4 Hours After Dana White Threatens Action, UFC Releases Latest Update in Rankings

UFC CEO Dana White isn’t happy with the rankings for the fighters! The target of his ire? Khalil Rountree Jr.’s stagnant ranking despite a stellar performance against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at UFC 307. For White, it was a slap in the face to Rountree’s gutsy showing—surviving more than three rounds with the heavy-handed ‘Poatan’ was nothing short of remarkable. Yet, the rankings committee didn’t seem to think so.

As such, White unloaded in a recent post on X where he aimed at the people handling the ranks and promised that “hopefully, this week I get this fixed.” Now, just hours after the post by the UFC head honcho, the UFC updated their rankings, although the changes didn’t reflect the light heavyweight division. So, what shifted?

After Dana White blasts UFC rankings, latest update shows an interesting trend

According to a series of posts on X by John Morgan, “No change at flyweight in the latest rankings update following #UFCVegas98, with Brandon Royval (@brandonroyval) remaining the No. 1 contender in the division, and Tatsuro Taira (@tatsurotaira) staying at No. 5 after the split-decision loss in the evening’s “Fight of the Night.”

Taira’s recent split-decision loss during UFC Vegas 98 earned him “Fight of the Night” honors, yet it didn’t push him up or down the rankings. For many, this might feel like a missed opportunity for Taira, who put on an exciting performance and left it all out in the Octagon. But as UFC boss Dana White recently indicated sometimes in the UFC, even the best fights don’t immediately shift the rankings and he’s not a fan of the same.

While the flyweight division saw no changes, the lightweight division did experience a bit of movement. Morgan further shared in a subsequent post, “Rafael dos Anjos slides one spot to No. 14, tied with Paddy Pimblett. That allows Jalin Turner to move up one spot to No. 13.”

Turner’s rise might seem like a small shift, but in a division as competitive as 155 lbs. every spot counts. And with ‘The Baddy’ right there in the rankings with him, could we see the two clash in the future to determine who gets to move into the Top 10? Only time will tell.

But while White has confirmed that, “Literally this week, I have a meeting to try to fix the rankings…”, could we also see a new technology make its mark in the UFC? After all, the UFC boss has previously stated that he wouldn’t be opposed to removing the human element from the process entirely!  

UFC boss is ready to let AI handle UFC rankings  

Dana White never shies away from stirring up controversy, and his latest comments on the UFC rankings have everyone buzzing. In typical White fashion, he didn’t hold back, throwing shade at the current system and fueling the excitement for what might come next.

The UFC’s ranking system has long been a topic of debate. According to information on the UFC’s official website, “Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members.” But as White pointed out, the rankings don’t always seem to reflect what happens in the Octagon. So what’s the solution?

According to a statement by the UFC boss at a DWCS (Dana White Contender Series) press conference, “Do you know what’s f—- great about technology? We’re not far away from AI actually doing these rankings! It’ll be a great f—– day when AI starts doing this s—-,”

His hint at a possible AI-driven ranking system could bring a new era of transparency and fairness, but will it come at the cost of human insight? As the UFC looks to the future, one thing is clear—change is on the horizon, and Dana White is ready to lead the charge. Will AI be the solution, or will it just be another layer in the complex world of MMA rankings? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!