A comparative analysis shows how active winning streaks in the UFC lightweight division have evolved over the past three years. Currently, the longest active streak belongs to a fighter with 15 wins, followed by several fighters with 6-win streaks. One year ago, Islam Makhachev led with 14 wins, followed by Paddy Pimblett with 6, and three fighters tied at 5 wins each including Chase Hooper, Nasrat Haqparast, and Fares Ziam. Two years ago, Makhachev had 12 wins, Renato Moicano and Pimblett each had 5, and several fighters including Arman Tsarukyan had 4-win streaks. In April 2022, Charles Oliveira led with 10 wins, Makhachev had 9, Beneil Dariush had 7, and three fighters including Tsarukyan and Rafael Fiziev had 5-win streaks.
A three-year snapshot of active winning streaks in the UFC lightweight division reveals how quickly the division's momentum shifts, with a new leader now sitting atop the charts as of May 2026.
The current longest active streak in the division belongs to a fighter with 15 consecutive wins, edging past the benchmark set one year ago when Islam Makhachev held the top spot at 14. Several fighters now trail at six wins apiece. The picture two years back showed Makhachev at 12 wins, while the April 2022 snapshot captured a tighter race, with Charles Oliveira leading at 10 and Makhachev just behind at nine.
Oliveira, now 36 years old and ranked third in the lightweight division with an overall record of 37-11-0, was the division's pace-setter in that April 2022 snapshot. The Brazilian finisher carries a submission attempt rate of 2.6 per 15 minutes, among the highest in the weight class, and averages 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes to complement a 54 percent striking accuracy.
Beneil Dariush, who held a seven-win streak in that same April 2022 window, currently sits eighth in the division at 37 years old with a record of 23-8-1. The American southpaw out of Kings MMA lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute, one of the sharper outputs among established lightweights.
Fares Ziam, who appeared among the streaking fighters one year ago, brings a 18-4-0 record into the current period. The 29-year-old Frenchman stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach and posts a striking accuracy of 51 percent.
Why it matters
- The division's streak leader has grown from 10 wins in April 2022 to 15 today, reflecting sustained elite dominance at the top
- Mid-tier fighters like Ziam and Arman Tsarukyan have maintained or built streaks, signaling a competitive second tier
- Oliveira's drop from streak leader to third-ranked contender illustrates how rapidly the lightweight pecking order can shift
