There’s something almost hypnotic about watching the UFC’s flyweights in action. When the very best 125-pounders let fists fly, flitting around an iconic structure that suddenly seems enormous compared to the fighters within, there’s nothing in the world quite like it.
Watching John Dodson fight Demetrious Johnson is perhaps the closest you’ll get to seeing cobra versus mongoose in human form. The speed and skill on display are like nothing else we’ve ever seen in the cage.
Unfortunately, it’s been two years since the UFC debuted its most recent male weight class in Sydney, Australia, and the results have been a decidedly mixed bag for the promotion. Artistically, the fights are critical hits. But at the box office, where real-world decisions are made, the sport’s smallest fighters have failed to ignite interest among casual fans.
At the very top of the division where Johnson reigns, the fighters are as good as any in the sport. But on the margins, the little guys haven’t been around long enough to sort the wheat from the chaff. Most of the UFC’s divisions have a decade or more of history to draw upon, making it easier to gauge a fighter’s relative level. With the flyweights, a bit of guesswork is involved.
This list is not a ranking based on past performance. Instead, these ratings are a snapshot of where these athletes stand right now compared to their peers. We’ve scored each fighter on a 100-point scale based on their abilities in four key categories. You can read more about how the ratings are determined here.
Disagree with our order or analysis? Furious about a notable omission? Let us know about it in the comments.