Tapology has launched a new feature displaying an opposition level rating for UFC fighters, calculated on a scale of 1 to 99. The metric is based on a specific formula considering only the last six UFC bouts, excluding fights from other organizations. For UFC 328, the top opposition levels are Sean Strickland at 74, Khamzat Chimaev at 69, and Alexander Volkov at 67. The lowest ratings on the card include Baysangur Susurkayev and Ozzy Diaz both at 4, followed by Jorden Santos at 6. This system provides a quantifiable measure of the quality of opponents faced by fighters in recent UFC competition.
Tapology has unveiled a new opposition level metric for UFC fighters, rolling out the feature ahead of UFC 328, which takes place on May 9, 2026.
The system assigns each fighter a rating on a scale of 1 to 99, calculated using a specific formula that looks exclusively at a fighter's last six UFC bouts. Fights from other organizations are excluded from the calculation entirely, making it a measure of recent UFC-specific competition quality rather than a career-wide assessment.
Among the fighters listed for UFC 328, middleweight champion Sean Strickland leads the card with an opposition level of 74. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture and carries a 31-7-0 professional record, has built a reputation as one of the busiest strikers in the division, averaging 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute. His 76-inch reach and orthodox stance have been constants throughout a UFC run defined by high-volume output.
Khamzat Chimaev follows at 69, with heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov close behind at 67. Volkov, a 37-year-old Russian fighting out of the Strela Team, holds a 40-11-0 record and ranks first in the heavyweight division. At six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, the orthodox striker lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate, among the highest of any heavyweight on the roster.
At the opposite end of the scale, Baysangur Susurkayev and Ozzy Diaz each sit at 4, with Jorden Santos just above them at 6, reflecting limited UFC competition in their recent fight histories.
Why it matters
- The metric offers a standardized way to compare schedule difficulty across fighters heading into the same event
- Restricting the formula to the last six UFC bouts means records built outside the organization carry no weight
- The wide spread at UFC 328, from 74 down to 4, highlights how unevenly matched opponent quality can be across a single card
Saturday, May 9, 2026
