Lightweight rankings.
The top 30 lightweights by the First Light Rating, a skill score built from in-cage performance and results, with each one’s First Light Index: fame against what that skill predicts. Usman Nurmagomedov leads at 2,114.
Movement since 24 Sep 2026 · Updated · All divisions
Lightweight
| Rank | Fighter | FLRFirst Light Ratingmeasure of true skill | FLIFirst Light Indexfame compared to skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Usman Nurmagomedov | 2,114 | +0.10▼ −0.04 |
| 2 | Arman Tsarukyan | 2,099 | +0.61— |
| 3 | Justin Gaethje | 2,093 | +0.55— |
| 4 | Charles Oliveira | 2,086 | +0.56— |
| 5 | Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov 5 | 2,054 | −0.76▼ −0.05 |
| 6 | Benoit St. Denis 1 | 2,049 | +0.41Last 31 days: +0.41 → +0.41 |
| 7 | Ilia Topuria | 2,042 | +0.84— |
| 8 | Grant Dawson | 2,039 | −0.40— |
| 9 | Max Holloway | 2,038 | +0.76— |
| 10 | Salahdine Parnasse 4 | 2,038 | +0.40▲ +0.06 |
| 11 | Mateusz Gamrot | 2,036 | +0.20▼ −0.02 |
| 12 | Bibert Tumenov | 2,016 | −0.78Last 29 days: −0.78 → −0.78 |
| 13 | Dustin Poirier 4 | 2,007 | +0.68— |
| 14 | Archie Colgan 1 | 2,005 | −0.63Last 29 days: −0.64 → −0.63 |
| 15 | Paddy Pimblett 1 | 2,004 | +0.89— |
| 16 | Gadzhi Rabadanov 3 | 2,003 | −0.18▲ +0.04 |
| 17 | Sidney Outlaw 1 | 2,002 | −0.75— |
| 18 | Roberto Satoshi de Souza 1 | 2,002 | −0.60Last 31 days: −0.58 → −0.60 |
| 19 | Natan Schulte 1 | 1,999 | −0.82— |
| 20 | Quillan Salkilld 10 | 1,999 | +0.22▼ −0.11 |
| 21 | Alexandr Shabliy | 1,993 | −0.25— |
| 22 | Akbar Abdullaev | 1,984 | −0.13▲ +0.07 |
| 23 | Manoel Sousa 5 | 1,978 | −0.69Last 17 days: −0.69 → −0.69 |
| 24 | Michael Chandler | 1,974 | +0.71— |
| 25 | Mateusz Rebecki 1 | 1,972 | — |
| 26 | Renato Moicano 1 | 1,971 | +0.81 |
| 27 | Esteban Ribovics 18 | 1,969 | −0.02▼ −0.10 |
| 28 | Mason Jones 5 | 1,966 | — |
| 29 | Axel Sola 2 | 1,966 | −0.11▲ +0.05 |
| 30 | Paul Hughes 22 | 1,962 | — |
Where the UFC panel disagrees.
- Renato MoicanoFLR 26th · panel 12th14 lower here
- Quillan SalkilldFLR 20th · panel 7th13 lower here
- Paddy PimblettFLR 15th · panel 5th10 lower here
- Ilia TopuriaFLR 7th · panel 1st6 lower here
- Max HollowayFLR 9th · panel 4th5 lower here
Better than their audience knows.
- Natan SchulteFLR 19th−0.82
- Bibert TumenovFLR 12th−0.78
- Abdul-Aziz AbdulvakhabovFLR 5th−0.76
Bigger names than their skill predicts.
- Paddy PimblettFLR 15th+0.89
- Ilia TopuriaFLR 7th+0.84
- Renato MoicanoFLR 26th+0.81
Data Credit: First Light Observatory.
How the FLR and FLI are measured · Download every division (CSV) · First Light may hold interests in athletes covered by the Index.