The shape of the division
Each dot is a ranked fighter on this division's scale. Peaks show where the division bunches up; gaps show where one fighter has pulled clear.
What the numbers mean
Every fighter starts at 1500 with a wide margin of error, so before a first fight their published rating sits near 1150. It climbs as results prove them. The marks below are this division's own landmarks.
The top 15
As of 2 November 2026, Merab Dvalishvili is No. 1 at UFC bantamweight on the Dominance Index, with a rating of 1860, ahead of Petr Yan and Song Yadong.
Tap a fighter for their full profile. The dot is the published rating, the level they have proven; the fading trail is the range the numbers still allow. Arrows show moves since UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Evloev. † Fewer than five UFC fights at this weight.
- 1 Merab Dvalishvili13–4 at 135 lbL2Lost to No. 2 Petr Yan in Oct 2026; ranked on the full record at 135 lb 17at weight 6 of 13dominant wins 1860
- 2▲1 Petr Yan13–4 at 135 lbChampW5 17at weight 4 of 13dominant wins 1858
- 3▼1 Song Yadong11–4–1 at 135 lbW2Lost to No. 4 Sean O'Malley in Jan 2026; ranked on the full record at 135 lb 16at weight 7 of 11dominant wins 1806
- 4 Sean O'Malley12–3 at 135 lbW2 15at weight 7 of 12dominant wins 1793
- 5 Umar Nurmagomedov7–2 at 135 lbL1 9at weight 4 of 7dominant wins 1779
- 6 Cory Sandhagen9–6 at 135 lbL2Lost to No. 7 Mario Bautista in Jul 2026; ranked on the full record at 135 lb 15at weight 6 of 9dominant wins 1749
- 7 Mario Bautista12–3 at 135 lbW2 15at weight 5 of 12dominant wins 1743
- 8 Payton Talbott6–1 at 135 lbW3 7at weight 5 of 6dominant wins 1709
- 9 Marlon Vera14–10 at 135 lbW1Lost to No. 10 David Martinez in Feb 2026; ranked on the full record at 135 lb 24at weight 11 of 14dominant wins 1699
- 10 David Martinez†4–0 at 135 lbW4 4at weight 1 of 4dominant wins 1678
- 11 Montel Jackson10–4 at 135 lbW1Lost to No. 12 Deiveson Figueiredo in Oct 2025; ranked on the full record at 135 lb 14at weight 9 of 10dominant wins 1670
- 12 Deiveson Figueiredo4–5 at 135 lbL3 9at weight 1 of 4dominant wins 1659
- 13 Bryce Mitchell†2–0 at 135 lbW2 2at weight 1 of 2dominant wins 1649
- 14 Farid Basharat6–0 at 135 lbW7 6at weight 1 of 6dominant wins 1640
- 15 Henry Cejudo3–4 at 135 lbL4 7at weight 3 of 3dominant wins 1635
Last updated: Monday 2 November 2026. Includes UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Evloev, 24 Oct 2026. Boards update weekly.
Ranks 16 to 30
- 16Vinicius Oliveira1629
- 17Raul Rosas Jr.1626
- 18Raoni Barcelos1622
- 19Charles Jourdain1610
- 20Aiemann Zahabi1609
- 21Rob Font1604
- 22Daniel Marcos1587
- 23Adrian Yanez1585
- 24Marcus McGhee1578
- 25Said Nurmagomedov1559
- 26Ricky Simon1559
- 27Kyler Phillips1550
- 28Davey Grant1524
- 29Brady Hiestand1523
- 30Jean Matsumoto1522
How bantamweight fights end
620 decisive bouts at 135 lb since 2015, set against the UFC as a whole.
How to read the board
Four things worth knowing before you argue about the order. The full method has the rest.
The rating
Every fighter has a best estimate and a margin of error. The number we publish is the low end of that range: the level they have already proven.
More fights at the weight tighten the range. A long layoff loosens it.
How you win matters
A finish moves a rating more than a dominant decision, and a dominant decision more than a split. Method, control time and strike differential set the scale.
Every result is also weighed against the opponent's rating going in.
Who makes the list
Anyone who has fought in the UFC in the last 18 months and has at least one UFC win at the weight. A † means fewer than five fights there, so the rating can still move a long way.
Change weight and your rating comes with you, with a wider margin of error, until results at the new weight confirm it.
Why a win can lower a rating
Every fight carries an expectation. Edge past a much lower-rated opponent on the cards and the margin falls short of it, so the rating can dip. It happens in about one win in a hundred.
The reverse is true too: a close loss to a far better fighter can nudge a rating up.