A historical comparison shows how winning streaks in the UFC lightweight division have evolved over three years. Currently, the longest active streaks include Islam Makhachev leading the division. One year ago, the top streaks were led by Makhachev at 14 wins, followed by Paddy Pimblett at 6, and three fighters tied at 5 wins including Chase Hooper, Nasrat Haqparast, and Fares Ziam. Two years prior in 2024, Makhachev led with 12, followed by Renato Moicano and Pimblett at 5 each. In April 2022, Charles Oliveira led with 10 consecutive victories, while Makhachev had 9, and Beneil Dariush held 7. The data illustrates the competitive turnover and momentum shifts in one of the UFC's deepest divisions.
Three years of data tracking winning streaks inside the UFC lightweight division reveal how quickly momentum shifts at 155 pounds — and how one fighter has towered over the rest throughout the entire period.
Islam Makhachev has been the constant at the top of these streak tallies. In April 2022 he had already reeled off nine straight victories, sitting just behind then-champion Charles Oliveira, who owned a ten-fight win streak at that point. By 2024 Makhachev's run had grown to twelve, and a year later it reached fourteen, making him the unchallenged leader of the category across every snapshot in the data set.
Oliveira, now 36 and ranked third in the lightweight division with a 37-11-0 record, was the benchmark figure back in April 2022. The Brazilian carries a 74-inch reach and ranks among the division's most dangerous submission threats, averaging 2.6 submission attempts per fifteen minutes alongside 3.35 significant strikes landed per minute.
Beneil Dariush held a seven-fight streak in that same April 2022 window, the third-longest in the division at the time. The American southpaw, now 37 and ranked eighth at lightweight with a 23-8-1 record, averages 3.78 significant strikes landed per minute — among the higher outputs in the division.
Fares Ziam of France appears in the more recent snapshot, sharing a five-win streak. The 29-year-old stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach and carries an 18-4-0 record, landing significant strikes at 2.85 per minute with a 51 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's unbroken presence at the top of the streak leaderboard underscores his sustained dominance at 155 pounds over a four-year span
- Oliveira's position as the 2022 benchmark, now ranked third, illustrates how the division's hierarchy has reshuffled while key names have remained relevant
- Rapid turnover among the secondary streak-holders in 2024 and 2025 reflects the depth and competitive volatility of one of the UFC's most active divisions
