A comparison shows how dramatically UFC lightweight win streaks have evolved over three years. Currently, the longest active streaks are led by Islam Makhachev at 14 wins, followed by Paddy Pimblett at 6, and three fighters tied at 5 wins. One year ago, Makhachev also led with 14, but the supporting cast differed with Pimblett at 6 and several fighters at 5. Two years prior, Makhachev had 12 wins with Renato Moicano, Pimblett, Drakkar Klose, Mike Davis, and Arman Tsarukyan following. In April 2022, Charles Oliveira led with 10, Makhachev had 9, Beneil Dariush had 7, with Claudio Puelles, Rafael Fiziev, and Tsarukyan at 5 each. The data illustrates the volatile nature of momentum in one of the UFC's most competitive divisions.
Three years of UFC lightweight division data reveal just how much the competitive landscape has shifted — and how dominant one fighter has remained throughout.
Islam Makhachev stands alone at the top of the active win-streak charts, carrying a 14-fight winning run that has held the top spot for at least two of the three years examined. Now 34 and competing at welterweight with a 28-1-0 record, Makhachev is the pound-for-pound number-one fighter in the sport. His ascent through the lightweight ranks was built on elite grappling — he averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — and a striking accuracy of 58 percent that few opponents have been able to answer. The current data snapshot places him as the clear outlier in a division defined by turnover.
Paddy Pimblett has been a consistent presence in the streak comparisons, sitting at six wins in both the current snapshot and one year prior. Charles Oliveira, now ranked third at lightweight with a 37-11-0 record, led the division in April 2022 on a 10-fight winning streak. The Brazilian, 36, is one of the most dangerous submission artists in the division's history, averaging 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Beneil Dariush, now 37 and ranked eighth with a 23-8-1 record, featured prominently in the 2022 data on a seven-fight streak before momentum shifted.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's streak has outlasted multiple cycles of contender momentum, underlining his exceptional consistency
- Oliveira and Dariush — both streak leaders in 2022 — have since absorbed losses, illustrating how quickly fortunes change at 155 pounds
- Fighters like Arman Tsarukyan appear across multiple time periods, suggesting a small core of durable contenders amid constant churn
- The volatility in supporting streaks points to lightweight remaining among the UFC's most competitive and unpredictable divisions
