How UFC chooses title challengers: fairness vs star power

Fast facts: how UFC chooses title challengers

• Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
• Official line: “The best fight the best” within the UFC rankings structure
• Real inputs: rankings, recent results, activity, marketability, geography, timing
• Recent flashpoint: Diego Lopes getting an immediate rematch with Alexander Volkanovski while other contenders wait
• Key tension: competitive merit vs. business-driven matchmaking

How UFC chooses title challengers in theory

On paper, the UFC uses its own rankings to determine who is “next in line.” Media members vote on those rankings, and matchmakers are supposed to pair champions with the highest-ranked, most deserving contender available.

In broad strokes, the internal logic looks like this:

• Rankings & form: long win streaks against top opponents carry the most weight.
• Eligibility: you must be medically cleared, within the weight class, and not suspended.
• Champion’s schedule: the champ’s health, camp time, and contract status all matter.
• Divisional health: if there’s no clear next man or woman, the UFC can justify rematches or “money fights.”

If everything ran on pure sporting logic, most title fights would be champion vs. #1 contender, maybe #2 at worst. But that’s not how UFC matchmaking actually works week to week.

When star power beats rankings

In practice, how UFC chooses title challengers often shifts once business enters the equation.
Recent and historic examples show that popularity, style, and narrative can outweigh pure merit.

Diego Lopes vs Alexander Volkanovski 2

Diego Lopes getting a second featherweight title shot against Alexander Volkanovski, despite a clear loss in their first meeting,
is a textbook example. Other contenders like Movsar Evloev, Lerone Murphy, and Aljamain Sterling have stronger win streaks and résumés, but Lopes brings a wild, fan-friendly style, a growing fanbase, and a storyline the UFC clearly likes.

From the UFC’s perspective, this rematch offers:

• A guaranteed action fight with big finishing potential
• A marketable Brazilian title challenger with momentum
• Easy promotion: “underdog gets second chance”

From a meritocratic angle, though, it’s hard to explain to contenders who have never had a shot.

Gaethje vs Pimblett for interim gold

The interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett is another example of star power driving the bus.
Gaethje is an established elite; Pimblett is a polarizing but massively popular name who hasn’t yet cleared out the top of the division. There are strong arguments that other lightweights have “done more” to deserve that interim slot, like Arman Tsarukyan for instance.

Still, the booking makes sense if you look through a business lens: it creates a must-see fight headlining a major card,
with either a beloved action fighter or a viral star coming out as “interim champion.”

Classic examples: Masvidal and Covington

This tension isn’t new. Jorge Masvidal’s short-notice title shot against Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 came after a magical run of knockouts and the BMF belt, not a traditional climb through the rankings. The UFC openly banked on his surge in popularity to sell a “Fight Island” main event.

Colby Covington’s repeated welterweight title shots, even with patchy recent results, also highlight how being a recognizable antagonist with strong name value can keep you closer to gold than your record alone might suggest.

Why the UFC leans into star-driven matchmaking

To understand how UFC chooses title challengers, you have to accept that the company is an entertainment business first, not a traditional league. Title fights are the most valuable product it sells to broadcasters and streaming partners.

• Pay-per-view and subscriptions: name value and rivalries move buys and signups more than rankings graphics.
• Storytelling: trilogies, rematches, and “grudge matches” are easier to sell in a 30-second promo.
• Schedule pressure: the UFC must fill dozens of main events per year; injuries and pullouts force compromises.
• Global markets: sometimes a promotion wants a particular champion or challenger to headline a region (Mexico, Brazil, UK, Middle East).

None of this means merit is irrelevant. Champions usually defend against genuine top contenders. But when rankings and revenue collide, revenue usually wins the negotiation.

What this means for fighters and fans

For fighters

The modern title-shot game has two tracks: performance and profile. Most successful challengers build both at the same time.

• Winning is still non-negotiable: long, active streaks keep you in every title conversation.
• Style sells: finish-heavy, aggressive fighters jump the queue faster than cautious decision machines.
• Talk and presence matter: callouts, social media, and post-fight interviews all amplify your case.
• Short-notice readiness: being in shape when a pullout happens has created several surprise title shots.

For fans

For viewers, there are clear pros and cons to how UFC chooses title challengers today.

• Upside: more blockbuster main events, strong narratives, and stylistically fun matchups for big cards.
• Downside: deserving contenders can be stuck in limbo, divisions feel “held up,” and rankings lose credibility.
• Long-term risk: if fans believe belts don’t reflect the best fighters, titles become more like promotional trophies than sporting crowns.

The irony is that fan behavior feeds the system: when people tune in more for stars than for #1 vs #2 purist fights, the promotion has every incentive to keep rewarding star power.

FAQ: how UFC chooses title challengers

Does the UFC have a formal rule for who gets a title shot?

No. The rankings are a guideline, not a binding rule. Matchmakers and executives decide who fights for belts, balancing sporting merit with business needs and timing.

Do UFC rankings actually matter?

Yes, but not in a strict ladder way. Being ranked highly keeps your name in the conversation, yet it doesn’t guarantee that you, and not a bigger star, will be chosen as the next title challenger.

Why do some fighters jump the line for title shots?

Because how UFC chooses title challengers includes factors like star power, trash talk, style, and regional appeal. If a fighter can sell a main event and the division lacks a clear #1 contender, they can leapfrog others.

Is the UFC becoming “like boxing” with its matchmaking?

Many fighters and fans feel that way when popular names get multiple title chances while in-form contenders wait. The difference is that the UFC still controls almost all top fighters in each division, so it can eventually make merit-based fights when public pressure grows.