is a top guy. Better than a lot of the guys on this list.

    • D.C. Ross
      3 March 2020 at 9:51 PM
      Leave a Reply

      Carvalho is now ranked at #48. When you commented, I had him at #51.

  • Cass
    10 December 2019 at 4:12 AM
    Leave a Reply

    Why is Corey over Thiago? Thiago just lost an insanely close decision to Jon, one that he in my and many others eyes won.

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