The UFC, alongside its Official Fan Technology Partner, Meta, today announced the introduction of Meta UFC Rankings – a new athlete evaluation system transforming how fighters are assessed; offering fans, athletes and media, an objective, data-driven view of the sport’s competitive landscape. The introduction of Meta UFC Rankings builds upon Meta and UFC’s shared commitment to elevating the fan experience through innovative technology.
As of June 22, 2026, the UFC will begin the transition of its official rankings from the traditional media panel towards Meta UFC Rankings, offering an innovative new approach to rankings determined entirely by fight data. In close collaboration, the two organizations came together to develop a new methodology for an objective and clear UFC athlete ranking system that fans and athletes can understand and trust.
“I’ve been unhappy with the rankings and always believed there had to be a better way,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “We’ve always been a company that runs toward technology and innovation and now we’ve worked with Meta to integrate it directly into our rankings system. I’m excited to see how this innovation can help change the sport for both the fans and the athletes.”
“I’m excited to work with Dana and the UFC to build a system that analyzes fighter performance at a much deeper level, helping create more transparent and accurate rankings,” said Meta Founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg.
Meta UFC Rankings will be automatically calculated and updated by Monday following every official UFC event. To determine individual athlete ranks, the system combines statistical modeling and machine learning with the deep domain expertise of the UFC. It evaluates a comprehensive set of objective metrics, including outcome probability, win type, fighter trajectory, and weight-class sensitivities.
Not all wins or losses are treated equally: Under the Meta UFC Rankings, beating a higher-ranked opponent carries more weight than defeating a lower-ranked one, and a dominant finish against a Top 5 ranked contender is a stronger signal than a close decision over an unranked opponent. The system also accounts for recency, with more recent fights carrying greater weight while applying inactivity penalties for fighters who go extended periods without competing. By relying exclusively on measurable fight data, the Meta UFC Rankings ensure a fighter’s placement accurately reflects their true competitive performance inside the Octagon – nothing else.
By introducing these advanced metrics, the Meta UFC Rankings deliver the most consistent and clear assessment of fighter placement available today. This consistent, data-informed approach is designed to foster greater fan engagement and debate, providing a neutral and sophisticated benchmark for comparing the world’s best athletes. Meta UFC Rankings can be viewed at ufc.com/rankings.
