Everything moves fast in the UFC. One minute you're the king of the world, and the next, you're waking up to the smell of smelling salts while some guy from halfway across the globe does a backflip off the cage. Honestly, keeping track of every single weight class is basically a full-time job at this point.
If you're looking for the short answer to who is the ufc champion, well, there isn't just one. There are twelve. And if we’re being technical, there’s usually an "interim" situation or a "BMF" belt floating around to make things even more confusing.
Right now, as we kick off 2026, the landscape looks wildly different than it did even a year ago. We’ve seen legends retire, hungry prospects pull off massive upsets, and champions hopping between divisions like they’re trying to collect Pokémon badges. Let’s break down the current roster of titleholders so you actually know who’s sitting on the throne.
The Heavyweights and Light Heavyweights: Where the Big Boys Play
Let’s start at the top. The heavyweight division is, quite frankly, a bit of a mess. Tom Aspinall is the undisputed Heavyweight Champion. He finally got the "interim" tag removed after Jon Jones decided to hang it up (at least for now). But here’s the kicker: Aspinall is currently sidelined. During his defense against Ciryl Gane late last year at UFC 321, an accidental eye poke left him unable to continue. It was a weird, frustrating ending that left the division in a bit of a "limbo" state while his eyes recover.
Then you’ve got Alex Pereira. If there was an award for "Doing Too Much," it would go to "Poatan." He’s the Light Heavyweight Champion (205 lbs) and he’s been absolutely tearing through the division. He actually lost the belt to Magomed Ankalaev earlier in 2025, but then he came back at UFC 320 and basically steamrolled him in 90 seconds to get it back. Now, he's talking about moving up to heavyweight to fight Jon Jones in a superfight. The man is a human wrecking ball.
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The Middleweight and Welterweight "Changing of the Guard"
Middleweight (185 lbs) belongs to Khamzat Chimaev. It felt like it took forever for "Borz" to get his shot, but when he finally did at UFC 319, he didn't miss. He dominated Dricus Du Plessis to take the gold. Chimaev is a force of nature, but his activity levels are always a question mark due to health and travel issues. Nassourdine Imavov is currently the guy screaming the loudest for a shot at him, and honestly, he's earned it.
Moving down to Welterweight (170 lbs), we have a name you probably recognize: Islam Makhachev.
Wait, wasn't he the lightweight champ? Yeah, he was. But in 2025, Makhachev pulled off the "champ-champ" move. He vacated his 155-lb title to move up and snatch the welterweight belt from Belal Muhammad. He’s currently the pound-for-pound king of the sport. He’s looking at guys like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Leon Edwards as his next potential targets, but right now, the 170-lb division runs through Dagestan.
The Shark Tanks: Lightweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight
The 155-lb division (Lightweight) is where things get really spicy. Since Makhachev moved up, Ilia Topuria stepped in and took over. Topuria is a dual-threat nightmare. He already had the featherweight belt, then he moved up to lightweight and knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 to become a two-division champ.
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However, because Topuria can’t be in two places at once, the UFC has set up an interim title fight. On January 24, 2026, at UFC 324, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett are fighting for the interim lightweight belt. Whoever wins that is basically guaranteed a date with Topuria later this year.
In the Featherweight division (145 lbs), Alexander Volkanovski is back on top. After Topuria vacated to focus on lightweight, "The Great" reclaimed his throne by beating Diego Lopes. He’s scheduled for a rematch with Lopes in Sydney at UFC 325 (January 31, 2026). Volkanovski is 37 now, but he looked as sharp as ever in his last outing.
Bantamweight (135 lbs) is currently ruled by Petr Yan. Yan’s journey has been a rollercoaster—losing the belt, a long winless streak, and then a massive resurgence. He beat Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 to become a two-time champ. It was a clinical performance that reminded everyone why they call him "No Mercy."
The Flyweights and the Women's Divisions
The smallest men's weight class has the biggest surprise. Joshua Van is the Flyweight Champion (125 lbs). He’s the first fighter from Myanmar to win a title and the first champ born in the 2000s. He won the belt at UFC 323 after Alexandre Pantoja suffered an arm injury just 26 seconds into the fight. It was a "freak accident" win, but Van’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric.
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On the women’s side, we have:
- Mackenzie Dern (Strawweight - 115 lbs): She finally put it all together and dethroned Zhang Weili. Her jiu-jitsu is still her biggest weapon, but her striking has improved enough to keep her on top.
- Valentina Shevchenko (Flyweight - 125 lbs): "Bullet" is still the queen. She’s the longest-reigning active champion in the company and shows zero signs of slowing down.
- Kayla Harrison (Bantamweight - 135 lbs): The Olympic gold medalist is the undisputed champ at 135. But her biggest test is coming up at UFC 324 against a returning legend: Amanda Nunes.
Summary of Current UFC Champions (January 2026)
| Weight Class | Champion |
|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Tom Aspinall |
| Light Heavyweight | Alex Pereira |
| Middleweight | Khamzat Chimaev |
| Welterweight | Islam Makhachev |
| Lightweight | Ilia Topuria (Undisputed) |
| Featherweight | Alexander Volkanovski |
| Bantamweight | Petr Yan |
| Flyweight | Joshua Van |
| Women's Bantamweight | Kayla Harrison |
| Women's Flyweight | Valentina Shevchenko |
| Women's Strawweight | Mackenzie Dern |
What to Watch For Next
If you’re trying to stay ahead of the curve, keep your eyes on the next few weeks. The transition to Paramount+ as the exclusive streaming home of the UFC has changed how often we see title fights.
The big one is UFC 324 (January 24). Not only do we get the Gaethje vs. Pimblett interim title fight, but we also see if Amanda Nunes can reclaim her GOAT status against Kayla Harrison. If Harrison wins that, she likely moves into the top spot for the pound-for-pound women's rankings.
Also, don't sleep on UFC 325 in Sydney. Seeing Volkanovski defend on home soil is always an event, and Diego Lopes is exactly the kind of chaotic finisher who could ruin the party for the Australian fans.
Basically, the "champion" title is a moving target. If you want to keep up, you've gotta watch the Saturday night cards, because in this sport, the belt usually changes hands when you least expect it.
Keep an eye on the official UFC rankings page every Tuesday morning, as that’s when they update the movement following the weekend's fights. If you’re betting or just arguing with friends at the bar, that’s your best source for the most "up-to-the-minute" data on who is actually holding the gold.