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FightIQ · UFC stats · Division norms · Lightweight

What normal looks like: Lightweight

The typical active UFC lightweight lands 4.32 significant strikes a minute, absorbs 4.23 and lands 1.18 takedowns per 15 minutes. These are medians over the 111 lightweights with a UFC bout since 10 October 2024, counting only those with enough fights for a fair figure.

A number on its own says little: 4.8 strikes a minute is busy in one division and ordinary in another. This page sets out what is normal among today’s active lightweights, stat by stat, so any fighter’s figure can be read at a glance. Every fighter page in the division can show the same line. Lightweight rankings →
111 active lightweights · figures to 10 October 2026 · updated 16 October 2026

shaded: middle half of active lightweights · tick: division norm (the median) · solid line: the middle 80% · dotted ends: the top and bottom 10% · further right is always better, so the line is flipped for stats where lower is better.

The fighters

Age
32
median · range 23 to 44 · 111 with a recorded date of birth
Height
5 ft 10 in
median · range 5 ft 6 in to 6 ft 3 in · 111 with a recorded height
Reach
71 in
median · range 66 in to 77 in · 111 with a recorded reach

Age on 10 October 2026. Height, reach and date of birth as listed in the official UFC statistics; a missing entry is left out, not guessed.

Striking

Significant strikes landed per minute

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Significant strikes landed per minute of fight time. Higher is better.

Division norm 4.32/min · middle half 3.55/min to 5.34/min · lowest 10% at or below 3.12/min · highest 10% at or above 6.22/min

Last five fights: norm 4.24/min, middle half 3.17/min to 5.16/min (n = 88).

Highest: Terrance McKinney (7.95/min), Esteban Ribovics (7.46/min), Max Holloway (6.93/min). Lowest: Claudio Puelles (1.54/min), Joe Solecki (1.92/min), Thiago Moises (2.38/min).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 3.53/min (Women's Bantamweight) to 4.32/min (Lightweight).

Significant strikes absorbed per minute

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Significant strikes taken per minute. Lower is better.

Division norm 4.23/min · middle half 3.53/min to 4.76/min · lowest 10% at or below 2.84/min · highest 10% at or above 5.74/min

Last five fights: norm 4.36/min, middle half 3.38/min to 5.43/min (n = 88).

Highest: Justin Gaethje (6.83/min), Kyle Prepolec (6.59/min), Maheshate (6.57/min). Lowest: Kaue Fernandes (1.63/min), Fares Ziam (1.63/min), Arman Tsarukyan (1.77/min).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 3.26/min (Women's Bantamweight) to 4.23/min (Lightweight). Further right is better here too.

Striking differential per minute

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Strikes landed minus strikes absorbed, per minute. Higher is better.

Division norm 0.23/min · middle half -0.35/min to 1.02/min · lowest 10% at or below -0.96/min · highest 10% at or above 1.69/min

Last five fights: norm -0.10/min, middle half -0.99/min to 0.89/min (n = 88).

Highest: Terrance McKinney (3.19/min), King Green (2.83/min), Kaue Fernandes (2.63/min). Lowest: Kyle Prepolec (-3.59/min), Maheshate (-2.45/min), Thiago Moises (-2.06/min).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0.17/min (Flyweight) to 0.85/min (Light Heavyweight).

Significant strike accuracy

75 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of significant strikes thrown that land. Higher is better.

Division norm 48.5% · middle half 44.4% to 52.6% · lowest 10% at or below 40.6% · highest 10% at or above 55.5%

Last five fights: norm 48.1%, middle half 44.6% to 53.0% (n = 89).

Highest: MarQuel Mederos (60.0%), Benoit Saint Denis (58.5%), Quillan Salkilld (57.8%). Lowest: Maheshate (31.8%), Clay Guida (33.2%), Kyle Prepolec (33.6%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 200 significant strike attempts.

Across divisions
Medians run from 46.0% (Women's Flyweight) to 52.1% (Light Heavyweight).

Significant strike defence

72 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of the opponent's significant strikes that miss. Higher is better.

Division norm 54.2% · middle half 49.9% to 57.3% · lowest 10% at or below 44.9% · highest 10% at or above 60.2%

Last five fights: norm 51.6%, middle half 46.6% to 55.0% (n = 89).

Highest: Fares Ziam (63.1%), Ilia Topuria (62.1%), Nasrat Haqparast (62.1%). Lowest: Chase Hooper (40.6%), Jalin Turner (40.8%), Michael Chandler (40.9%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 200 opponent significant strike attempts faced.

Across divisions
Medians run from 50.6% (Light Heavyweight) to 57.5% (Women's Flyweight).

Knockdowns per 15 minutes

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Knockdowns scored per 15 minutes of fight time. Higher is better.

Division norm 0.38 per 15 min · middle half 0.20 per 15 min to 0.60 per 15 min · lowest 10% at or below 0.09 per 15 min · highest 10% at or above 0.89 per 15 min

Last five fights: norm 0.26 per 15 min, middle half 0.00 per 15 min to 0.62 per 15 min (n = 88).

Highest: Mauricio Ruffy (1.85 per 15 min), Conor McGregor (1.72 per 15 min), Jalin Turner (1.58 per 15 min). Lowest: Austin Hubbard (0.00 per 15 min), Claudio Puelles (0.00 per 15 min), Joe Solecki (0.00 per 15 min).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0.09 per 15 min (Women's Strawweight) to 0.53 per 15 min (Light Heavyweight).

Grappling

Takedowns landed per 15 minutes

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Takedowns landed per 15 minutes of fight time. Higher is better.

Division norm 1.18 per 15 min · middle half 0.61 per 15 min to 1.99 per 15 min · lowest 10% at or below 0.22 per 15 min · highest 10% at or above 2.99 per 15 min

Last five fights: norm 1.17 per 15 min, middle half 0.32 per 15 min to 2.00 per 15 min (n = 88).

Highest: Mateusz Gamrot (5.08 per 15 min), Benoit Saint Denis (4.15 per 15 min), Grant Dawson (3.62 per 15 min). Lowest: Ignacio Bahamondes (0.00 per 15 min), Viacheslav Borshchev (0.00 per 15 min), Daniel Zellhuber (0.00 per 15 min).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0.52 per 15 min (Light Heavyweight) to 1.47 per 15 min (Women's Flyweight).

Takedown accuracy

61 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of takedown attempts that land. Higher is better.

Division norm 35.9% · middle half 30.8% to 45.0% · lowest 10% at or below 20.0% · highest 10% at or above 51.0%

Last five fights: norm 36.4%, middle half 19.8% to 50.0% (n = 67).

Highest: Rafael Fiziev (71.4%), Rongzhu (62.5%), Ilia Topuria (57.1%). Lowest: MarQuel Mederos (6.2%), Guram Kutateladze (15.0%), Evan Elder (15.4%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 10 takedown attempts.

Across divisions
Medians run from 33.3% (Flyweight) to 42.6% (Women's Bantamweight).

Takedown defence

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of opponent takedown attempts that are stopped. Higher is better.

Division norm 68.8% · middle half 56.2% to 75.0% · lowest 10% at or below 46.6% · highest 10% at or above 82.2%

Last five fights: norm 64.5%, middle half 49.3% to 76.4% (n = 72).

Highest: Ilia Topuria (95.2%), Rafael Fiziev (90.4%), Mauricio Ruffy (86.7%). Lowest: Vinc Pichel (31.6%), Damir Hadzovic (34.8%), Kurt Holobaugh (36.1%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 10 opponent takedown attempts faced.

Across divisions
Medians run from 59.1% (Heavyweight) to 69.8% (Light Heavyweight).

Control time

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of fight time spent in control of the opponent. Higher is better.

Division norm 16.9% · middle half 7.9% to 24.4% · lowest 10% at or below 4.9% · highest 10% at or above 36.7%

Last five fights: norm 13.5%, middle half 7.2% to 22.5% (n = 88).

Highest: Grant Dawson (65.1%), Benoit Saint Denis (47.2%), Terrance McKinney (45.1%). Lowest: Maheshate (0.4%), Kyle Prepolec (1.7%), Daniel Zellhuber (2.7%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 10.4% (Light Heavyweight) to 26.8% (Women's Bantamweight).

Submission attempts per 15 minutes

73 of 111 active clear the minimum

Submission attempts per 15 minutes of fight time. Higher is better.

Division norm 0.29 per 15 min · middle half 0.00 per 15 min to 0.73 per 15 min · lowest 10% at or below 0.00 per 15 min · highest 10% at or above 1.27 per 15 min

Last five fights: norm 0.00 per 15 min, middle half 0.00 per 15 min to 0.63 per 15 min (n = 88).

Highest: Charles Oliveira (2.59 per 15 min), Terrance McKinney (2.18 per 15 min), Chase Hooper (2.05 per 15 min). Lowest: Jared Gordon (0.00 per 15 min), Justin Gaethje (0.00 per 15 min), Nasrat Haqparast (0.00 per 15 min).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 30 minutes of fight time.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0.00 per 15 min (Heavyweight) to 0.85 per 15 min (Flyweight).

Outcomes

Knockout win rate

75 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of decided fights won by KO or TKO. Higher is better.

Division norm 18% · middle half 12% to 31% · lowest 10% at or below 0% · highest 10% at or above 41%

Last five fights: norm 20%, middle half 0% to 33% (n = 89).

Highest: Ilia Topuria (60%), Manuel Torres (57%), Mauricio Ruffy (57%). Lowest: Austin Hubbard (0%), Claudio Puelles (0%), Joe Solecki (0%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 5 qualifying fights.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0% (Women's Strawweight) to 32% (Light Heavyweight).

Submission win rate

75 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of decided fights won by submission. Higher is better.

Division norm 4% · middle half 0% to 17% · lowest 10% at or below 0% · highest 10% at or above 33%

Last five fights: norm 0%, middle half 0% to 20% (n = 89).

Highest: Charles Oliveira (47%), Paddy Pimblett (44%), Chris Padilla (40%). Lowest: Jeremy Stephens (0%), Edson Barboza (0%), Michael Johnson (0%).

Minimum: at least 5 fights and 5 qualifying fights.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0% (Heavyweight) to 13% (Flyweight).

Knockout loss rate

54 of 111 active clear the minimum

Share of decided fights lost by KO or TKO. Lower is better.

Division norm 13% · middle half 8% to 20% · lowest 10% at or below 0% · highest 10% at or above 27%

Last five fights: norm 20%, middle half 0% to 20% (n = 83).

Highest: Michael Chandler (38%), Kyle Nelson (36%), Matt Frevola (36%). Lowest: Mateusz Gamrot (0%), Arman Tsarukyan (0%), Austin Hubbard (0%).

Minimum: at least 8 fights and 8 qualifying fights.

Across divisions
Medians run from 0% (Women's Flyweight) to 22% (Light Heavyweight). Further right is better here too.
Who is in the group. Every UFC fighter with a bout between 10 October 2024 and 10 October 2026 (the last 24 months of data), filed in the division of most of their last three UFC bouts. Catchweight bouts do not count towards a division. 111 lightweights qualify. Minimum sample. A fighter counts towards a stat only with enough UFC fights and fight time behind the figure (the minimum is printed under each stat). Below it they are left out rather than treated as zero. How to read it. The norm is the median: half the group is above it, half below. The middle half runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile. Medians and ranges describe the record; they are not a rating of anyone. Coverage. Every figure is built from UFC fights that have round-by-round data. Some older bouts do not, and are left out rather than estimated. Check us. Rebuilt from the official UFC statistical record on every build; nothing on this page is typed in by hand. UFC-wide leaderboards. Left out. 2 active fighters who share a name with another UFC fighter, because their division cannot be told apart by name.
Other divisions
More UFC stat answers