Tapology has launched a new feature displaying an opposition level rating for UFC fighters, calculated on a scale from 1 to 99. The metric is based on a specific formula that considers only a fighter's last six UFC bouts, excluding fights in other organizations. At UFC 328, Sean Strickland leads with a rating of 74, followed by Khamzat Chimaev at 69 and Alexander Volkov at 67. At the bottom of the card, Baisangur Susurkayev and Ozzy Diaz both have ratings of 4, representing the lowest opposition levels on the event.
Tapology has rolled out a new opposition level metric for UFC fighters ahead of UFC 328, assigning each competitor a numerical rating between 1 and 99 based on the quality of opponents they have faced inside the Octagon.
The formula draws exclusively from a fighter's last six UFC bouts, setting aside any bouts competed in outside organizations. At UFC 328, which takes place on May 9, 2026, Sean Strickland leads the entire card with a rating of 74, followed by Khamzat Chimaev at 69 and Alexander Volkov at 67. At the opposite end of the scale, Baisangur Susurkayev and Ozzy Diaz both register a 4, the lowest marks on the event.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, carries a 31-7-0 record into the event. The 35-year-old from the United States trains out of Xtreme Couture and is one of the busiest strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His opposition rating of 74 reflects a recent run of bouts against elite middleweight competition.
Volkov, ranked first in the heavyweight division, enters with a 40-11-0 record at age 37. The six-foot-seven Russian competes out of Strela Team and posts a striking accuracy of 57 percent, among the higher marks for a heavyweight. His rating of 67 places him third on the card and underscores his long tenure at the top of the division.
Why it matters
- The metric offers a quick snapshot of schedule difficulty, rewarding fighters who have consistently competed against ranked opposition.
- Strickland's leading score of 74 reinforces his standing as someone who has been tested at the highest level of the middleweight division.
- Volkov's 67 rating strengthens the case that the heavyweight number-one contender has earned his position through credible opposition.
- Ratings of 4 for Susurkayev and Diaz highlight the gulf in experience that often exists between established contenders and fighters newer to the UFC roster.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
