Women's Flyweight: Who Faces the Toughest Competition?

In the Women's Flyweight division, Manon Fiorot stands at the top of a unique leaderboard: Highest average opponent Elo. This statistic measures the average skill level of the opponents a fighter has faced throughout their UFC career, based on their individual Elo rating. A higher average Elo indicates that a fighter has consistently been matched against more highly-rated and challenging competition. To qualify for this list, a fighter must have completed at least 5 UFC fights. Our analysis includes 56 qualified fighters out of 85 on record in this group, with fighters grouped by their current weight class.

The Top Contenders

Manon Fiorot leads the pack with an average opponent Elo of 1074. With a UFC record of 8-2 across 10 fights, Fiorot, age 37, has consistently been tested against high-caliber opponents. Her position at the top suggests that her path through the division has been against some of the most skilled fighters, validating her standing within the weight class.

Closely behind is Zhang Weili, who holds an average opponent Elo of 1072. Zhang, also age 37, has a UFC record of 10-3 over 13 fights. The narrow difference between Fiorot and Zhang highlights that both fighters have navigated extremely challenging schedules, facing elite competition throughout their respective careers.

Tied for third place are two prominent names: Valentina Shevchenko and Rose Namajunas, both with an average opponent Elo of 1066. Shevchenko, age 39, boasts an impressive UFC record of 15-3 over 18 fights, indicating a long tenure against top-tier opponents. Namajunas, age 34, has a UFC record of 12-7 across 19 fights, showcasing a similar history of facing demanding competition over a considerable number of bouts. Their shared Elo rating underscores the consistent quality of opposition both have encountered.

Rounding out the top five is Victoria Leonardo with an average opponent Elo of 1064. Leonardo, age 37, has a UFC record of 1-4 from her 5 fights. Her high average opponent Elo despite a losing record and the minimum number of fights to qualify is notable. It suggests that her short UFC run has been against particularly tough competition. It is worth noting that rate statistics derived from a small number of fights can sometimes be more susceptible to noise.

Further Down the List

The top of this leaderboard is tightly clustered, with only a 27-point spread separating the top ten fighters. Alexa Grasso, age 33, sits at number six with an average opponent Elo of 1062, holding a 10-5 record over 15 UFC fights. She is followed by Erin Blanchfield, age 28, at 1060, with an 8-2 record in 10 fights.

Tracy Cortez, age 33, is eighth with an average opponent Elo of 1050, having a 6-3 record in 9 fights. Natalia Silva, age 30, is ninth at 1048, notably holding an undefeated 9-0 record across 9 UFC fights, indicating she has navigated tough opponents without a loss. Finally, Gabriella Fernandes, age 33, completes the top ten with an average opponent Elo of 1047, holding a 3-4 record in 7 fights.

This statistic provides insight into the caliber of competition faced by fighters in the Women's Flyweight division. It highlights those who have consistently stepped into the octagon against highly-rated adversaries. Our Elo calculations are based solely on UFC fights.

Women's Flyweight — highest average opponent elo

Fighter	Opponent Elo	UFC fights
1. Manon Fiorot	1074	10 fights
2. Zhang Weili	1072	13 fights
3. Valentina Shevchenko	1066	18 fights
4. Rose Namajunas	1066	19 fights
5. Victoria Leonardo	1064	5 fights
6. Alexa Grasso	1062	15 fights
7. Erin Blanchfield	1060	10 fights
8. Tracy Cortez	1050	9 fights
9. Natalia Silva	1048	9 fights
10. Gabriella Fernandes	1047	7 fights

Career statistics from UFC Stats; Elo is bjjmetrics' own rating from UFC results. Updated twice a day.

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