The UFC, as a promotion, has eight weight divisions for men in 2024. It starts with flyweight and goes all the way up to heavyweight. While every division is stacked with talent, one of the most competitive divisions in the UFC fight now is the bantamweight division. Here’s everything you need to know about the UFC’s bantamweight division.
What is the bantamweight in the UFC?
The bantamweight division comprises fighters who have to weigh a maximum of 135 pounds on the day of weigh-in before their fight in the promotion. There is no limit on how much they can weigh when they enter the octagon.
Who are the top 10 fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division at the moment?
According to the UFC rankings, here are the top 10 ranked bantamweight fighters in the UFC right now.
0. Sean O’Malley (c)
1. Merab Dvalishvili
2. Aljamain Sterling
3. Cory Sandhagen
4. Peter Yan
5. Marlon Vera
6. Henry Cejudo
7. Song Yadong
8. Deiveson Figueiredo
9. Rob Font
10. Jonathan Martinez
Who is the current bantamweight champion in the UFC and what is his record?
The current bantamweight champion in the UFC is Sean O’Malley. ‘Sugar’ won the bantamweight belt at UFC 292 by knocking out former champion Aljamain Sterling in the second round of the fight. O’Malley’s current MMA record stands at 17-1 (1). The only loss in his career came against Marlon Vera at UFC 252.
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Currently, ‘Suga’ is preparing for his first title defense and it is scheduled against his former opponent, Vera. Thus, O’Malley will have his chance to avenge the only loss in his career at UFC 299 on 9th March 2024.
Who was the first bantamweight champion in the UFC?
Dominick Cruz became the first bantamweight champion in the UFC after beating Scott Jorgensen in December 2010. Since then, there have been nine different champions who have held the belt at 135 pounds in the UFC.
Cruz lost his title reign against Cody Garbrandt in 2016. Although he is still competing in the division, ‘The Dominator’ hasn’t been much active. He last fought against Marlon Vera in 2022, where he suffered a KO loss in the fourth round.
Who has the most bantamweight title defenses in promotion’s history?
Aljamain Sterling, Dominick Cruz, and T.J. Dillashaw are all tied at three title defenses each. This is the record in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
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Sterling defended his title against Petr Yan, T.J. Dillashaw, and Henry Cejudo, all are former champions. While T.J. Dillashaw defended it against Cody Garbrandt, Joe Soto, and Renan Barão. And UFC veteran Cruz won against Urijah Faber, Demetrious Johnson, and T.J. Dillashaw.
Who has the most finishes at bantamweight?
Marlon Vera has the most finishes in UFC bantamweight history with 10 finishes to his name. His most recent finish came against Dominick Cruz in August 2022. Overall, the Ecuadorian fighter has a UFC record of 22 fights and 15 wins under his name. Additionally, Vera holds an MMA record of 28-8-1, and most of his wins have come via a finish.
Who has the most knockouts at bantamweight?
T.J. Dillashaw has the most knockout finishes in UFC history with 7 TKO/KO wins to his name. His most recent knockout win came against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 227.
TJ Dillashaw Knocks out Cody Garbrandt in the first round at #UFC227 pic.twitter.com/6R47oDOgHg
— World of MMA (@CM_fights) August 5, 2018
Overall, the former champion has fought 18 times in his career and has won 13 of those. His MMA record stands at 18-5. Unfortunately, he announced his retirement after a loss against Sterling in 2022.
Who has the most submissions wins at Bantamweight?
Urijah Faber has the most submission wins at bantamweight in the UFC, with 6 submission wins to his name. His most recent submission win came against Francisco Rivera at UFC 181 in December 2014.
Faber is a veteran of the sport who competed and was a champion at WEC before entering the UFC. The former UFC champion had a lucrative MMA career given that he holds a 35-11 record. Faber retired from the sport after his loss against Petr Yan in 2019.
