The post tracks how active UFC lightweight win streaks have changed over the past two years. Currently, Islam Makhachev leads with 15 wins, followed by Dan Hooker (6), Arman Tsarukyan (6), Diego Lopes (5), and Chase Hooper (5). One year ago, the list showed Makhachev at 14, Paddy Pimblett at 6, and three fighters tied at 5. Two years ago, Makhachev had 12, Renato Moicano and Pimblett each had 5, with four fighters at 4 including Tsarukyan. In April 2022, Charles Oliveira led with 10, Makhachev had 9, Beneil Dariush had 7, and three fighters including Tsarukyan were at 5. The comparison illustrates the constantly shifting competitive landscape in one of the UFC's deepest divisions.
A snapshot of UFC lightweight win streaks taken across four points in time reveals just how dramatically the division's competitive picture has shifted — and how consistently Islam Makhachev has sat at the top of it.
As of early May 2026, Makhachev leads all active lightweights with a 15-fight winning streak, with Dan Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan each sitting at six, and Diego Lopes and Chase Hooper both at five. Wind the clock back one year and Makhachev stood at 14, Paddy Pimblett held six, and three fighters were bunched at five. Two years prior, Makhachev's streak was at 12, with Renato Moicano and Pimblett each at five and Tsarukyan among four fighters on four-fight runs. In April 2022, Charles Oliveira led the division at 10 straight, Makhachev sat just behind at nine, and Beneil Dariush was third at seven.
Oliveira, now 36, holds a 37-11-0 record and is currently ranked third at lightweight. The Brazilian finisher averages 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes and 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the most dangerous grapplers the division has ever seen. Hooker, the 36-year-old New Zealander out of City Kickboxing, carries a 24-14-0 record and ranks fifth. His offensive output is among the most aggressive in the weight class, averaging 4.82 significant strikes per minute. Dariush, a 37-year-old southpaw representing Kings MMA, is 23-8-1 and sits eighth in the rankings, averaging 3.78 significant strikes per minute across his career.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's streak has grown from nine to 15 over roughly four years, underlining his sustained dominance at the top of the division
- Hooker's current six-fight run has pushed him to fifth in the rankings, the highest he appears in any of the four snapshots
- The turnover across the lower positions of each list reflects how competitive and unforgiving the lightweight division continues to be
- Tsarukyan is the only fighter other than Makhachev to appear in all four snapshots, tracking upward from four straight to six
