What are UFC Weight Classes in Order (Men & Women) | Updated List 2026| Best Fighters

What are the Weight Classes in UFC with A Complete UFC Weight Classes List and Guide!

UFC-Weight-Classes-in-Order-KGs-and-LBs.-Men-Women

What are the UFC Weight Classes?

UFC athletes are required to maintain their weight and weigh in at or around a specific weight limit before their UFC fight. This particular weight range in which a fighter’s weight must be maintained before the event is called a Weight Class. These weight classes categorize the UFC Fighters into different UFC Divisions and help prevent athletes from competing against each other who have significant weight differences. The fighter’s weight must be within the weight range of a specific class before the event; otherwise, they will not be allowed to be a part of the UFC event. 

About UFC Weight Classes

There are currently 12 UFC Weight Classes, and every class has its specific weight limit. All the fighters are required to maintain their weights within these weight limits before participating in an event and subsequently the fight. Failure to reach a required limit of a specific weight class in which the athletes are competing results in the cancellation of the fight altogether. The weights of both athletes competing against each other are measured before their fight at the UFC official weigh-ins.

These official UFC weigh-ins are held a day before the fight night between 9 A.M and 11 A.M local time.  However, an athlete who might miss the weight limit may be given an additional one hour from the time of the weigh-in to try to lose or gain the remaining weight and try again. UFC fighters try to weigh in within the exact upper limit so they can lose the minimum amount of weight during the weight-cutting process while still meeting the required weight to be eligible for the competition.

However, for the non-title fights or bouts, there is a relaxation of one pound above the division’s weight limit. On the other hand, title fights or bouts require maintaining weight at exactly or under the upper limit strictly to compete in the bout. As we described earlier, UFC categorizes the fighters into 12 different weight classes, 8 for men and 4 for women. Let’s explore UFC weight classes with their upper and lower weight limits, and other necessary details.

UFC Weight Classes in Order

There are 12 weight classes in UFC, arranged in order (lower to higher weight classes by lbs./kg) below. These are all weight classes in UFC of both men’s and women’s divisions.

UFC Men’s Weight Classes

There are a total of 8 men’s UFC weight classes, including Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight. 

1. UFC Flyweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 116 lbs. to 125 lbs.  (52.61kg to 56.69 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 126 pounds or 57.15 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 125 pounds or 56.69 kg.
  • First Fight: September 22, 2012 (Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez).
  • Inaugural Champion: Demetrious Johnson
  • Current Champion: Alexandre Pantoja (Since UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez).

Important: Check Full UFC Rankings by Weight Class!

2. UFC Bantamweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 126 lbs. to 135 lbs.  (57.15 kg to 61.23 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 136 pounds or 61.68 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 135 pounds or 61.23 kg.
  • First Fight: September 22, 2012 (Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber).
  • Inaugural Champion: Dominick Cruz
  • Current Champion: Merab Dvalishvili (Since UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili).

3. UFC Featherweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 136 lbs. to 145 lbs. (61.68 kg to 65.77 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 146 pounds or 66.22 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 145 pounds or 65.77 kg.
  • First Fight: April 30, 2011 (José Aldo vs. Mark Hominick).
  • Inaugural Champion: José Aldo
  • Current Champion: Alexander Volkanovski (Since UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes).

4. UFC Lightweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 146 lbs. to 155 lbs. (66.22 kg to 70.30 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 156 pounds or 70.76 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 155 pounds or 70.30 kg.
  • First Fight: 2001 (Jens Pulver vs. Caol Uno).
  • Inaugural Champion: Jens Pulver
  • Current Champion: Ilia Topuria (Since UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira).

5. UFC Welterweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 156 lbs. to 170 lbs. (70.76 kg to 77.11 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 176 pounds or 79.83 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 170 pounds or 77.11 kg.
  • First Fight: October 16, 1998 (Pat Miletich vs. Mikey Burnett).
  • Inaugural Champion: Pat Miletich
  • Current Champion: Jack Della Maddalena (Since UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena).

6. UFC Middleweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 171 lbs. to 185 lbs. (77.56 kg to 83.91 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 186 pounds or 84.36 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 185 pounds or 83.91 kg.
  • First Fight: September 2001 (Dave Menne vs. Gil Castillo).
  • Inaugural Champion: Dave Menne
  • Current Champion: Khamzat Chimaev (Since UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev).

7. UFC Light Heavyweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 186 lbs. to 205 lbs. (84.36 kg to 92.98 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 206 pounds or 93.44 kg.
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 205 pounds or 92.98 kg.
  • First Fight: December 21, 1997 (Frank Shamrock vs. Kevin Jackson).
  • Inaugural Champion: Frank Shamrock
  • Current Champion: Magomed Ankalaev (Since UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev).

8. UFC Heavyweight Class (Men’s)

  • Weight limit: 206 lbs. to 265 lbs. (93.44 kg to 120.20 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 266 pounds or 120.65 kg.
  • For Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 265 pounds or 120.20 kg.
  • First Fight: February 7, 1997 (Mark Coleman vs. Dan Severn).
  • Inaugural Champion: Mark Coleman
  • Current Champion: Tom Aspinall (Since June 21, 2025).

UFC Women’s Weight Classes

There are a total of 4 Women’s UFC weight classes, including Strawweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, and Featherweight. 

1. UFC Strawweight Class (Women’s)

  • Weight limit: 106 lbs. to 115 lbs. (48.08 kg to 52.16 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 116 pounds or 52.61 kg.
  • For Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 115 pounds or 52.16 kg.
  • First Fight: December 12, 2014 (Carla Esparza vs.Rose Namajunas).
  • Inaugural Champion: Carla Esparza
  • Current Champion: Zhang Weili (Since UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira).

2. UFC Flyweight Class (Women’s)

  • Weight limit: 116 lbs. to 125 lbs.  (52.61kg to 56.69 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 126 pounds or 57.15 kg.
  • For Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 125 pounds or 56.69 kg.
  • First Fight: December 1st, 2017 (Nicco Montaño vs.Roxanne Modafferi).
  • Inaugural Champion: Nicco Montaño
  • Current Champion: Valentina Shevchenko (Since UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili).

3. UFC Bantamweight Class (Women’s)

  • Weight limit: 126 lbs. to 135 lbs. (57.15 kg to 61.23 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 136 pounds or 61.68 kg.
  • For Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 135 pounds or 61.23 kg.
  • First Fight: February 23, 2013 (Ronda Rousey vs. Liz Carmouche).
  • Inaugural Champion: Ronda Rousey
  • Current Champion: Kayla Harrison (Since UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2).

4. UFC Featherweight Class (Women’s)

  • Weight limit: 136 lbs. to 145 lbs. (61.68 kg to 65.77 kg).
  • For Non-Title Bouts: Athletes can weigh up to 146 pounds or 66.22 kg.
  • For Title Bouts: Athletes must weigh in at or under 145 pounds or 65.77 kg.
  • First Fight: February 11, 2017 (Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie).
  • Inaugural Champion: Germaine de Randamie
  • Current Champion: Vacant

5 Best Fighters in Each UFC Weight Class

Flyweight Class (Men’s)

  1. Alexandre Pantoja
  2. Manel Kape
  3. Brandon Royval
  4. Deiveson Figueiredo
  5. Kai Kara-France

Bantamweight Class (Men’s)

  1. Merab Dvalishvili
  2. Sean O’Malley
  3. Henry Cejudo
  4. Marlon Vera
  5. Petr Yan

Featherweight Class (Men’s) 

  1. Ilia Topuria
  2. Alexander Volkanovski
  3. Movsar Evloev
  4. Yair Rodriguez
  5. Arnold Allen

Lightweight Class (Men’s) 

  1. Ilia Topuria
  2. Islam Makhachev 
  3. Charles Oliveira
  4. Max Holloway
  5. Arman Tsarukyan

Welterweight Class (Men’s)

  1. Jack Della Maddalena
  2. Shavkat Rakhmonov
  3. Belal Muhammad 
  4. Leon Edwards 
  5. Kamaru Usman

Middleweight Class (Men’s)

  1. Khamzat Chimaev
  2. Dricus Du Plessis
  3. Sean Strickland
  4. Israel Adesanya
  5. Reinier de Ridder

Light Heavyweight Class (Men’s)

  1. Magomed Ankalaev
  2. Alex Pereira
  3. Jiří Procházka
  4. Khalil Rountree Jr.
  5. Carlos Ulberg

Heavyweight Class (Men’s)

  1. Tom Aspinall
  2. Ciryl Gane
  3. Alexander Volkov
  4. Curtis Blaydes
  5. Jailton Almeida

Strawweight Class (Women’s)

  • Zhang Weili
  • Tatiana Suarez
  • Virna Jandiroba
  • Amanda Lemos
  • Yan Xiaonan

Flyweight Class (Women’s)

  1. Valentina Shevchenko
  2. Natália Silva
  3. Alexa Grasso
  4. Erin Blanchfield
  5. Maycee Barber

Bantamweight Class (Women’s)

  1. Kayla Harrison
  2. Julianna Peña
  3. Norma Dumont
  4. Ailín Pérez
  5. Ketlen Vieira

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

UFC Weight Classes are the categories or divisions with specific weight ranges with both upper and lower limits. These weight classes categorize athletes into different classes within the same weight ranges, so athletes with the same weight, strength, and size compete with each other. The athlete competing in a specific weight class must weigh within the weight range of that class before a fight.

Currently, there are a total of 12 weight classes in UFC (8 men’s and 4 women’s).

Currently, there are four UFC women’s weight classes, including Strawweight, Flyweight, Bantamweight, and Featherweight.

Currently, the male fighters compete in 8 different UFC weight classes, including Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight.

The lightest UFC weight class in the men’s division is Flyweight, with a weight limit of 116 lbs. to 125 lbs. (52.61kg to 56.69 kg). The Strawweight is the lightest UFC weight class among all UFC women’s weight classes, with a weight limit of 106 lbs. to 115 lbs. (48.08 kg to 52.16 kg).

The heaviest UFC weight class in the men’s division is the Heavyweight class, with a weight limit of 206 lbs. to 265 lbs. (93.44 kg to 120.20 kg). The Featherweight is the heaviest UFC weight class among all women’s UFC weight classes, with a weight limit of 136 lbs. to 145 lbs. (61.68 kg to 65.77 kg).

Ilia Topuria currently competes in the UFC Lightweight class, where he is the current UFC champion. He recently moved from the Featherweight class.

Khamzat Chimaev currently competes in the UFC Middleweight class, where he is the current UFC champion.

Islam Makhachev is currently competing in the Welterweight division, where his fight is scheduled on UFC 322. He recently moved up from the Lightweight division by vacating his champion title to fight Jack Della Maddalena, who is the current Welterweight champion.

Conor McGregor has competed in the Lightweight division since his injury in a match against Dustin Poirier in 2021. He has not competed in any event since and is hoping to compete in the UFC White House Event scheduled for 2026. 

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *