Tapology has implemented a new feature calculating an opposition level rating for UFC fighters on a scale from 1 to 99. The metric is based on a specific formula and considers only a fighter's last six UFC bouts, excluding fights in other organizations. For UFC 328, Sean Strickland leads with a rating of 74, followed by Khamzat Chimaev at 69 and Alexander Volkov at 67. Joaquin Buckley and Sean Brady round out the top five at 55 and 54 respectively. On the lower end, Baysangur Susurkayev and Ozzie Diaz both registered a 4, the lowest ratings on the card. This new metric provides fans and analysts with a quantifiable measure of the quality of competition each fighter has faced.
Tapology has rolled out a new opposition level metric for UFC fighters, assigning each competitor a rating between 1 and 99 based on the quality of opponents they have faced across their last six octagon appearances. The feature, which excludes bouts outside the UFC, is designed to give fans and analysts a clearer, data-driven picture of competitive pedigree heading into each event.
For UFC 328, scheduled for May 9, 2026, middleweight champion Sean Strickland leads the entire card with an opposition rating of 74. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Xtreme Couture and carries a 31-7-0 record, is one of the most active strikers in the UFC, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. At six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, Strickland has built his title reign on relentless output and pressure.
Khamzat Chimaev slots in second at 69, followed closely by Alexander Volkov at 67. The Russian heavyweight, fighting out of Strela Team, holds a 40-11-0 record and enters as the division's number-one contender at age 37. Standing six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, Volkov brings elite striking accuracy at 57 percent, the highest among the verified fighters listed for this card.
Joaquin Buckley and Sean Brady round out the top five at 55 and 54 respectively. Brady, ranked seventh in the welterweight division at 19-2-0, is one of the more complete fighters on the card. The 33-year-old Renzo Gracie Philly product averages 3.53 takedowns per 15 minutes and posts a striking accuracy of 55 percent.
At the other end of the scale, Baysangur Susurkayev and Ozzie Diaz each registered a 4, the lowest opposition ratings on the card.
Why it matters
- The metric gives a standardized way to compare how difficult each fighter's recent path to UFC 328 has been.
- Strickland's chart-topping 74 rating reinforces the legitimacy of the opposition he has navigated as champion.
- Volkov's 67 rating strengthens the case that the heavyweight contender has earned his number-one ranking.
- The wide spread between top and bottom scores highlights significant variation in competitive exposure across the card.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
