Benoît Saint Denis Eyes top 10 leap at UFC 322: A Look at the Rankings Shuffle

The elite tier of the lightweight division is within reach for French MMA sensation Benoît saint Denis. This weekend, at UFC 322 in New York, Saint Denis has a golden prospect to significantly climb the official UFC rankings with a victory over beneil Dariush. This potential ascent comes two years after he first cracked the top 15 following a dominant first-round knockout win at the same Madison Square Garden event. After a setback against Dustin Poirier in March 2024, Saint Denis is poised to resume his charge towards the division’s summit.

Currently ranked 13th, Saint Denis has seen his position fluctuate. He previously held the 11th spot but dropped two places as fighters like Renato Moicano and Paddy Pimblett capitalized on their recent successes to surpass him. Despite this, he remains firmly entrenched within the top 15. His opponent, Beneil Dariush, sits at 9th in the rankings. however, Dariush is on a recent skid, having suffered defeats to top contenders Charles oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, though he did secure a win against Moicano.

Logically, a win for Saint Denis against Dariush would place him directly into the 9th position. However, the UFC’s ranking system isn’t always a straightforward mathematical equation. While the association typically follows this progression, it’s not an automatic guarantee. The final say rests with a “voting committee comprised of members of the media,” as stated on the UFC’s official website.

Navigating the Ranking Maze

The composition of this media voting panel is, to say the least, eclectic. The UFC website lists outlets such as KHON Honolulu, MMA Oddsbreaker, CFMU 93.3, Bursprak.se, FightNews, Fight Network, Gazeta Esportiva, Cherokee Scout, Burbank Leader, MMA Weekly, KIOZ 105.3, Vladusport.com, Wrestling observer, Top Turtle Podcast, MMA Fight radio, BoxeoMundial, Kimura.se, MMA Soldier, MMA NYTT, Blood & Sweat, and Inside Fighting Radio.

the actual influence of these outlets on the rankings can be somewhat opaque. In 2019, bruno Massami, who then voted on behalf of Gazeta Esportiva, commented on the process: the UFC doesn’t contact us, no one does, we don’t receive any advice, they just want our best judgment. This sentiment highlights the subjective nature of the rankings, leaving room for interpretation.

Despite the intricacies of the voting process, Saint Denis’s current standing and the caliber of his opponent suggest a significant jump is highly likely in the event of a victory. Furthermore, the potential departure of the division’s number one contender, islam Makhachev, as he moves up to challenge in a higher weight class, could create further opportunities. This would clear the path for the French fighter to perhaps secure a high-profile matchup against another top-ranked opponent in the lightweight division.