It’s no secret that the UFC’s ranking system is kind of a mess. What was originally advertised as an unbiased method for providing divisional clarity to top contenders among a massive sea of talent, has become more of a consistent punchline – when it’s not being used as a negotiating tool by fighters and promotion alike.
With many notable media members backing away from potential participation in the rankings due to possible conflict of interest – and the UFC often removing fighter eligibility when it suits their needs at the bargaining table – the whole thing has a tendency to come off as a hodgepodge of semi-invested idealists.