Tapology has introduced a new feature that rates the level of opposition faced by UFC fighters on a scale from 1 to 99. The metric is calculated using a special formula and considers a fighter's last six UFC bouts, excluding fights from other organizations. For UFC 328, Sean Strickland leads with an opposition level of 74, followed by Khamzat Chimaev at 69 and Alexander Volkov at 67. At the lower end, Baysangur Susurkayev and Ozzy Diaz both have opposition levels of 4. The metric provides fans and analysts with quantifiable data on the quality of competition fighters have faced.
Fight analytics platform Tapology has rolled out a new opposition-level metric for UFC fighters, assigning each competitor a score between 1 and 99 that reflects the quality of opponents they have faced across their last six octagon appearances. The tool is designed to give fans and analysts a cleaner, more quantifiable way to evaluate the strength of a fighter's recent résumé, with bouts from outside the UFC excluded from the calculation.
Among the fighters competing at UFC 328, which takes place on May 9, 2026, middleweight champion Sean Strickland leads all participants with an opposition score of 74. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture and carries a professional record of 31-7-0, is one of the more active strikers in his division, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His lengthy résumé against elite competition appears to be driving that top-end score.
Heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov slots in third on the UFC 328 list with an opposition level of 67. The Russian fighter, ranked first in the heavyweight division, brings a 40-11-0 record and at six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, he is a physically imposing presence. Volkov connects on 57 percent of his significant strike attempts, one of the more efficient marks in the heavyweight ranks.
Khamzat Chimaev sits second on the list at 69, slotting between Strickland and Volkov, while Baysangur Susurkayev and Ozzy Diaz occupy the lower end of the spectrum, each registering a score of just 4.
Why it matters
- The metric gives a data-backed way to compare fighter résumés beyond raw win-loss records
- Scores are limited to the last six UFC bouts, meaning recent activity and opponent quality both carry weight
- A wide spread across the UFC 328 card — from 74 down to 4 — illustrates just how varied competitive histories can be within a single event
Saturday, May 9, 2026
