The Middleweight UFC Rankings Division in Mixed Martial Arts encompasses various weight classes, typically ranging from 171 to 185 lb (77.5 to 84 kg) in the UFC.
Present Middleweight Titleholder
At present, the UFC Middleweight Championship is held by Dricus du Plessis.
Du Plessis ascended to the position of UFC middleweight champion following his victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 on January 20, 2024, albeit amidst a contentious split decision.
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Middleweight UFC Rankings 2024
| 1 | Sean Strickland | |
| 2 | Israel Adesanya | |
| 3 | Robert Whittaker | |
| 4 | Jared Cannonier | |
| 5 | Marvin Vettori | |
| 6 | Paulo Costa | |
| 7 | Brendan Allen | |
| 8 | Nassourdine Imavov | Rank increased by 3 |
| 9 | Khamzat Chimaev | |
| 10 | Roman Dolidze | Rank decreased by 2 |
| 11 | Jack Hermansson | Rank decreased by 1 |
| 12 | Paul Craig | |
| 13 | Chris Curtis | |
| 14 | Anthony Hernandez | |
| 15 | Caio Borralho |
The Evolution of the UFC Middleweight Class
March 1, 2008, marked a pivotal moment in the history of the middleweight division when the Pride World Welterweight Championship was unified with the UFC Middleweight Title, as Anderson Silva emerged victorious over Dan Henderson at UFC 82.
Over the years, notable names like Dave Menne and Rich Franklin have held the Middleweight Title.
However, it was at UFC 64 that Anderson Silva etched his name in history by clinching the title.
Silva’s reign was characterized by memorable defenses against formidable opponents such as Nate Marquardt, Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Patrick Cote, and others, lasting an unprecedented 2,457 days, setting a UFC record for the longest title reign.
His reign came to an end at UFC 162, where Chris Weidman dethroned him.
Weidman’s era, however, was short-lived as Luke Rockhold seized the title from him at UFC 194. Michael Bisping’s triumph at UFC 199 marked another significant shift in the division’s narrative, only to relinquish the title to the returning Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217.
With St-Pierre vacating the title due to health issues, Robert Whittaker was promoted to Middleweight Champion on December 7, 2017, having secured the Interim Title at UFC 213.
A New Era Emerges
The momentum shifted once again at UFC 243 when interim Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker to claim the undisputed UFC Middleweight Championship.
Adesanya further solidified his status by defending the title against formidable challengers like Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa at UFC 248 and UFC 253, respectively.
However, the winds of change blew once more at UFC 293 when Sean Strickland stunned the world by defeating Israel Adesanya to become the new UFC middleweight champion.
Unfortunately, Strickland’s reign was short-lived as he succumbed in his first title defense against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 via a contentious split decision, ushering in a new era with du Plessis at the helm.