- The UFC champions are undoubtedly the best fighters in their respective categories.
- UFC champions are fighters who have won UFC championships in their weight classes and divisions.
- As of now, there are 12 weight classes in UFC, eight for men and four for women.
The current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are undoubtedly the best fighters in their respective categories.
UFC champions are fighters who have won UFC championships in their weight classes and divisions.
UFC introduced weight-specific titles in 1997, starting with UFC 12. And by UFC 31, the UFC had come up with five active weight divisions: Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight, Welterweight and Lightweight.
UFC expanded its lower weight classes in 2010 after merging with another MMA organization, World Extreme Cagefighting.
As of now, there are 12 weight classes in UFC, eight for men and four for women. This article will let you know the current UFC champions in all 12 categories.
1. Heavyweight – Francis Ngannou
Francis Ngannou has been the UFC Heavyweight champion since March 27, 2021, when he knocked out Stipe Miocic.
Francis Ngannou is the current Heavyweight champion. Photo/ Marca.
The Franco-Cameroonian fighter has made one defence for the heavyweight title.
2. Middleweight – Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira became the UFC Middleweight champion on November 12, 2022, after defeating Israel Adesanya. The fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York.
3. Welterweight – Leon Edwards
Leon Edwards is the new Welterweight champion after knocking out Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. He is yet to make a defence for his title.
4. Lightweight – Islam Makhachev
Israel Makhachev became the new UFC Lightweight champion after defeating Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi.
Lightweight champion Israel Makhachev. Photo/ MMA.BG.
Israel’s victory over Oliveira made him a No. 2 contender in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
5. Featherweight – Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski became the first Australian-born UFC Featherweight champion on December 14, 2019, after defeating Max Holloway.
Volkanovski has so far defended his title four times.
6. Bantamweight – Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling became the Bantamweight champion on March 6, 2021, while fighting Petr Yan.
Sterling won the championship by disqualification after Yan landed an intentional illegal knee on him in the fourth round. The doctor recommended the fight be stopped after Sterling suffered a concussion.
Sterling successfully defended his title in a match against Petr Yan at UFC 273 after winning via split decision.
7. Flyweight – Deiveson Figueiredo
Deiveson Figueiredo lost his first fight with Brandon Moreno at UFC 263. However, Deiveson emerged as the winner during their rematch at UFC 270, winning the Flyweight Championship in the process.
Deiveson Figueiredo. Photo/ Strictly Martial Arts.
8. Light Heavyweight – Vacant
Jiri Prochazka became the Light Heavyweight champion after defeating Glover Teixeira at UFC 275. Glover, who had won the title at UFC 267 after defeating Jan Blachowicz, lost it in his first defence fight.
Jiri Prochazka was to defend his Light Heavyweight title in a rematch with Glover Teixeira on December 10, 2022.
However, UFC announced on November 23, 2022, that Prochazka was forced out of the fight due to an injury to his right shoulder. As a result, he vacated the Light Heavyweight title.
9. Women’s Featherweight – Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes is the current UFC Women’s Featherweight champion. She won the title on December 29, 2018, after knocking out Cris Cyborg at UFC 232.
The Brazilian international has successfully defended her title twice.
10. Women’s Bantamweight – Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes is also the women’s Bantamweight champion. She first won the title on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200 after defeating Miesha Tate.
Amanda Nunes. Photo/ Correio24horas.
The openly gay UFC fighter defended the Bantamweight title against big names in MMA, such as Ronda Rousey, Holy Holm, Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine De Randamie.
Julianna Pena defeated Amanda Nunes through submission at UFC 269 to claim the women’s Bantamweight championship.
However, Nunes recaptured the title in a rematch at UFC 277 on July 30, 2022. She is currently ranked as #1 in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings.
11. Women’s Flyweight – Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko has been the Women’s Flyweight champion since December 8, 2018, when she defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 231.
She has successfully defended her title seven times against big names like Jessica Eye, Katlyn Chookagian, Liz Carmouche and Jennifer Maia.
12. Women’s Strawweight – Zhang Weili
Zhang Weili defeated former champion Carla Esparza at UFC 281 on November 12, 2022, to be the new women’s strawweight champion.
Women’s Strawweight champion Zhang Weili. Photo/ Sportscasting.
She is yet to make her first defence of the strawweight championship.
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