The matchmaker group of the UFC, led by CEO Dana White, is thinking about expanding each division’s rankings categories from 15 fighters to 20 fighters. White identified difficulties in the welterweight division as a potential change agent. Expanding the divisions may be difficult in classes like flyweight, with already 15 competitors.
The traditional order of the standings in each weight class is from No. 15 to No. 1. However, if White follows through with his new strategy, things might soon alter.
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Considering To Expand UFC Division: Dana White
White mentioned a conversation that happened in the matchmaking room during a press conference for “Dana White’s Contender Series.” This discussion led to the concept of maybe lowering the fighter rankings from 15 to 20, giving each division a top 20 instead of a top 15.
He used the welterweight category as an illustration, arguing that a more comprehensive ranking system is necessary due to the abundance of talented competitors and the variety of matches they have produced:
“The welterweight division would be a good example. We’re in matchmaking, and literally, the whole division in the top 15 have fights. One of the things that we talked about last week in matchmaking was, now extending our rankings down to 20 instead of 15.”
The 170-pound title fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, a potential title eliminator between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Stephen Thompson, and a fight between Ian Machado Garry and Vicente Luque will all take place in the welterweight division during the upcoming pay-per-views.
Expanding the categories may be difficult in classes like flyweight, where there are already 15 competitors. For instance, David Dvorak, who is ranked No. 15, is 3-3 in the Octagon after suffering three straight defeats.
If UFC wants to keep the ranks at 15, it may need to strengthen its lineup.
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