The Light Heavyweight Division is a weight class in combat sports. The UFC Light Heavyweight Division limits between 186.1 lbs to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg).
Current Light Heavyweight Champion
The current UFC Light Heavyweight champion is Alex Pereira. He won the title against former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka via a 2nd round TKO at UFC 295 on November 11, 2023.
Latest Results from UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Fight
| Date | Fight | Method | Round | Result |
| May 4, 2024 | Anthony Smith vs. Vitor Petrino | Submission (guillotine choke) | R1 (2:00) | Anthony Smith def. Vitor Petrino |
UFC Light Heavyweight Rankings 2024
| Rank | Fighter | Record | M | Win Streak | Result | Last fight | Next Fight |
| C | Alex Pereira | 10–2 | 3 (1 def) | Win | UFC 300 Jamahal Hill | TBD | |
| 1 | Jiří Procházka | 30–4–1 | 1 | Win | UFC 300 Aleksandar Rakić | TBD | |
| 2 | Magomed Ankalaev | 18–1–1 (1 NC) | 1 | Win | UFC Fight Night 234 Johnny Walker | TBD | |
| 3 | Jamahal Hill | 12–2 (1 NC) | 0 | Loss | UFC 300 Alex Pereira | UFC 303 Khalil Rountree Jr. | |
| 4 | Jan Błachowicz | 29–10–1 | 0 | Loss | UFC 291 Alex Pereira | TBD | |
| 5 | Aleksandar Rakić | 14–4 | 0 | Loss | UFC 300 Jiří Procházka | TBD | |
| 6 | Nikita Krylov | 30–9 | 3 | Win | UFC Fight Night 221 Ryan Spann | TBD | |
| 7 | Johnny Walker | 21–8 (1 NC) | 0 | Loss | UFC Fight Night 234 Magomed Ankalaev | UFC on ABC 6 Volkan Oezdemir | |
| 8 | Khalil Rountree Jr. | 13–5 (1 NC) | 5 | Win | UFC Fight Night 233 Anthony Smith | UFC 303 Jamahal Hill | |
| 9 | Volkan Oezdemir | 19–7 | 1 | Win | UFC Fight Night 226 Bogdan Guskov | UFC on ABC 6 Johnny Walker | |
| 10 | Anthony Smith | 38–19 | 1 | Win | UFC 301 Vitor Petrino | TBD | |
| 11 | Alonzo Menifield | 15–3–1 | 1 | 2 | Win | UFC 296 Dustin Jacoby | UFC on ESPN 56 Carlos Ulberg |
| 12 | Bogdan Guskov | 16–3 | 2 | Win | UFC on ESPN 55 Ryan Spann | TBD | |
| 13 | Azamat Murzakanov | 13–0 | 13 | Win | UFC on ESPN 44 Dustin Jacoby | TBD | |
| 14 | Dominick Reyes | 12–4 | 0 | Loss | UFC 281 Ryan Spann | UFC Fight Night 242 Dustin Jacoby | |
| 15 | Ryan Spann | 21–10 | −4 | 0 | Loss | UFC on ESPN 55 Bogdan Guskov | TBD |
History of Light Heavyweight Class
The Light Heavyweight Title was known as the Middleweight Title before UFC 31 (May 4, 2001). In 2007, the Pride World Middleweight Championship was unified with the UFC Light Heavyweight Title when Quinton Jackson defeated Dan Henderson at UFC 75.
The UFC Light Heavyweight Title has been held by the likes of Frank Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, Forest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, and Mauricio Rua.
At UFC 128, Jon Jones won the Light Heavyweight Title for the first time in his career after defeating Mauricio Rua. Jones held the title for 1501 days and defended it eight times before being stripped of it due to a hit-and-run issue. Daniel Cormier won the vacant belt by beating Anthony Johnson at UFC 187.
Cormier, who became the second fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously and is the first to defend them in two divisions, vacated his Light Heavyweight Championship 174 days after winning the Heavyweight title. Jon Jones won the vacant belt for the second time in his career after defeating Alexander Gustafsson. He defended it against Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes before vacating it to move up to the Heavyweight division.
In his first title defense as champion, Glover Teixeira lost to Jiri Prochazka via rear-naked choke at UFC 275, making Jiri Prochazka the incumbent light heavyweight champion.
Jamahal Hill was crowned as the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion after defeating Glover Teixeira at UFC 283. Hill is the first fighter in the UFC to become champion after appearing on the Dana White Contender Series.
On July 14th, Jamahal Hill shared a video on his YouTube channel stating that he would be vacating his Light Heavyweight title because of a severe Achilles tendon injury.
Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira squared off for the vacant light heavyweight title at the main event of UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2023. Pereira became a 2-division champion after defeating Prochazka via a TKO in the closing minutes of the 2nd round.
UFC Weight Divisions
Men
Women
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Last Updated On May 4, 2024
FAQs
Q. Who is the current UFC light heavyweight champion?
A. Alex 'Poatan' Pereira is the current UFC Light Heavyweight champion.
A. Alex 'Poatan' Pereira is the current UFC Light Heavyweight champion.
Q. Who is the No.1 ranked fighter in UFC light heavyweight?
A. Jiri Prochazka is the No.1 contender in the UFC light heavyweight division.
A. Jiri Prochazka is the No.1 contender in the UFC light heavyweight division.
Q. What is the UFC (weight class) Weight Limit?
A. The UFC light heavyweight division weighs 186.1 lbs to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg).
A. The UFC light heavyweight division weighs 186.1 lbs to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg).
Q. Is Alex Pereira now a Light Heavyweight fighter?
A. Yes, Alex Pereira now competes in the light heavyweight division, where he is also the champion.
A. Yes, Alex Pereira now competes in the light heavyweight division, where he is also the champion.
