An infographic analysis revealed striking disparities across UFC divisions regarding winning streaks. In the light heavyweight top fifteen, no fighters are currently on three-fight winning streaks, and only one fighter has any winning streak at all: Paulo Costa, whose streak includes a win from middleweight. While the welterweight division is considered the most competitive and deep, the light heavyweight division represents the opposite extreme. The analysis examined how many fighters in each division's top fifteen and top five are on streaks of three or more wins, excluding champions.
A statistical breakdown of UFC divisional momentum has exposed a stark lack of active winning streaks at light heavyweight, with the 205-pound top fifteen producing almost no sustained runs of form heading into May 2026.
The infographic analysis found that among the top fifteen light heavyweights, not a single fighter is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. In fact, only one ranked fighter in the division carries any winning streak at all: Paulo Costa, and his streak includes a victory recorded while competing at middleweight, where he remains officially ranked.
Costa, a 35-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha, holds a 16-4-0 professional record and sits at number 13 in the middleweight rankings. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, he fights out of an orthodox stance and has built his reputation on high-output striking, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. His takedown and submission output are minimal, making him a near-pure striker.
Why it matters
- The light heavyweight top fifteen stands out as the least active division in terms of winning momentum, contrasting sharply with welterweight, which the same analysis identified as the deepest and most competitive weight class.
- With no fighter outside the championship picture building a streak of three or more wins, the divisional hierarchy at 205 pounds lacks the upward pressure that sustained momentum typically generates.
- Costa's cross-divisional presence illustrates how blurred the boundaries between light heavyweight and middleweight have become, complicating any straightforward reading of either division's competitive landscape.
