UFC weight classes in order

Every UFC weight class in order from lightest to heaviest.

MMA promotions all around the globe have found a way to categorize their athletes by size and this is all thanks to weight classes.

Long gone are the days when fighters would compete at open weight and size up competitors that were either over 100 pounds heavier or half their size. The introduction of weight classes not only made the sport more legitimate as it copied the boxing model of separating athletes by size but it also allowed professional MMA fighters to focus on a specific weight class they would like to compete in, striving for titles, pay-per-view main events and performance bonuses. 

The UFC is no exception to this rule.

Although they also began with the open weight tournament system in 1993, and it would take them until their 12th event to establish two weight classes, the UFC has now long had its divisions, each one with its own champion and contenders.

The UFC currently has 12 divisions, eight for men and four for women. It has to be noted that there are actually only three active weight classes within women’s divisions as Amanda Nunes is the current holder of the women’s featherweight title yet does not have a list of contenders behind her due to a shortage of competition. Without further ado, here are the UFC’s 12 weight classes, from heaviest to lightest. 

UFC men’s weight classes

Heavyweight (206 to 265 pounds)

• Champion: Vacant
• Most title defenses: Stipe Miocic (4)
• Next title fight: Jon Jones vs. Cyril Gane, UFC 285 (March 4, 2023)

Light heavyweight (186 to 205 pounds)

• Champion: Jamahal Hill 
• Most title defenses: Jon Jones (11)
• Next title fight: TBD

Middleweight (171 to 185 pounds) 

• Champion: Alex Pereira
• Most title defenses: Anderson Silva (10)
• Next title fight: Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2, UFC 287 (March 28, 2023)

Welterweight (156 to 170 pounds) 

• Champion: Leon Edwards 
• Most title defenses: George St. Pierre (9)
• Next title fight: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3, UFC 286 (March 28, 2023)

Lightweight (146 to 155 pounds)

• Champion: Islam Makhachev 
• Most title defenses: B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, Benson Henderson, Khabib Nurmagomedov (3)
• Next title fight: TBD

Featherweight (136 to 145 pounds)

• Champion: Alexander Volkanovski 
• Most title defenses: Jose Aldo (7)
• Next title fight: TBD 

Bantamweight (126 to 135 pounds)

• Champion: Aljamain Sterling
• Most title defenses: T.J. Dillashaw (3)
• Next title fight: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo, UFC 288 (May 6, 2023)

Flyweight (116 to 125 pounds)

• Champion: Brandon Moreno 
• Most title defenses: Demetrius Johnson (11)
• Next title fight: TBD

UFC women’s weight classes

Featherweight (136 to 145 pounds)

• Champion: Amanda Nunes 
• Most title defenses: Cris Cyborg and Amanda Nunes (2)
• Next title fight: TBD 

Bantamweight (126 to 135 pounds)

• Champion: Amanda Nunes 
• Most title defenses: Ronda Rousey (6)
• Next title fight: TBD

Flyweight (116 to 125 pounds)

• Champion: Valentina Shevchenko 
• Most title defenses: Valentina Shevchenko (7)
• Next title fight: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso, UFC 285 (mARCH 4, 2023)

Strawweight (106 to 115 pounds)

• Champion: Zhang Weili 
• Most title defenses: Joanna Jędrzejczyk (5)
• Next title fight: TBD