UFC Weight Divisions & Rankings

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.

Home of the world’s best fighters, the UFC is split into numerous different weight divisions across both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Each division has specific weight requirements with its own rankings and champion or “current belt holder.”

Champions are crowned in title fights and current champions are forced to defend their belt in a “use it or lose it” type scenario.

In addition to the separate weight classes, there are the pound-for-pound rankings for both male and female fighters.

These UFC rankings are used to determine who the best fighters are across the entire organization.

These lists are decided by a voting panel, so don’t expect to see a Flyweight fighting a Heavyweight anytime soon.

In total there are nine different weight classes as well as the official pound-for-pound rankings, details of which can be found below.

All UFC Weight Divisions:

UFC Strawweight Division

·         Minimum weight - None

·         Maximum weight – 115 pounds (52.2kg)

The lightest UFC weight class is Strawweight. This has a maximum weight of just 115 pounds (52.2kg).

Unlike all other divisions, Strawweight is exclusive to women fighters. The current Strawweight champion is Brazillian/American mixed martial artist Mackenzie Dern

‘The Iron Lady’ - Mackenzie Dern claimed the vacant Strawweight title after long time champion Zhang Weili moved up to challenge in the Flyweight division. 

With Zhang unsuccessful, a highly anticipated matchup between Dern and Zhang will determine the future of the UFC Strawweight division.

Outside of the big names - the UFC Strawweight Division is known for elite conditioning, high-level skill and some of the fastest combat sports athletes on the planet. 

UFC Flyweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 115 pounds (52.2kg)

·         Maximum weight – 125 pounds (56.7kg)

The first division that houses both men and women fighters, Flyweight has a minimum weight requirement of 115 pounds (52.2kg) and a maximum of 125 pounds (56.7kg).

The current men’s Flyweight champion is the second-youngest champion in UFC history, Burmese/American 24-year-old Joshua Van.

While the owner of the women’s belt is also the No.1 pound-for-pound female fighter in the world and only Krygzstani on the roster. The frightening former kickboxer, Valentina Shevchenko. 

UFC Bantamweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 125 pounds (56.7kg)

·         Maximum weight – 135 pounds (61.2kg)

Next up is Bantamweight with weight restrictions of 125 pounds (56.7kg) minimum and 135 pounds (61.2kg) maximum.

Currently the final weight division with both male and female fighters, Bantamweight doesn’t disappoint. The current male and female champions are both veterans of the sport in Russian Petyr Yan and Olympic Gold Medallist in Judo, Kayla Harrison  

UFC Featherweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 135 pounds (61.2kg)

·         Maximum weight – 145 pounds (65.8kg)

The current featherweight champion is our very own Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski, whose numerous title defences have made him one of the most successful Featherweights in the history of the UFC.

A shoe in for the hall of fame and possibly the GOAT of the division, Volk has become a household name in Australia through his ‘Cooking with Volk’ channel and all round personality.

A world-class fighter and an even better bloke, check out Alexander Volkanovski’s Fighter Profile.

UFC Lightweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 145 pounds (65.8kg)

·         Maximum weight – 155 pounds (70.3kg)

Arguably the most famous division in the history of the UFC, Lightweight has produced many of the greatest fighters and bouts in the history of the organisation.

With a lineage of champions such as: BJ Penn, Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, Khabib Nurmagomedov, , Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria and now Justin ‘The Highlight’ Gaethje, it’s not hard to see why Lightweight is so heavily viewed.

UFC Welterweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 155 pounds (70.3kg)

·         Maximum weight – 170 pounds (77.1kg)

Up next is Welterweight. With a limit of 77.1kg, now we start packing on the pounds.

The punches start getting a little heavier and with frightening prospects like Carlos ‘The Nightmare’ Prates occupying the division, Welterweight has one of the deepest talent pools in the UFC..

Aussie battler Jack Della-Maddalena held the Welterweight belt in 2025, before facing the No.1 P4P fighter in the world - Islam Makhachev who won by decision to be crowned the current UFC Welterweight Champion.

UFC Middleweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 170 pounds (77.1kg)

·         Maximum weight – 185 pounds (83.9kg)

Two of the greatest fighters in the history of the UFC have been middleweights. Both Anderson Silva and George St-Pierre were middleweights and held the title at one point.

In more recent times, Aussie hero Robert Whittaker and always entertaining Kiwi Israel Adesanya have held the belt.

As of June 2026, the controversial Sean Strickland is the current Middleweight champion after prevailing against all odds over Russian wrestler, Khamzat Chimaev. 

UFC Light Heavyweight Divsion

·         Minimum weight – 185 pounds (83.9kg)

·         Maximum weight – 205 pounds (93.0 kg)

Now we’re really getting up there. The penultimate stop on the weight class train, Light Heavyweight has a maximum weight of 205 pounds (93.0kg).

Alex Pereira has long been the king of the division - but has recently vacated the belt in the pursuit of history. 

Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira has moved to Heavyweight to try and become the first man ever to claim UFC dominance at three weight divisions.

In Pereira’s absence, Kiwi phenom Carlos Ulberg won the belt and currently stands as the best fighter at 205 pounds. 

UFC Heavyweight Division

·         Minimum weight – 205 pounds (93.0kg)

·         Maximum weight – 265 pounds (120kg)

As big as it gets in the UFC, Heavyweight has a maximum weight of a whopping 265 pounds (120kg).

The present champion is Englishman Tom Aspinall, who has been inactive due to an eye-injury sustained in his first title defence against Ciryl Gane. 

In his absence, Gane and former Lightweight king Alex Pereira will fight for the Interim Heavyweight strap at the Whitehouse for UFC Freedom 250. 

Men’s UFC Weight Divisions & Current Rankings

UFC Men's Pound-for-Pound Rankings

1. Islam Makhachev
2. Alexander Volkanovski
3. Petr Yan
4. Justin Gaethje
5. Ilia Topuria
6. Tom Aspinall
7. Sean Strickland
8. Merab Dvalishvili
9. Alex Pereira
10. Ciryl Gane

UFC Flyweight Rankings

Flyweight Champion – Joshua Van

1. Alexandre Pantoja
2. Manel Kape
3. Brandon Royval
4. Tatsuro Taira
5. Asu Almabayev
6. Lone’er Kavanagh
7. Ramazan Temirov
8. Kyoji Horiguchi
9. Amir Albazi
10. Brandon Moreno

UFC Bantamweight Rankings

Bantamweight Champion – Petr Yan

1. Merab Dvalishvili
2. Umar Nurmagomedov   
3. Sean O’Malley
4. Mario Bautista
5. Cory Sandhagen
6. Song Yadong
7. David Martinez
8. Raoni Barcelos
9. Farid Basharat
10. Marcus McGhee

UFC Featherweight Rankings

Featherweight Champion – Alexander Volkanovski

1. Movsar Evloev
2. Diego Lopes    
3. Lerone Murphy
4. Aljamain Sterling
5. Arnold Allen
6. Jean Silva
7. Pat Sabatini
8. Nathaniel Wood
9. Youssef Zalal
10. Kevin Vallejos   

UFC Lightweight Rankings

Lightweight Champion – Justin Gathje

1. Ilia Topuria
2. Arman Tsarukyan
3. Charles Oliveira     
4. Max Holloway  
5. Paddy Pimblett
6. Quillan Salkilld
7. Renato Moicano
8. Benoit Saint Denis
9. Mateusz Gamrot
10. Mauricio Ruffy

UFC Welterweight Rankings

Welterweight Champion – Islam Makhachev

1. Carlos Prates
2. Ian Machado Garry
3. Michael Morales
4. Jack Della Maddalena
5. Sean Brady
6. Gabriel Bonfim
7. Belal Muhammad
8. Leon Edwards
9. Joaquin Buckley
10. Uroš Medić 

UFC Middleweight Rankings

Middleweight Champion – Sean Strickland

1.  Khamzat Chimaev
2. Dricus Du Plessis
3. Nassourdine Imavov
4. Joe Pyfer
5. Brendan Allen
6. Caio Borralho
7. Anthony Hernandez
8. Michael Venom Page
9. Israel Adesanya
10. Gregory Rodrigues

UFC Light Heavyweight Rankings

Light Heavyweight Champion – Carlos Ulberg

1. Alex Pereira
2. Magomed Ankalaev
3. Jiří Procházka
4. Paulo Costa
5. Jamahal Hill
6. Khalil Rountree Jr.
7. Navajo Stirling
8. Dominick Reyes
9. Azamat Murzakanov
10.  Bogdan Guskov

UFC Heavyweight Rankings

Heavyweight Champion – Tom Aspinall

1. Ciryl Gane
2. Alexander Volkov
3. Sergei Pavlovich
4. Alex Pereira
5. Rizvan Kuniev
6. Josh Hokit
7. Waldo Cortes Acosta
8. Valter Walker
9. Serghei Spivac
10. Curtis Blaydes

Women’s UFC Weight Divisions & Current Rankings

UFC Women's Pound-for-Pound Rankings

1. Valentina Shevchenko
2. Kayla Harrison
3. Zhang Weili
4. Natalia Silva
5. Mackenzie Dern
6. Manon Fiorot
7. Alexa Grasso
8. Erin Blanchfield
9. Julianna Peña
10. Tatiana Suarez

UFC Strawweight Rankings

Strawweight Champion – Mackenzie Dern

1. Zhang Weili
2. Virna Jandiroba
3. Tatiana Suarez
4. Yan Xiaonan
5. Gillian Robertson
6. Fatima Kline
7. Alexia Thainara
8. Piera Rodriguez
9. Denise Gomes
10. Mizuki

UFC Flyweight Rankings

Flyweight Champion – Valentina Shevchenko

1. Natalia Silva
2. Manon Fiorot
3. Alexa Grasso
4. Erin Blanchfield
5. Zhang Weili
6. Wang Cong
7. Jasmine Jasudavicius
8. Rose Namajunas
9. Maycee Barber
10. Tracy Cortez

UFC Bantamweight Rankings

Bantamweight Champion – Kayla Harrison

1. Joselyne Edwards
2. Norma Dumont
3. Luana Santos
4. Ailin Perez
5. Julianna Peña
6. Yana Santos
7. Jacqueline Cavalcanti
8. Michelle Montague
9. Melissa Croden
10. Karol Rosa

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