UFC Weight Classes: A Guide to UFC Weights and Divisions

Introduction

Since its establishment in 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has emerged as one of the foremost organizations in the realm of mixed martial arts. With its escalating global popularity, UFC events have captivated fans from around the world. These events showcase the intense competition among UFC athletes, who strive for dominance and recognition. However, before stepping into the octagon, every fighter must meet specific weight requirements designated for their respective weight classes and divisions.

This article aims to serve as a comprehensive guide to the weight classes and divisions in the UFC, spanning from strawweight to heavyweight. We will delve into the criteria that determine these divisions and shed light on some of the most accomplished fighters within each category.

UFC Weight Classes Overview

The men’s division in the UFC is divided into eight distinct weight classes. These classes are: strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight. Each division has its own set of rules and regulations that fighters must adhere to in order to qualify for a match.

The women’s division in the UFC consists of four distinctive weight classes, each catering to fighters of different sizes and weights. These weight classes are strawweight, flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight.

Men’s UFC Weight Classes

UFC Heavyweight Division (265 lb, 120.2 kg)

The UFC heavyweight division is the heaviest weight class in the promotion. It consists of fighters between 206 and 265 pounds. Notable fighters such as Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier and Brock Lesnar have all held titles in this division.

UFC Light Heavyweight Division (205 lb, 93.0 kg)

The UFC light heavyweight division consists of fighters between 186 and 205 pounds. It is the second heaviest weight class in the promotion and features some of the most elite athletes on the planet. Names such as Jon Jones, Glover Teixeira, and Thiago Santos have all held titles in this division.

UFC Middleweight Division (185 lb, 83.9 kg)

The UFC middleweight division consists of fighters between 171 and 185 pounds. It is the third heaviest weight class in the promotion and features some of the most exciting matchups on any UFC card. Notable athletes such as Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman, Robert Whittaker have all held titles in this division.

UFC Welterweight Division (170 lb, 77.1 kg)

The UFC welterweight division consists of fighters between 156 and 170 pounds. It is the fourth heaviest weight class in the promotion and has been home to some of the most iconic matchups in MMA history. Notable athletes such as Georges St-Pierre, Tyron Woodley, and Kamaru Usman have all held titles in this division.

UFC Lightweight Division (155 lb, 70.3 kg)

The UFC lightweight division consists of fighters between 146 and 155 pounds. It is the fifth heaviest weight class in the promotion and has produced some of the most thrilling bouts to ever take place in the Octagon. Notable athletes such as Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Tony Ferguson have all held titles in this division.

UFC Featherweight Division (145 lb, 65.8 kg)

The UFC featherweight division consists of fighters between 136 and 145 pounds. It is the sixth heaviest weight class in the promotion and has featured some of the most explosive battles ever witnessed in the sport. Notable athletes such as Max Holloway, Jose Aldo, and Alexander Volkanovski have all held titles in this division.

UFC Bantamweight Division (135 lb, 61.2 kg)

The UFC bantamweight division consists of fighters between 126 and 135 pounds. It is the seventh heaviest weight class in the promotion and has seen some epic matchups between its athletes. Notable athletes such as Henry Cejudo, TJ Dillashaw, and Dominick Cruz have all held titles in this division.

UFC Flyweight Division (125 lb, 56.7 kg)

The UFC flyweight division consists of fighters between 116 and 125 pounds. It is the eighth heaviest weight class in the promotion and has featured some of MMA’s most exciting matchups. Notable athletes such as Demetrious Johnson, Henry Cejudo, and Valentina Shevchenko have all held titles in this division.

UFC Women’s Weight Classes

UFC Women’s Featherweight Division (145 lb, 65.8 kg)

The UFC women’s featherweight division consists of female fighters between 126 and 145 pounds. This is the only women’s weight class in the promotion and has featured some of the most competitive matchups to date. Notable athletes such as Cris Cyborg, Amanda Nunes, and Holly Holm have all held titles in this division.

UFC Women’s Bantamweight Division (135 lb, 61.2 kg)

The UFC women’s bantamweight division consists of female fighters between 116 and 135 pounds. This is the second-heaviest weight class for women in the promotion and has featured some of the most exciting matchups between its athletes. Notable athletes such as Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Amanda Nunes have all held titles in this division.

UFC Women’s Flyweight Division (125 lb, 56.7 kg)

The UFC women’s flyweight division consists of female fighters between 106 and 125 pounds. This is the third-heaviest weight class for women in the promotion and has produced some of the most thrilling matchups ever witnessed in MMA. Notable athletes such as Valentina Shevchenko, Nicco Montano, and Jessica Eye have all held titles in this division.

UFC Women’s Strawweight Division (115 lb, 52.2 kg)

The UFC women’s strawweight division consists of female fighters between 96 and 115 pounds. This is the lightest weight class for women in the promotion and has featured some of the most competitive matchups to date. Notable athletes such as Rose Namajunas, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Zhang Weili have all held titles in this division.

UFC Openweight Tournaments and the Superfight Championship

In addition to the eight men’s and four women’s weight classes, the UFC also holds openweight tournaments on occasion. These tournaments are contested by fighters of any weight class and feature some of the most thrilling matchups in MMA history. The tournament winner is crowned as the Superfight Champion for that event.

UFC has had two openweight competitions, with just one being active. The now-defunct Superfight Championship was held only twice, in 1995 and 1996, and was envisioned as a tournament determining the ultimate UFC champion.

The UFC tournaments have been held irregularly since 1999 (until then, they had an annual event, sometimes held more than once a year), from which moment only two tournaments were held – one in 2003 and the most recent in 2012.

These tournaments were initially openweight but have been associated with weight divisions since the UFC 12 edition in 1997.

Tournament	Date	Division	Winner
UFC 1	November 12, 1993	None	Royce Gracie (BRA)
UFC 2	March 11, 1994	None	Royce Gracie (BRA)
UFC 3	September 9, 1994	None	Steve Jennum (USA)
UFC 4	December 16, 1994	None	Royce Gracie (BRA)
UFC 5	April 7, 1995	None	Dan Severn (USA)
UFC 6	July 14, 1995	None	Oleg Taktarov (RUS)
UFC 7	September 8, 1995	None	Marco Ruas (BRA)
The Ultimate Ultimate	December 16, 1995	None	Dan Severn (USA)
UFC 8	February 16, 1996	None	Don Frye (USA)
UFC 10	July 20, 1996	None	Mark Coleman (USA)
UFC 11	September 20, 1996	None	Mark Coleman (USA)
The Ultimate Ultimate 2	December 7, 1996	None	Don Fyre (USA)
UFC 12	February 7, 1997	Heavyweight	Vitor Belfort (BRA)
UFC 12	February 7, 1997	Lightweight	Jerry Bohlander (USA)
UFC 13	May 30, 1997	Heavyweight	Randy Couture (USA)
UFC 13	May 30, 1997	Lightweight	Guy Mezger (USA)
UFC 14	July 27, 1997	Heavyweight	Mark Kerr (USA)
UFC 14	July 27, 1997	Lightweight	Kevin Jackson (USA)
UFC 15	October 17, 1997	Heavyweight	Mark Kerr (USA)
Ultimate Japan	December 21, 1997	Heavyweight	Kazushi Sakuraba (JAP)
UFC 16	March 13, 1998	Lightweight	Pat Miletich (USA)
UFC 17	May 15, 1998	Middleweight	Dan Henderson (USA)
UFC 23	November 19, 1999	Middleweight	Kenichi Yamamoto (JAP)
UFC 39	February 28, 2003	Lightweight	BJ Penn (USA) / Caol Uno (JAP) – draw
UFC 41	February 28, 2003	Lightweight	BJ Penn (USA) / Caol Uno (JAP) – draw
UFC on FX	September 22, 2012	Flyweight	Demetrious Johnson (USA)
UFC on FX 2	September 22, 2012	Flyweight	Demetrious Johnson (USA)
UFC 152	September 22, 2012	Flyweight	Demetrious Johnson (USA)

 What Is the Weigh-In Policy in UFC?

The UFC’s weigh-in policy is in place to ensure that competitors are fighting within the limits of their respective weight classes. All fighters must make the designated weight limit for their division on the day of the event, and if they fail to do so they will be disqualified from competing. The weigh-in process consists of two parts: an official weigh-in and a medical examination.

Official Weigh-In: All fighters must weigh in on the official scale provided by the UFC to determine if they meet the designated weight limit for their division. If a fighter is found to be over or underweight, he/she will not be allowed to compete and will be disqualified from competing.

Medical Examination: After the official weigh-in, all fighters will undergo a medical examination by a certified physician to ensure that they are in proper physical condition to compete. This includes taking their vitals, checking for any visible signs of injury, and assessing if the fighter is overall able to safely compete in the bout. If it is determined that a fighter is not fit to compete they will be disqualified from the event.

The List Of UFC Weight Class Champions And Latest Changes

Men’s UFC Weight Divisions

Here is the list of current UFC Men’s Champions divided by weight class:

1. Heavyweight Champion: Jon Jones
2. Light Heavyweight Champion: Jamahal Hill
3. Middleweight Champion: Israel Adesanya
4. Welterweight Champion: Leon Edwards
5. Lightweight Champion: Islam Makhachev
6. Featherweight Champion: Alexander Volkanovski
7. Bantamweight Champion: Aljamain Sterling
8. Flyweight Champion: Brandon Moreno

Female’s UFC Weight Divisions

Here is the list of current UFC Women’s Champions divided by weight class:

1. Women’s Featherweight: Amanda Nunes
2. Women’s Bantamweight: Vacant
3. Women’s Flyweight: Valentina Shevchenko
4. Women’s Strawweight: Zhang Weili

The Future of UFC Weight Classes

The UFC is one of the most popular sports organizations in the world, and its weight classes provide an exciting platform for athletes of all sizes to compete on. With the rapid growth in popularity of MMA over the years, it will be interesting to see what changes the UFC decides to make in terms of its weight classes.

It is likely that the organization will introduce new divisions or change the weight limits of existing ones in order to ensure that their fighters are competing within an equitable environment. It is also possible that they will look into adding more women’s divisions, as female MMA fighters have become increasingly popular in recent years.

Regardless of what changes may come, it is clear that the UFC’s weight classes will remain an important part of MMA for many years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Did The UFC Get Weight Classes?

The UFC began implementing weight classes in 1997, with the first tournament being held that year. Since then, there have been a number of changes to the weight divisions, including adding and removing certain classes as needed.

How many weight classes are there in UFC for men and women?

The UFC currently has eight men’s weight classes (Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight, Welterweight, Lightweight, Featherweight, Bantamweight and Flyweight) and four women’s weight classes (Featherweight, Bantamweight, Flyweight and Strawweight).

What happens if a UFC fighter misses weight?

If a fighter misses the designated weight limit for their division, they will not be allowed to compete and will be disqualified from the event. They may still receive payment for appearing at the weigh-in but will not receive any additional compensation for competing in the bout.

Why do UFC weight classes exist?

The UFC’s weight classes exist to ensure that fighters are competing within an equitable environment. It also helps to create compelling matchups between athletes of different sizes and abilities.

How does weight-cutting impact UFC fighters and their performance in different UFC weight divisions?

Weight-cutting is a process in which UFC fighters rapidly lose weight to make the designated weight limit of their division. This can have an adverse effect on their performance, as it can lead to dehydration and fatigue during fights. It is important for fighters to find a safe and healthy way to cut weight that does not compromise their performance.

What are the current trends and possibilities regarding introducing new UFC weight classes?

The UFC is always looking to make improvements and adjust its weight divisions as needed. Recently, the organization has been considering introducing a new women’s featherweight class and adding additional female divisions. They are also exploring the possibility of introducing cruiserweight (180 lbs) and super heavyweight (225+ lbs) classes for men.