Highlights

• UFC has added several weight classes over the years, including women's divisions, which have helped breed some of the promotion's biggest stars.
• Each weight class has specific weight limits, and champions in each division are recognized for their skill and dominance, with fighters like Amanda Nunes and Jon Jones considered some of the best in their respective weight classes.

UFC, and MMA in general, has distinctive weight classes to establish limits for fighters, but what are the weight classes in the UFC? The company has added several weight classes to their roster over the years, including the unveiling of a Women’s division back in 2013. Since then, the promotion has made waves and effectively taken over MMA, breeding some of the UFC's biggest stars with the weight system combined with rankings allowing for the best fights to be made.

There are strict regulations in place to ensure that fighters are able to get to their optimum weight safely, and the implementation of weight classes in the UFC attempts to ensure that everyone competes on an even playing field. There are currently 12 different weight classes/divisions in the UFC, with four of them being dedicated to Women’s MMA and the remaining eight being Men’s. And here is everything you need to know about the weight classes and what their limits are in both pounds and kilograms.

Women's Strawweight - 115lb/52.5 kg

The category was introduced by the UFC and has been a thriving category with fighters able to compete between 106lb and the upper limit of 115lb. It is a division which has seen brilliant fights since it's inaugural title bout in 2014, with Carla Esparza becoming the first champion of the division by beating Rose Namajaunas that year. It is a title that has changed hands with regularity but is now currently held by Chinese champion Zhang Weili who defeated Esparza before making a successful first defence of her title against Amanda Lemos in 2023.

Women's Flyweight - 125lb/56.7kg

The newest weight division in the UFC was announced in 2017, with the women's flyweight class ranked with an upper limit of 125lb in parallel with the existing flyweights. The inaugural event was held that year with the winner of the UFC's Ultimate Fighter series crowned the first-ever champion, and it was Nicco Montano who prevailed. Some great fighters have since graced the division including current champion Alexa Grasso, Valentina Shevchenko and entertaining British interest Molly McCann.

Men's Flyweight - 125lb/ 56.7kg

The mens branch of the newest weight class was introduced five years earlier than the female category beginning in 2012 with a fight night featuring Demetrious Johnson, who would go on to prove his dominance, and Joseph Benavidez in separate fights. 'DJ' was one of the most recognised names to grace the division, with the likes of current champion Deiveson Figueredo, Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja holding down the stacked class in the modern era.

Women's Bantamweight - 135lb/ 61.2kg

A division which was born into effective one-fighter dominance, with the best female MMA fighter in history in the shape of Amanda Nunes taking over the weight class. The Brazilian has now retired, leaving an uncertain future after its birth in 2013 which saw the first ever female UFC fight featuring Ronda Rousey.

The division has rich history in women's UFC but UFC president Dana White could even consider retiring the weight class after Nunes left, which could leave an uncertain future for other fighters. 'The Lioness' will likely never be matched given her accolades and earnings in two weight divisions, with just two losses to her name in the UFC.

Men's Bantamweight - 135lb/ 61.2kg

This weight class was the fourth introduced by the UFC two years after its creation in 1997, with the first fight contested by Jens Polver and Joao Roque. It has since gone on from strength to strength and produced some heritage fighters including the likes of Dominick Cruz, TJ Dillashaw, Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo. Fights are regularly made at the highest level in the division, which have regularly featured Cruz who is recognised largely as the best to be produced by the weight class. Sean O'Malley currently holds the title after a recent win to dethrone dominant star Sterling.

Women's Featherweight - 145lb/ 65.8 kg

In the original switch during the introduction of women's competition, Featherweight is seen as a glamour division which was also largely headlined by Amanda Nunes. The belt is currently vacant after Nunes held it from 2018 onwards and claimed it back after briefly losing it, in a rematch with Julianna Pena. Once again, the Brazilian took over the weight class when making the switch and there has only been two other champions including inaugural queen Germaine de Randamie and Cris Cyborg.

Men's featherweight - 145lb / 65.8kg

The featherweight division has always been stacked with technical brilliance and superb match-ups which have been shown perfectly by current champion Alexander Volkanovski. Several dominant fighters have graced the division including UFC superstar Conor McGregor who became champion earlier in his career, Max Holloway and Jose Aldo.

McGregor's record-breaking KO of the Brazilian came in this division, which has seen some electrifying speed and agility in the cage but is currently being dominated by well-rounded New Zealander Volkanovski. The division was introduced in 2012, and its importance can not be understated with the lower weight classes producing some of the most iconic moments in the modern era.

Lightweight - 155lb / 70.3kg

A stacked division which has gripped the modern era and produced the biggest night's in the promotion's history, the weight class has been hugely important to the success of the UFC in the modern day. Some of the most dominant champions have graced the octagon at 155lb including Khabib Nurmagomedov, BJ Penn, Eddie Alvarez and of course notorious star McGregor.

The division also produced the highest-selling pay-per-view fight and most iconic rivalry between Nurmagomedov and McGregor who sent the division into the highest profile of any for several years, with the likes of Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje carrying the torch in their absence. Fighters continue to be produced and operate at lightweight, and it will likely be key still for years to come.

Welterweight - 170lb / 77.1kg

Another glamour division, 170lb has provided some equally fascinating moments and competitors including the likes of Georges St Pierre, Kamaru Usman, Tyron Woodley and once again McGregor. It has also given the UFC some of its most entertaining fighters including the likes of Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal who leaped in to become pay-per-view heroes in the modern era.

St Pierre is considered the greatest to ever touch the division but was being closely followed by Usman who recently lost twice to British star Leon Edwards, with the British star stealing the crown to remain current champion. Again, several contenders are waiting in the wings to have their latest attempt at capturing the throne, in a division which has produced sheer dominance at its peek.

Middleweight - 185lb / 83.9 kg

A weight class which has seen arguably one of the greatest to ever do it in Anderson Silva, 185lb has continued to thrive for a number of years since being introduced as part of the original four during the UFC's opening shows. Many champions have come and gone including Michael Bisping, Alex Pereira, Chris Weidman and more, but none more dominant than 'The Spider', who cemented his name in the history books with the longest title reign ever.

Now in the modern era, a new superstar has been born in the shape of Israel Adesanya who has held down the title in spells for several years now ousting near enough every contender in his path. He will be now hoping to challenge Silva's record after regaining his title and continue a bright patch for the division against a conveyor belt of talent.

Light Heavyweight - 205lb / 102.1 kg

At Light Heavyweight, it is a sensational level of fighting with all fighters both agile and able to produced devastating KO's, and the division has rather been embodied by Jon Jones who is considered arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all-time. The division has regularly been used by fighters at middleweight, who are looking to step up including the likes of Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira in the current crop.

It is fair to say the division has brought out some heavy-hitting fight nights in its time, including the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Quinton Jackson and Daniel Cormier. Some iconic rivalries have been formed including the infamous Cormier v Jones fights which ended in controversy, but 'Bones' remains no doubt considered the most dominant in history after his title stint before moving to heavyweight.

Heavyweight - 265lb / 120.2 kg

What is considered to be the glamour division in combat sports as a whole, the Heavyweight division never fails to bring a power-hitting entertainment to the UFC. Despite not carrying the typical pay-per-view power the division does in boxing, the UFC has seen some impressive heavyweights pass through its ranks including Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez and recently departed Francis Ngannou.

After a dry patch for the division in recent times, a new breed of heavyweights has gripped the sport which is largely down to Jones' recent switch to become champion of the weight class, with the likes of Tom Aspinall, Ciryl Gane and Sergei Pavlovich waiting in the wings. The division can provide huge intrigue given the size of some of the athletes when ground game becomes a focal point, and it is one that UFC president White will be hoping continues to develop moving forward.

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