The UFC landscape in 2026 is, frankly, a bit of a chaotic mess. If you haven't been glued to the prelims every Saturday night, you've probably missed three or four title changes and at least one "flukey" injury that flipped a division on its head. Belts move fast. One day you’re the P4P king, and the next, you’re looking at a highlight reel of yourself getting clipped in the first 90 seconds.
Staying on top of ufc champions by weight isn't just about knowing who holds the gold today; it's about understanding the weird, often political paths they took to get there. We’ve seen legends retire, stars vacate titles to chase "champ-champ" status, and a surprising number of interim belts floating around like participation trophies.
The Heavy Hitters: From Heavyweight to Middleweight
The big boys are in a state of flux. Honestly, the heavyweight division is currently a headache for everyone involved. Tom Aspinall is technically the undisputed king, but his recent defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a first-round "No Contest" because of a nasty eye poke. It left the division in a weird limbo. Aspinall has the belt, but Gane’s camp is shouting for a rematch, and there’s still the ghost of Jon Jones lurking around, occasionally tweeting about fighting Alex Pereira instead of defending his (now vacated) throne.
💡 You might also like: Finding the Best Images of Basketball Courts Without Getting Sued
Speaking of Alex Pereira, the man is a freak of nature. He lost his Light Heavyweight belt to Magomed Ankalaev in early 2025, only to come back and absolutely steamroll him in a rematch. Now, "Poatan" is the 205-pound champion again, though he’s spent more time calling out heavyweights than looking at his own contenders like Carlos Ulberg or Jiri Prochazka.
Down at Middleweight, Khamzat Chimaev finally did it. He dominated Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 to take the gold. It was a wrestling clinic. He barely took a scratch, but the big question now is his health and how often he’ll actually show up to defend it. Nassourdine Imavov is currently the man waiting in the wings, but Chimaev seems more interested in superfights than the #1 contender.
The Shark Tanks: Welterweight and Lightweight
If you want to see the highest level of skill, you look at 170 and 155. It's just a fact. Islam Makhachev is the current Welterweight champion, which still feels a bit weird to say, but he’s proving he can dominate larger men just as well as he did at Lightweight. He’s the pound-for-pound king for a reason. However, the division is crawling with killers like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Michael Morales who are both undefeated and looking like they could give Islam the toughest night of his life.
The Lightweight division is currently ruled by Ilia Topuria. He vacated the featherweight throne to chase this second belt and he got it, but he hasn't been the most active champion due to some personal issues outside the cage. This has led to the creation of yet another interim title. As of right now, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett are scheduled to scrap for that interim strap at UFC 324. It’s a wild matchup that most people didn’t see coming two years ago.
The Speedsters: Featherweight to Flyweight
Alexander Volkanovski is back on top at Featherweight. After Topuria moved up, "The Great" reclaimed the vacant title against Diego Lopes. People thought he was washed after those knockout losses a while back, but he looked as sharp as ever in Miami. He's got a rematch with Lopes coming up in Sydney, and the Aussie seems intent on proving that the old guard isn't going anywhere just yet.
Bantamweight is a total mess—in a good way. Petr Yan is the champion again after a masterclass performance against Merab Dvalishvili. Yan’s journey back to the top was a long, eight-fight odyssey, but he finally looked like the "No Mercy" version of himself. But don't blink, because Umar Nurmagomedov is right there, and a lot of experts think he’s the inevitable end-boss of this division.
At Flyweight, we had one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. Joshua Van became the champion after Alexandre Pantoja suffered a fluke arm injury in the opening seconds of their fight. Van is the champ, but many fans still view Pantoja as the "real" king until they run it back. It's a tough spot for a young fighter to be in, but the belt is real regardless of how he got it.
Women’s Divisions: The Return of a Legend?
The women’s side of the ufc champions by weight list is dominated by one name right now: Kayla Harrison. She took the Bantamweight title from Julianna Peña and has looked virtually untouchable. However, the biggest story in WMMA isn't who is champion, but who is coming back. Amanda Nunes has ended her retirement and is set to challenge Harrison at UFC 324. It’s arguably the biggest fight in the history of women’s combat sports.
Over at Strawweight, Mackenzie Dern finally put it all together and grabbed the title from Virna Jandiroba. Her grappling has always been elite, but her striking has improved just enough to keep people honest. She’s facing a division full of specialists, including the ever-dangerous Zhang Weili, who is looking to reclaim her spot at the top.
- Heavyweight: Tom Aspinall
- Light Heavyweight: Alex Pereira
- Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev
- Welterweight: Islam Makhachev
- Lightweight: Ilia Topuria (Interim: Gaethje vs. Pimblett TBD)
- Featherweight: Alexander Volkanovski
- Bantamweight: Petr Yan
- Flyweight: Joshua Van
- Women's Bantamweight: Kayla Harrison
- Women's Flyweight: Valentina Shevchenko
- Women's Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern
Why the Rankings Feel Different Now
The move to Paramount+ has changed the "vibe" of the UFC. We’re seeing more "superfights" and fewer traditional contender matches. This makes the list of champions feel a bit more like a revolving door. Experts like Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier have often debated whether the "interim" titles are devaluing the real belts, but from a fan perspective, it just means more high-stakes fights.
If you're trying to keep track of these titles, the best thing you can do is stop looking at the "official" rankings and start looking at the fight announcements. The UFC is clearly prioritizing entertainment and "narrative" over strict win-loss records in 2026. Whether that's good for the sport is up for debate, but it certainly keeps things interesting.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the upcoming UFC 324 and 325 cards. These events are specifically designed to unify the Lightweight and Heavyweight situations. If you want to see if Volkanovski can hold off the new generation or if Amanda Nunes still has that "Lioness" magic, those are the dates to circle on your calendar. Check the official UFC athlete pages frequently, as injury replacements are happening at a record pace this year.