Who is the current light heavyweight champion?
Simply put, the UFC light heavyweight championship feels cursed at this point.
As of the early afternoon of Thursday, July 27, 2023, there is no UFC light heavyweight champion. The most recent light heayweight champion, Jamahal Hill, announced on July 14 that he was vacating the title after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
There are currently no plans on the table in filling the championship vacancy. An advertisement for UFC 291 that seemed to insinuate that Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira would be for the vacant title, but the UFC stated that it was an error.
This is the third time in the last three years that the championship has been vacated. In 2020, Jon Jones — who held the title for a significant portion of the 2010s — gave up the title in his plans to move up to heavyweight. Jones defeated Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 to become the UFC heavyweight champion.
In November 2022, Jiri Prochazka voluntarily vacated the strap after suffering a shoulder injury that would sideline him for months.
Since Jones' vacancy, the sole successful defense of the UFC's 205-pound title came when Jan Blachowicz defeated Israel Adesanya in their UFC 259 superfight.
An update on who is the UFC light heayvweight champion is; plans for the title
As of July 27, Prochazka is the No. 1 ranked light heavyweight in the UFC, and it is assumed he will fight for the once-again vacant title. Prochazka was previously promised a title shot upon return since he didn't lose the championship in the Octagon. It is assumed Hill has a similar promise with his circumstances.
Blachowicz, the former champion, is ranked No. 3, while his UFC 291 opponent, Pereira, isn't ranked in the division. Pereira is a top-ranked middleweight fighter, having previously held the UFC middleweight championship.
The No. 2 ranked fighter is Magomed Ankalaev, who fought Blachowicz to a split draw at UFC 282 in December. Many felt Ankalaev won the fight, but UFC President Dana White didn't give him another title shot on account of the fight being poorly received. There is no word on future plans for Ankalaev.
Next. What happens if an MMA fight is a draw?. dark