The UFC's newly introduced AI-generated rankings have removed several veteran names from the top 15, including Vera, Ortega, Emmett, Dariusz, Lewis, and Andrade, which has been welcomed as long overdue. However, the system has drawn criticism for placing Kevin Borjas — who holds a 2-4 UFC record with no finishes and recently missed weight — in the flyweight top 10, while ranking Pat Sabatini seventh and Bo Nickal twelfth in their respective divisions without transparent methodology. The AI rankings will run in parallel with the existing media rankings, with matchmaking continuing to be based on the older version, raising questions about the practical purpose of publishing the new system at this stage.
The UFC's new AI-generated rankings system made its debut this week, sparking an immediate split of opinion across the combat sports community over several placements that defy conventional logic.
On the positive side, the removal of a number of veteran names — including Marlon Vera, Brian Ortega, Josh Emmett, Dariusz, Derrick Lewis, and Jessica Andrade — from their respective top-15 positions has been received as an overdue correction by many observers who felt those fighters had been carried by legacy status for too long.
However, the system has also attracted sharp criticism. Kevin Borjas, the 28-year-old Peruvian flyweight known as El Gallo Negro, has been placed inside the flyweight top 10 despite holding a 2-4 UFC record with no finishes at the promotion level and a recent missed weight on his record. Borjas, who trains out of Pitbull Martial Arts Center and carries a striking accuracy of just 42 percent, averages zero takedowns per 15 minutes, giving analysts little data to justify a top-10 placement. His overall professional record stands at 11-5.
Further scrutiny has landed on the rankings of Pat Sabatini, placed seventh in his division, and Bo Nickal, slotted twelfth — both without any transparent explanation of the methodology driving those positions.
Why it matters
- The UFC is running the AI rankings in parallel with the existing media rankings, meaning matchmaking will continue to rely on the older system for the foreseeable future.
- Without a clear methodology made public, fighters, managers, and fans have no way to evaluate or challenge placements.
- Placing a fighter with a losing UFC record and a missed weight into a top 10 raises credibility concerns that could undermine trust in the system before it gains traction.
- The practical value of publishing rankings that have no influence on matchmaking remains an open question for the promotion to answer.
