Draft:Bellator MMA Rankings

The Bellator MMA rankings, which was introduced in March 2021, is generated by a voting panel made up of media members. The media members are asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the Bellator MMA by weight class and pound-for-pound.

Rankings
The inaugural Bellator fighter rankings were revealed on March 29, 2021. Fighters are rated by a panel made up of 17 MMA media members. The panel votes for the top active fighters in Bellator by both weight class and pound-for-pound. A fighter can be ranked in multiple divisions at the same time in divisions they have competed. The champions and interim champions are placed in the top positions of their respective weight classes and only the champions are eligible to be voted for in the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighters are eligible to be ranked for up to 15 months after competing in each weight class, with the exception of a fighter competing in a World Grand Prix tournament in a different weight class. Fighters serving non-medical suspensions of longer than six months are not eligible to be ranked.

The rankings for Bellator's fighters are updated the Monday after a Bellator live event.

Updated as of December 7, 2023.

Rules

 * New Fighter Eligibility: A fighter must have competed once inside the Bellator cage on a current term with the company to be eligible.
 * Inactivity: A fighter is eligible to be ranked for up to 15-months without competing.
 * Retirement: A fighter remains eligible for 60 days after an indication of retirement, with the organization ultimately determining if the fighter remains active and eligible.
 * Multiple Weight Classes: A fighter is allowed to be actively ranked in two different weight classes and is eligible to be ranked in an additional weight class once they have competed at least once in that division.
 * A fighter must actively compete in each weight class – a period of inactivity longer than 15 months in a given weight class will result in the removal from that specific weight class, but not necessarily from another division or the overall rankings pool. o   With the exception being that a fighter is actively participating in a World Grand Prix tournament in a different weight class.
 * Removal/Ineligibility: A fighter serving a non-medical suspension from an overseeing regulatory body and/or the organization for longer than six months will be removed from rankings eligibility. A fighter will remain eligible with a suspension of six months or fewer.
 * Fighter Rankings Pool: The final list of eligible fighters, and the weight classes in which they are eligible to be ranked, will ultimately be determined by the organization.
 * Voting Frequency: New Bellator rankings will only be voted on after every event, regardless of frequency.
 * Votes will be due the Monday following a Bellator live event.
 * First-Place Votes: Each rankings period will reveal how many number one contender votes each fighter received.
 * Voting Tabulation: Tabulation of votes will be handled exclusively by Combat Registry, a third-party independent of Bellator MMA.
 * Voting Panel: Bellator fighter rankings will be voted on exclusively by media members within the MMA industry.
 * In no capacity, will Bellator staff, athletes, talent or other organization personnel participate in voting.

The inaugural voting panel will include the following members of the media:


 * 1) Jeff Cain – MMA Weekly
 * 2) Brian Campbell – CBS Sports
 * 3) Alexander Clausson – Kimura
 * 4) Rodrigo Del Campo – Claro Sports
 * 5) Rob DeMello – KHON Hawaii
 * 6) Jason Floyd – The MMA Report
 * 7) George Garcia – MMA Junkie
 * 8) Amy Kaplan – FanSided
 * 9) Nolan King – MMA Junkie
 * 10) John Hyon Ko – South China Morning Post
 * 11) Mark LaMonica – Newsday
 * 12) Igor Lazarin – TASS Russia
 * 13) Shakiel Mahjouri – CBS Sports
 * 14) Joe McDonagh – Cageside Press
 * 15) John Morgan – MMA Junkie
 * 16) Ken Pishna – MMA Weekly

Overview

 * Last update (current ranking): December 7, 2023
 * Previous update (prior ranking): September 26, 2023