An analysis of the UFC lightweight division's longest active winning streaks reveals significant changes over recent years. Currently, the top active streaks are not specified in exact numbers, but the data shows how dramatically the landscape has shifted. One year ago, Islam Makhachev led with 14 consecutive wins, followed by Paddy Pimblett with 6, and Chase Hooper, Nasrat Haqparast, and Fares Ziam each with 5. Two years ago, Makhachev had 12 wins, with Renato Moicano and Pimblett at 5 each. In April 2022, Charles Oliveira led with 10 wins, Makhachev had 9, and Beneil Dariush had 7. The evolving statistics demonstrate the volatile nature of the division and how quickly momentum can shift among top contenders.
The lightweight division's active winning streaks have shifted considerably over the past four years, with a new statistical snapshot illustrating just how volatile momentum can be in one of the UFC's deepest weight classes.
In April 2022, Charles Oliveira sat atop the division's streak chart with ten consecutive victories, while Islam Makhachev trailed him closely with nine and Beneil Dariush had built a run of seven straight. By two years ago, Makhachev had extended his streak to twelve wins, with Renato Moicano and Paddy Pimblett each sitting at five. One year ago, Makhachev's run had grown to fourteen, the longest active streak in the division at that point, with Pimblett at six and Chase Hooper, Nasrat Haqparast, and Fares Ziam each at five.
Oliveira, now 36 and currently ranked third at lightweight with a 37-11-0 record, remains one of the division's most dangerous finishers. The Brazilian posts 2.6 submission attempts per fifteen minutes alongside 2.22 takedowns in the same span, making him a constant threat on the ground. His striking accuracy of 54 percent ranks among the better marks in the division.
Dariush, a southpaw out of Kings MMA, carries a 23-8-1 record at age 37 and sits eighth in the lightweight rankings. He lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute with solid grappling to back it up, averaging 2.11 takedowns per fifteen minutes.
Ziam, the 29-year-old Frenchman nicknamed "Smile Killer," holds an 18-4-0 record and stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach. He lands 2.85 significant strikes per minute and has shown modest grappling output with 1.62 takedowns per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- The streak data captures how rapidly contender momentum rises and falls in a division with constant high-stakes activity
- Oliveira's presence near the top of both the streak chart and divisional rankings in 2022 underscores his sustained relevance across multiple years
- Emerging names like Ziam appearing on the streak list signals ongoing turnover among the division's mid-tier contenders
