List of current mixed martial arts champions
Anthony Ruiz after winning the PureCombat Middleweight Championship belt
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a form of competitive combat sport , akin to boxing , muay thai , or kick boxing . MMA titles, or championship belts , are given to those fighters deemed by a promotional organization to have met a certain standard of athletic accomplishment in a specific weight class (most often by means of a championship fight ). Championship belts are fought for at each weight class under a promotion, with only one belt awarded per class. Each belt is usually contested every time the belt holder fights, and passed to the victor of that fight (see the List of UFC champions for a chronology of UFC title belts). A belt may be vacated when a fighter leaves a promotion, or is suspended. At such times an interim champion may be crowned, or the belt may be awarded to the winner of a fight between top contenders.
This list displays all title holders for the major, certified MMA promoting and sanctioning bodies. There is no clear industry definition within the MMA community to determine which organizations are considered major promoting bodies.[ 1] Due to a lack of clear guidelines, this list is limited to those organizations that are either highly regarded (such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Strikeforce ), long standing (such as King of the Cage (KOTC) and Pancrase ), or the dominant organizations of a country or region of the world (such as England's Ultimate Challenge MMA (UCMMA) and Canada's Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC)).
Because there is no international unified MMA weight class system in use,[ 2] the Nevada State Athletic Commission 's (NSAC) weight classes have been adopted for this article as they are most common across major promotions. Some organizations have created titles in weight classes outside the NSAC guidelines. Those titles have been and will be recognized as subdivisions under their common weight class.[ 3]
Though unofficial, Fight Matrix considered the first MMA lineal champions as follows:[ 4]
Although the inaugural lineal champions are sometimes contested, especially at heavyweight; the consensus view, is that all the lineal titles have been unified with their respective weight class UFC titles.
Organizations are listed by a combination of their size (number of fighters, events per year, etc.) and their history (years in existence, title lineage, etc.). Title holders from other organizations, who are now fighting in the UFC, are not included in this list as the UFC does not cross promote and these belts are often vacated.[ 5]
Men
Heavyweight (265 lb, 120 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
American
Jon Jones
UFC
March 4, 2023
1
Cameroonian
Francis Ngannou
PFL
October 19, 2024
0
American
Ryan Bader
Bellator
January 26, 2019
3
Senegalese
Oumar Kane
ONE
November 7, 2024
0
Russian
Evgeniy Goncharov
ACA
March 17, 2023
1
English
Phil De Fries
KSW
April 14, 2018
11
N/A
Vacant
CWFC
N/A
N/A
Lithuanian
Pavel Dailidko
Brave CF
September 28, 2024
0
German
Hatef Moeil
Oktagon
November 18, 2023
0
Brazilian
Hugo Cunha
LFA
November 3, 2023
0
N/A
Vacant
FNG
N/A
N/A
Guam
Roque Martinez (Known as Megatonweight / over 205 lb, 93 kg)
Deep
July 15, 2017
3
N/A
Vacant
Jungle Fight
N/A
N/A
American
Bailey Schoenfelder
CFFC
April 12, 2024
0
Congolese
Matunga Djikasa
EFC
October 6, 2022
0
N/A
Vacant
Road FC
N/A
N/A
N/A
Vacant
Titan
N/A
N/A
N/A
Vacant
Eagle FC
N/A
N/A
Cape Verdean
Yorgan De Castro
CES
May 3, 2024
0
Brazilian
Eduardo Neves
Centurion FC
May 18, 2024
0
Cruiserweight (225 lb, 102 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Russian
Anatoly Malykhin (Known as Light Heavyweight)
One
December 3, 2022
0
Light Heavyweight (205 lb, 93 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Brazilian
Alex Pereira
UFC
November 11, 2023
3
American
Corey Anderson
Bellator
March 22, 2024
0
Russian
Anatoly Malykhin (Known as Middleweight)
One
March 1, 2024
0
Russian
Adlan Ibragimov
ACA
December 15, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant
Rizin FF
N/A
N/A
Polish
Rafał Haratyk
KSW
February 24, 2024
1
English
Andy Clamp
CWFC
March 16, 2024
0
BosnianHerzegovinian
Erko Jun
Brave CF
September 28, 2024
0
Czech
Karlos Vemola
Oktagon
July 23, 2022
1
Brazilian
Bruno Lopes
LFA
September 30, 2022
1
Russian
Vagab Vagabov
FNG
October 16, 2021
1
N/A
Vacant
Pancrase
N/A
N/A
N/A
Vacant
Deep
N/A
N/A
American
Luke Fernandez
CFFC
December 15, 2023
0
South African
JC Lamprecht
EFC
August 10, 2023
0
South Korean
Kim Tae-in
Road FC
December 18, 2022
0
N/A
Vacant
Titan FC
N/A
N/A
Kazakhstani
Diyar Nurgozhay
Eagle FC
August 21, 2022
0
Syrian
Tarek Suleiman
UAE Warriors
May 3, 2019
0
Algerian
Mohamed Said Maalem
MMA GP
Sep 16, 2023
0
Brazilian
Rafael Carvalho
Centurion FC
Nov 15, 2023
0
Middleweight (185 lb, 84 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
South African
Dricus du Plessis
UFC
January 20, 2024
1
American
Johnny Eblen
Bellator
June 24, 2022
3
American
Christian Lee (Known as Welterweight)
One
November 19, 2022
0
Russian
Magomedrasul Gasanov
ACA
April 9, 2021
4
Polish
Paweł Pawlak
KSW
June 3, 2023
2
Italian
Dario Bellandi
CWFC
November 25, 2023
0
N/A
Vacant
Brave CF
N/A
N/A
Czech
Patrick Kincl
Oktagon
February 26, 2022
3
Russian
Azamat Bekoev
LFA
December 15, 2023
0
Russian
Vladimir Mineev
FNG
September 9, 2020
1
Japanese
Yura Naito
Pancrase
March 21, 2022
0
Brazilian
João Batista Yoshimura
Deep
July 4, 2021
0
N/A
Vacant
Shooto
N/A
N/A
Brazilian
Vitor Costa
Jungle Fight
September 30, 2023
1
American
Kyle Daukaus
CFFC
September 2, 2023
2
South African
Luke Michael
EFC
March 5, 2022
0
South Korean
In Su Hwang
Road FC
July 3, 2021
0
Brazilian
Bruno Assis
Titan
July 2, 2021
0
N/A
Vacant
Eagle FC
N/A
N/A
American
Gary Balletto Jr.
CES
July 29, 2023
0
Iranian
Amir Fazli
UAE Warriors
May 20, 2023
0
Nigerian
Daniel Emeka
AKO
Aug 19, 2023
0
Welterweight (170 lb, 77 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
American
Belal Muhammad
UFC
July 27, 2024
0
Russian
Ramazan Kuramagomedov
Bellator
June 22, 2024
0
American
Christian Lee (Known as Lightweight)
One
August 26, 2022
2
Russian
Albert Tumenov
ACA
December 24, 2023
0
Polish
Adrian Bartosiński
KSW
April 22, 2023
2
Irish
James Sheehan
CWFC
April 6, 2024
0'
Brazilian
Luiz Cado (175 lb, 79 kg)
Brave CF
October 19, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant
Oktagon
N/A
N/A
Brazilian
Vanilto Antunes
LFA
March 23, 2024
0
Russian
Dmitry Bikrev
FNG
April 6, 2019
4
Japanese
Ryuichiro Sumimura
Pancrase
December 24, 2023
0
Japanese
Yoichiro Sato
Deep
July 14, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant (Known as Middleweight)
Shooto
N/A
N/A
Brazilian
Anderson Nascimento
Jungle Fight
March 16, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant
CFFC
N/A
N/A
South African
Mark Hulme
EFC
April 13, 2023
1
American
Will Brooks
Titan
June 2, 2023
0
N/A
Vacant (175 lb, 79 kg)
Eagle FC
N/A
N/A
N/A
Vacant
CES
N/A
N/A
Azerbaijani
Tahir Abdullaev
UAE Warriors
May 18, 2024
0
Kyrgyz
Darkhanbek Ergeshev
Matrix Fight Night
March 31, 2023
1
Brazilian
Rodrigo Lídio
Centurion FC
Aug 24, 2024
0
Super Lightweight (165 lb, 75 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Bahraini
Eldar Eldarov
Brave CF
April 19, 2019
1
Lightweight (155 lb, 70 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Russian
Islam Makhachev
UFC
October 22, 2022
3
Russian
Usman Nurmagomedov
Bellator
November 18, 2022
2
Chinese
Tang Kai (Known as Featherweight)
One
August 26, 2022
1
Russian
Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov
ACA
September 19, 2020
3
Brazilian
Roberto Satoshi Souza
Rizin FF
June 13, 2021
4
French
Salahdine Parnasse
KSW
June 3, 2023
2
English
George Hardwick
CWFC
July 22, 2022
2
Kyrgyzstani
Abdisalam Kubanychbek
Brave CF
February 18, 2023
2
Slovak
Ronald Paradeiser
Oktagon
December 9, 2023
0
American
Kegan Gennrich
LFA
January 12, 2024
0
Russian
Alexander Sarnavskiy
FNG
February 23, 2024
0
Japanese
Tatsuya Saika
Pancrase
March 31, 2024
0
Japanese
Kimihiro Eto
Deep
March 9, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant (Known as Welterweight)
Shooto
N/A
N/A
Brazilian
Arcangelo Oliveira
Jungle Fight
August 26, 2023
1
American
Robert Watley
CFFC
July 20, 2023
1
N/A
Vacant
EFC
N/A
N/A
Korean
Park Si-won
Road FC
July 23, 2022
1
N/A
Vacant
Combate Global
N/A
N/A
American
Richie Lewis
Titan
July 21, 2023
0
Azerbaijani
Ramin Sultanov
Eagle FC
November 11, 2023
0
American
Charles Rosa
CES
May 3, 2024
0
Russian
Amru Magomedov
UAE Warriors
October 17, 2023
1
Brazilian
Keweney Lopes
MMA GP
Jan 27, 2024
0
Brazilian
João Oliveira
Centurion FC
Mar 8, 2024
0
Featherweight (145 lb, 66 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Georgian
Ilia Topuria
UFC
February 17, 2024
1
Brazilian
Patrício Pitbull
Bellator
April 15, 2022
2
Brazilian
Fabrício Andrade (Known as Bantamweight)
ONE
February 25, 2023
0
Russian
Islam Omarov
ACA
July 21, 2023
2
Brazilian
Kleber Koike Erbst
Rizin FF
December 31, 2024
0
French
Salahdine Parnasse
KSW
December 18, 2021
2
English
Harry Hardwick
CWFC
May 25, 2024
0
Kyrgyzstani
Nemat Abdrashitov
Brave CF
June 23, 2023
0
Belgian
Losene Keita
Oktagon
December 9, 2023
0
American
Elijah Johns
LFA
February 9, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant
FNG
N/A
N/A
Japanese
Suguru Nii
Pancrase
September 24, 2023
0
Japanese
Jin Aoi
Deep
March 9, 2024
0
Japanese
Keisuke Sasu (Known as Lightweight)
Shooto
July 25, 2021
1
Brazilian
Willian Souza
Jungle Fight
July 29, 2023
1
American
Jose Perez
CFFC
August 26, 2022
1
Congolese
Igeu Kabesa
EFC
November 3, 2022
3
Jordanian
Ali AlQaisi
Titan
August 6, 2021
0
N/A
Vacant
Combate Global
N/A
N/A
South Korean
Hae Jin Park
Road FC
December 18, 2022
0
N/A
Vacant
Eagle FC
N/A
N/A
American
Dan Dubuque
CES
September 9, 2022
0
Swedish
Samuel Bark
UAE Warriors
May 18, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant
Matrix Fight Night
N/A
N/A
N/A
Vacant
MMA GP
N/A
N/A
Bantamweight (135 lb, 61 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Georgian
Merab Dvalishvili
UFC
September 14, 2024
0
American
Patchy Mix
Bellator
November 17, 2023
2
N/A
Vacant
One
N/A
N/A
Russian
Pavel Vitruk
ACA
April 19, 2024
0
Japanese
Naoki Inoue
Rizin FF
September 29, 2024
0
Polish
Jakub Wikłacz
KSW
December 17, 2022
3
English
Liam Gittins
CWFC
November 25, 2023
1
Zimbabwean
Nicholas Hwende
Brave CF
December 13, 2024
0
N/A
Vacant
Oktagon
N/A
N/A
American
John Sweeney
LFA
June 16, 2023
0
Kazakhstani
Sabit Zhusupov
FNG
October 14, 2022
1
Japanese
Tokitaka Nakanishi
Pancrase
December 24, 2023
0
South Korean
Yoo Soo-young
Deep
September 18, 2023
0
Japanese
Tatsuya Ando(Known as Featherweight)
Shooto
March 21, 2022
0
Brazilian
Tiago Pereira
Jungle Fight
June 24, 2023
1
Albanian
Vilson Ndregjoni
CFFC
April 1, 2023
1
South African
Nkazimulo Zulu
EFC
July 13, 2023
0
Dominican
Tommy Garcia
Titan
April 14, 2023
0
N/A
Vacant
Road FC
N/A
N/A
Mexican
David Martinez
Combate Global
May 29, 2021
2
Russian
Renat Khavalov
Eagle FC
March 19, 2021
3
American
Ashiek Ajim
CES
June 17, 2022
0
Pakistani
Uloomi Karim
Matrix Fight Night
November 18, 2022
0
French
Alfan Rocher-Labes
MMA GP
Sep 16, 2023
0
Flyweight (125 lb, 57 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Brazilian
Alexandre Pantoja
UFC
July 8, 2023
3
N/A
Vacant
Bellator
N/A
N/A
Filipino
Joshua Pacio (Known as Strawweight)
One
March 1, 2024
0
Russian
Kurban Gadzhiev
ACA
February 25, 2023
1
Japanese
Kyoji Horiguchi
Rizin FF
December 31, 2023
1
Bangladeshi
Shajidul Haque
CWFC
December 31, 2022
1
English
Sam Creasey
Oktagon
April 20, 2024
0
Brazilian
Eduardo Henrique
LFA
November 17, 2023
0
Russian
Vartan Asatryan
FNG
February 23, 2022
0
Japanese
Makoto Takahashi
Deep
March 1, 2020
1
Japanese
Seiichiro Ito
Pancrase
April 3, 2024
1
Japanese
Jo Arai (Known as Bantamweight)
Shooto
November 19, 2023
0
Brazilian
Wagner Reis
Jungle Fight
November 25, 2023
1
American
Israel Galvan
CFFC
March 8, 2024
0
South African
Nkazimulo Zulu
EFC
March 7, 2024
0
Brazilian
Victor Dias
Titan
March 26, 2021
1
N/A
Vacant
Road FC
N/A
N/A
Russian
Irgit Oveenchi
Eagle FC
August 10, 2022
0
American
Mitch Raposo
CES
November 17, 2020
0
Brazilian
Iago Ribeiro
UAE Warriors
May 18, 2024
0
Indian
Angad Bisht
Matrix Fight Night
November 18, 2022
0
French
Michael Aljarouj
MMA GP
Mar 4, 2023
1
Strawweight (115 lb, 52 kg)
Women
Women athletes are generally smaller than, and compete at lower weights than their male counterparts.[ 6]
Featherweight (145 lb, 66 kg)
Bantamweight (135 lb, 61 kg)
Flyweight (125 lb, 57 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Kyrgyzstani
Valentina Shevchenko
UFC
September 14, 2024
0
American
Liz Carmouche
Bellator
April 22, 2022
3
Chinese
Xiong Jing Nan (Known as Strawweight)
One
January 20, 2018
7
N/A
Vacant
Invicta FC
January 18, 2023
N/A
Canadian
Shannon Clark
LFA
February 23, 2024
0
Japanese
Rin Nakai
Deep Jewels
May 8, 2022
0
Japanese
Shizuka Sugiyama
Pancrase
July 21, 2024
0
Brazilian
Elora Dana
Jungle Fight
March 26, 2023
2
American
Fatima Kline
CFFC
November 3, 2023
0
N/A
Vacant
EFC
N/A
N/A
Canadian
Corinne Laframboise
UAE Warriors
March 26, 2022
0
Strawweight (115 lb, 52 kg)
Name
Organization
Date
No. of title defenses
Chinese
Zhang Weili
UFC
November 12, 2022
2
Thai
Stamp Fairtex (Known as Atomweight)
One
September 30, 2023
0
Irish
Danni McCormack
Invicta FC
March 15, 2023
1
German
Katharina Dalisda
Oktagon
September 16, 2023
1
Brazilian
Rose Conceição
LFA
July 7, 2023
0
Japanese
Seika Izawa
Deep Jewels
March 15, 2022
0
Japanese
Haruka Hasegawa
Pancrase
April 30, 2023
0
Japanese
Emi Fujino
Shooto
May 18, 2024
0
Brazilian
Laura Vasconcelos
Jungle Fight
July 20, 2024
0
American
Fatima Kline
CFFC
February 9, 2024
0
Romanian
Alice Ardelean
EFC
March 2, 2023
0
N/A
Vacant
Combate Global
N/A
N/A
N/A
Vacant
Matrix Fight Night
N/A
N/A
Super Atomweight (108 lb, 49 kg or 110 lb, 50 kg)
Atomweight (105 lb, 47,5 kg)
Microweight (95 lb, 43 kg)
See also
References
Current champions for active organizations Legacy champions for defunct organizations Miscellaneous
Asia
Australia
Current
XFC (AUS)
Hex Fight Series
Eternal MMA
Defunct
Canada
Europe
Middle East
Nigeria
South Africa
South America
United Kingdom
United States