While betting on the UFC, you can try to improve your chances of winning if you know who the current champions are and what division they are in. We will break it down for you so you have all the knowledge you need to make the most informed betting decision.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) launched back in 1993 as athletes of various sizes took to the ring to fight against one another. Four years later, at UFC 12, two new weight classes were created: heavyweight, for combatants weighing 200 pounds or over, and lightweight, for those weighing 199 pounds or less. It took Mark Coleman three minutes to beat Dan Severn by neck crank in Alabama at UFC12 that night, and become the franchise’s first heavyweight champion-in fact, its first champion ever.
In the UFC nowadays, there are 12 weight divisions: eight for men and four for women, for a total of 12 divisions. Here are each division’s champions currently.
Heavyweight Champion: Francis Ngannou
Date of winning: 27/03/21
Defenses: 01
Outcome: KO2
Francis Ngannou has had an extraordinary journey on his way to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As a child growing up in Cameroon, he endured many difficulties before making his way to the organization. He labored in sand quarries and attempted many unsuccessful escapes to Europe before deciding to take up mixed martial arts when he was 25 years old. That is considered a late start in the world of MMA. At present, he is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Light-Heavyweight Champion: Glover Teixeira
Date of winning: 30/10/21
Defenses: 0
Outcome: Sub2 over Jan Blachowicz (UFC 267)
Jan Bachowicz faced UFC vet Glover Teixeira after a highly contentious championship defense against middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Teixeira, who entered the bout on a five-fight winning streak and was 42 years old, probably knew that this would be the last opportunity he would have for a shot at a UFC championship title. And boy did he give it his all. Teixeira put up an outstanding performance, demonstrating once again that his endurance and deft skill set may make him a challenging opponent for even the greatest in the world. The victory is regarded as one of the most uplifting and thrilling wins in the history of UFC.
Middleweight Champion: Israel Adesanya
Date of Winning: 06/10/19
Defenses: 04
Outcome: TKO2 (UFC 243)
Adesanya was destined to emerge as the middleweight champion, despite his brief time in the sport. His technique seemed to adjust almost instantly to practically any adversary he has faced. He debuted in the UFC in 2018, and just a year later he was the interim champion, then the reigning champion after defeating Robert Whittaker at UFC 243.
Welterweight Champion: Kamaru Usman
Date of Winning: 02/03/19
Defenses: 05
Outcome: UD over Tyron Woodley (UFC 235)
Known as the “The Nigerian Nightmare”, Usman has proven to be a daunting challenge for many welterweight competitors. The 32-year-old has either knocked out or won by decision. Usman rematched Colby Covington for his fifth championship defense. They fought in UFC 268 in New York’s famed Madison Square Garden. Usman faced an extraordinary fight, but he emerged victorious in the end.
Lightweight Champion: Charles Oliveira
Date of Winning: 15/03/21
Defenses: 01
Outcome: TKO2 over Michael Chandler (UFC 262)
This is Oliveira’s first UFC title, despite having been with the organization for the last 12 years. Even so, he holds multiple UFC records, including the most submission wins (14) and finishes (17).
The Other Championship Titles
Lest we forget, there are still a few categories in both the male and female championships. They are:
