Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts refers to a number of different MMA weight classes, which groups competitors within 126–135 lb (57.2-61.3 kg)
- The UFC bantamweight division, which groups competitiors within the 126-135 lb (57-61 kg)
- The Shooto bantamweight division, which suits competitors below 125 lb (56.7 kg)
- The ONE Championship's bantamweight division, with upper limit at 65.8 kg (145.1 lb)
- The Road FC's bantamweight division, with upper limit at 135.6 lb (61.5 kg)
The bantamweight division sits between the lighter flyweight (116–125 lb) division and the heavier featherweight division (136–145 lb).
Ambiguity and clarification
For the sake of uniformity, many American mixed martial arts websites refer to competitors between 126 and 135 lb (57 and 61 kg) as bantamweights, as it encompasses both the Shooto Featherweight division (132 lb / 60 kg) and the King of the Cage Flyweight division (135 lb / 61 kg). The Association of Boxing Commissions, which governs MMA in the United States, uses the 126-135 standard for "bantamweight".
Prior to UFC 31, 150-pound (68 kg) fighters were known as bantamweights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, after which the weight limit was raised to 155 lb (70 kg), and the division was reinstated as the lightweight class.
The bantamweight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission[1] and the Association of Boxing Commissions[2] is 135 lb (61.36 kg).
Professional champions
Current champions
These tables were last updated in December of 2025.
- Active title reign
- Active title reign (interim)
Men:
| Organization | Reign Began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC | December 6, 2025 | Petr Yan | 20-5-0 (7KO 1SUB) | 0 |
| ONE Championship | December 6, 2025 | Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu | 14-3-0 (3KO 6SUB) | 0 |
| Rizin FF | September 29, 2024 | Naoki Inoue | 20-4-0 (2KO 9SUB) | 2 |
| Absolute Championship Akhmat | February 28, 2025 | Josiel Silva | 23-7-0 (12KO 2SUB) | 1 |
| Brave Combat Federation | November 7, 2025 | Borislav Nikolić | 15-2-0 (6KO 8SUB) | 0 |
| Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki | January 25, 2025 | Sebastian Przybysz | 14-4-0 (1) (5KO 5SUB) | 1 |
| CFFC | July 18, 2025 | Sean Mora | 7-1-0 (1KO 2SUB) | 0 |
| Cage Warriors | November 25, 2023 | Liam Gittins | 13-5-0 (7KO 3SUB) | 2 |
| Pancrase | December 24, 2023 | Tokitaka Nakanishi | 12-4-0 (1KO 5SUB) | 0 |
| Jungle Fight | June 24, 2023 | Tiago Pereira | 9-0-0 (3KO 3SUB) | 3 |
| Legacy Fighting Alliance | November 14, 2025 | Artem Belakh | 11-2-0 (2KO 7SUB) | 0 |
| Shooto | September 21, 2025 | Kanata Nagai | 9-0-1 (3KO 1SUB) | 0 |
| Oktagon MMA | N/A | Vacant | N/A | N/A |
| DEEP | March 29, 2024 | Ryuka Fukuda | 25-9-1 (12KO 1SUB) | 1 |
Women:
| Organization | Reign Began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC | June 7, 2025 | Kayla Harrison | 19–1–0 (6KO 8SUB) | 0 |
| Invicta FC | December 13, 2024 | Jennifer Maia | 23-10-0 (1) (4KO 5SUB) | 0 |
| CFFC | July 18, 2025 | Emily Martins | 4-1-0 (0KO 4SUB) | 0 |
| Deep Jewels | N/A | Vacant | N/A | N/A |
| Legacy Fighting Alliance | N/A | Vacant | N/A | N/A |
| Jungle Fight | N/A | Vacant | N/A | N/A |
| Oktagon MMA | August 9, 2025 | Lucia Szabová | 10-0-0 (3KO 5SUB) | 0 |
See also
- List of current MMA Bantamweight Champions
- List of current MMA Women's Bantamweight Champions
- List of UFC Bantamweight Champions
- List of WEC Bantamweight Champions (defunct)
- List of Pancrase Bantamweight Champions
- List of Road FC Bantamweight Champions
References
- ^ "Nevada Revised Statutes: `er 467 - Unarmed Combat". leg.state.nv.us. Archived from the original on 16 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-20.
- ^ "Unified Rules of MMA". ABCBoxing.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
External links
- Media related to Bantamweight mixed martial artists at Wikimedia Commons