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Winning streaks are a great indicator of which UFC fighters are the cream of the crop in their respective weight classes. As a fighter continues to extend his/her string of successive victories, he/she gains a ton of notoriety, attention and confidence.
Anderson Silva, one of the greatest fighters of all time, put together a historic win streak upon joining the UFC in 2006. He went on a 16-fight winning streak comprising 14 finishes. His incredible run between 2006 and 2012 saw 'The Spider' cement his legacy as one of the best to ever do it.
Some of the best fighters to ever grace the octagon have put together massive win streaks. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Georges St-Pierre ammassed 13-fight winning streaks during their time in their respective divisions. Jon Jones, arguably the greatest of all time, could have been riding a 17-fight winning streak if not for his second win against Daniel Cormier being overturned to a no-contest.
That said, here are the five longest active win streaks in the UFC right now.
#5. Valentina Shevchenko (8-fight win streak in the UFC)
Valentina Shevchenko has established herself as one of the best fighters in the world in recent years. The Kyrgyzstani phenom has enjoyed an incredible career so far. The lifelong martial artist is one of the most dominant champions in combat sports, having defended her flyweight title six times.
Shevchenko spent almost half her UFC career competing at 135 lbs before dropping down to the 125 lbs division. Despite clearly being undersized, ‘Bullet’ emerged as one of the best fighters in the bantamweight division, picking up wins over Holly Holm and Julianna Pena.
In fact, it was Shevchenko and Amanda Nunes who were the clear-cut best fighters in the division. The duo locked horns twice, with Nunes securing a unanimous decision victory in the first and a split-decision in the second. However, many believe Shevchenko should have come out on top in their second bout.
Shevchenko's second loss to Nunes came in 2017. She hasn't lost a fight since then and is currently riding an eight-fight win streak.
Her hugely impressive bantamweight run pre-dated the promotion’s flyweight division altogether. When the 125 lbs weight class was eventually created, she secured a title shot with a win over Priscila Cachoeira. She defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the vacant title in 2018 and has been defending her title ever since.
#4. Islam Makhachev (10-fight win streak in the UFC)
Islam Makhachev is considered by many to be a future UFC lightweight champion. The Russian phenom joined the promotion in 2015 and secured an impressive submission victory over Leo Kuntz in his octagon debut. This would set the tone for what was to come from the 12-0 lightweight.
Makhachev suffered a setback in his next bout but bounced back in emphatic fashion. He put together a ten-fight win streak to solidify his status as the No.1 contender at 155 lbs. 2021 was the best year of his career so far. He started the year as an unranked fighter and came into 2022 as a top-five contender.
In his most recent bout, Makhachev took on MMA veteran Bobby Green. He was initially scheduled to fight fellow top-ranked contender Beneil Dariush. Unfortunately, Dariush suffered an injury and was later replaced by Green, who took the fight on fourteen days' notice.
Makhachev made light work of Green, securing a TKO finish inside the first round to stake his claim for a title shot.
#3. Charles Oliveira (10-fight win streak in the UFC)
Charles Oliveira joined the UFC in 2010 as a 20-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom with a professional record of 12-0. Over the next seven years, 'Do Bronx' bounced up and down between the featherweight and lightweight divisions, having mixed success throughout. He often missed weight while competing at 145 lbs and ultimately committed to 155 lbs in 2017.
Oliveira took on Clay Guida at UFC 225 in 2018 and came away with a stunning first-round submission victory. The win over Guida kickstarted one of the longest win streaks in the history of the lightweight division. He beat the likes of Jared Gordon, Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson to earn a shot at gold.
The Brazilian's turbulent run in the promotion culminated in spectacular fashion at UFC 262 last year. He took on Michael Chandler for the vacant lightweight championship following the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Throughout the course of his career, ‘Do Bronx’ was accused of giving up in fights and not showing the heart of a champion. This notion was put to the test against Chandler as the former Bellator champ hurt Oliveira on numerous occasions in the first round of their bout. However, the 32-year-old mounted an admirable comeback in the second round, knocking out his American counterpart 20 seconds into the round to win the belt.
Charles Oliveira took on Dustin Poirier in his first title defense in December last year. The Brazilian was the betting underdog going into the bout as many believed he would struggle against the power and pressure of 'The Diamond'.
However, Oliveira made a resounding statement with a stunning victory over Poirier. Adding to his record for most submission wins and finishes in UFC history, 'Do Bronx' locked in a rear-naked choke in the third round of the bout. Poirier was forced to tap and Oliveira secured his first title defense.
2021 saw Charles Oliveira go from being a top contender in the toughest division in the UFC to becoming an undisputed world champion. He is currently riding a 10-fight win streak and will be looking to notch his 11th win on the trot when he takes on Justin Gaethje later this year.
Moreover, there were a ton of lingering doubts surrounding Oliveira's willingness to fight through adversity. He silenced his critics in style, producing two come-from-behind victories against top contenders in the 155 lbs division. His professional record stands at 32-8 (1NC).
#2. Alexander Volkanovski (10-fight win streak in the UFC)
Alexander Volkanovski is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The Australian is riding an astonishing 10-fight win streak in the UFC and is a stylistic nightmare for almost anyone he goes up against. He hasn't lost a fight since 2013 and is on a 20-fight win streak in his pro MMA career.
Under the tutelage of Eugene Bareman and the coaching staff at New Zealand's City Kickboxing, Volkanovski has emerged as one of the savviest strikers in the UFC. Testament to this notion is the fact that he has outstruck former featherweight champion Max Holloway twice, a fighter famous for drowning his opponents with his endless volume-striking.
In his fight against Chad Mendes at UFC 232, Volkanovski showed that he can hang with a seasoned wrestler quite easily. His background in rugby, a notoriously rough and rugged sport, has contributed to his explosiveness and toughness. He has also showcased his otherworldly resilience in extremely dangerous positions, most recently against Brian Ortega last year.
Interestingly, Alexander Volkanovski has competed in the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight divisions over the course of his MMA career. In fact, his solitary loss came in a welterweight bout in his native Australia back in 2013.
Volkanovski has vowed to rule the featherweight division for a long time. A number of top contenders are on the rise and 'The Great' will be looking to add to his incredible win streak. He is set to take on Chan Sung Jung in his third title defense, which is set to go down at UFC 273 later this year.
#1. Kamaru Usman (15-fight win streak in the UFC)
Kamaru Usman, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, is widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter actively competing today. After going 1-1 in his first two fights, Usman has amassed a 19-fight win streak in his pro MMA career so far. The last time he tasted defeat was over nine years ago.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' haunted the 170 lbs division during his rise up the rankings. He became the champion following a dominant unanimous decision win over Tyron Woodley in 2019 and has defended his belt five times since.
Usman already has wins over three of the top-five fighters in the welterweight rankings. He has beaten top contenders Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal twice already. A rematch against Leon Edwards is reportedly next in line for 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.
Over the last few years, Usman has emerged as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the world. His dominant wrestling saw him trailblaze up the rankings and his newfound propensity for knockouts has added to the aura of invincibility that surrounds him. His last professional loss came in 2013 and he's currently riding a 15-fight win streak in the UFC.
