An infographic was shared showing how many fighters in the top 15 and top 5 of each division are currently on win streaks of three or more fights, excluding champions. The data reveals welterweight is the most competitive and well-stocked division, while light heavyweight shows the opposite extreme with no one in the top 15 currently on a three-fight win streak. In fact, only one person in the light heavyweight top 15 has any win streak at all, and that fighter is Paulo Costa, whose current streak includes a victory earned at middleweight. The post describes light heavyweight as "competition turned inside out."
A recently circulated infographic has put divisional depth under the microscope, revealing a striking contrast between the welterweight and light heavyweight divisions based on current win streaks among ranked fighters.
The data tracks how many fighters inside each division's top 15 and top 5 are riding win streaks of three or more fights, with champions excluded from the sample. By that measure, welterweight emerges as the most competitive and talent-dense division in the promotion, boasting the highest concentration of ranked fighters on extended runs of form. Light heavyweight sits at the opposite end of the spectrum — not a single fighter in the top 15 is currently on a three-fight win streak, and only one ranked light heavyweight is on any win streak at all.
That fighter is Paulo Costa, though his case carries an asterisk. The 35-year-old Brazilian, currently ranked thirteenth at middleweight with a 16-4-0 record, is competing out of the 185-pound division. His active streak includes a victory earned at middleweight rather than at light heavyweight, making his presence in the light heavyweight top 15 a reflection of crossover ranking placement rather than divisional activity. Costa is an orthodox striker who lands an eye-catching 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, numbers that speak to his output even if his divisional home remains middleweight.
The infographic's author described the state of light heavyweight as "competition turned inside out," a phrase that underscores just how thin the active, winning contingent at 205 pounds currently appears.
Why it matters
- Welterweight's depth signals a logjam of contenders and makes title positioning intensely competitive
- Light heavyweight's lack of win-streak fighters raises questions about the division's active contender pool
- Costa's inclusion in the light heavyweight data, despite his middleweight base, highlights how crossover rankings can distort divisional health readings
