The UFC has introduced a new AI-powered ranking system that removes several long-tenured veterans — including Cub Swanson, Brian Ortega, Josh Emmett, Dustin Poirier, Derrick Lewis, and Jessica Andrade — from divisional top-15s. The new model also eliminates the pound-for-pound rankings entirely, with UFC President Dana White citing subjectivity as the reason. The AI rankings will run alongside the traditional media rankings for the time being, with the old system still influencing matchmaking. Questions remain about the methodology behind certain placements, including Kevin Borhaes at number ten at flyweight despite a losing record and no finishes in the UFC.
The UFC made a significant structural change to its rankings system on June 23, 2026, unveiling an AI-powered model that strips several well-known fighters from divisional top-15 lists and eliminates the pound-for-pound rankings altogether.
Among those removed under the new system are featherweights Cub Swanson, Brian Ortega, and Josh Emmett, along with lightweight Dustin Poirier, heavyweight Derrick Lewis, and women's strawweight and flyweight standout Jessica Andrade. Poirier, the 37-year-old American Top Team product who carries a 30-10 record and has averaged 5.24 significant strikes landed per minute across his career at a 50 percent accuracy rate, is among the more prominent omissions. The southpaw from the United States has long been considered one of the lightweight division's most decorated fighters.
UFC President Dana White explained the removal of the pound-for-pound list by pointing to the inherent subjectivity of cross-divisional comparisons, though the new AI system itself has drawn scrutiny over certain placements. Notably, Kevin Borhaes appearing at number ten in the flyweight rankings despite holding a losing record and recording no finishes inside the UFC has raised questions about the methodology underpinning the model.
Why it matters
- The AI rankings will run in parallel with the traditional media panel rankings, meaning both systems may influence matchmaking simultaneously, creating potential conflicts.
- Removing the pound-for-pound list eliminates a prominent platform that has historically elevated champions like Islam Makhachev, the current welterweight champion with a 28-1 record and a grappling-heavy style averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes.
- Questionable placements, such as the Borhaes situation at flyweight, suggest the AI model's criteria and weighting remain opaque, leaving fighters, managers, and media without a clear framework to evaluate or challenge rankings decisions.
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