Lightweight (MMA)
Updated: 12/10/2025, 9:04:20 PM Wikipedia source
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts contains different weight classes:
The UFC's lightweight division, which groups competitors within 146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg) The Shooto lightweight division, which limits competitors to 145 lb (65.8 kg) The ONE Championship's lightweight division, with an upper limit at 77.1 kg (170.0 lb) The Road FC's lightweight division, with an upper limit at 154 lb (70 kg)
Tables
· Professional champions › Current champions
PFL
PFL
Organization → UFC
PFL
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
October 3, 2025
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Usman Nurmagomedov
Record → 17-0
20-0 (1)
Defenses → 0
0
ONE Championship
ONE Championship
Organization → UFC
ONE Championship
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
August 26, 2022
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Christian Lee
Record → 17-0
17-4
Defenses → 0
0
Rizin FF
Rizin FF
Organization → UFC
Rizin FF
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
June 13, 2021
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Roberto de Souza
Record → 17-0
20-3
Defenses → 0
5
KSW
KSW
Organization → UFC
KSW
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
June 3, 2023
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Salahdine Parnasse
Record → 17-0
21-2
Defenses → 0
3
Oktagon MMA
Oktagon MMA
Organization → UFC
Oktagon MMA
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
December 29, 2024
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Losene Keita
Record → 17-0
16-1
Defenses → 0
0
ACA
ACA
Organization → UFC
ACA
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
September 19, 2020
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov
Record → 17-0
19-2
Defenses → 0
1
Cage Warriors
Cage Warriors
Organization → UFC
Cage Warriors
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
July 22, 2022
Champion → Ilia Topuria
George Hardwick
Record → 17-0
12-1
Defenses → 0
2
Fight Nights Global
Fight Nights Global
Organization → UFC
Fight Nights Global
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Vacant
Road FC
Road FC
Organization → UFC
Road FC
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
July 23, 2022
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Si Won Park
Record → 17-0
8-0
Defenses → 0
1
Titan FC
Titan FC
Organization → UFC
Titan FC
Champion → Ilia Topuria
Vacant
Legacy Fighting Alliance
Legacy Fighting Alliance
Organization → UFC
Legacy Fighting Alliance
Reign Began → June 28, 2025
May 19, 2023
Champion → Ilia Topuria
JaCobi Jones
Record → 17-0
6-1
Defenses → 0
0
| Organization | Reign Began | Champion | Record | Defenses |
| UFC | June 28, 2025 | Ilia Topuria | 17-0 | 0 |
| PFL | October 3, 2025 | Usman Nurmagomedov | 20-0 (1) | 0 |
| ONE Championship | August 26, 2022 | Christian Lee | 17-4 | 0 |
| Rizin FF | June 13, 2021 | Roberto de Souza | 20-3 | 5 |
| KSW | June 3, 2023 | Salahdine Parnasse | 21-2 | 3 |
| Oktagon MMA | December 29, 2024 | Losene Keita | 16-1 | 0 |
| ACA | September 19, 2020 | Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov | 19-2 | 1 |
| Cage Warriors | July 22, 2022 | George Hardwick | 12-1 | 2 |
| Fight Nights Global | Vacant | |||
| Road FC | July 23, 2022 | Si Won Park | 8-0 | 1 |
| Titan FC | Vacant | |||
| Legacy Fighting Alliance | May 19, 2023 | JaCobi Jones | 6-1 | 0 |
· Most wins in lightweight title bouts
Gilbert Melendez
Gilbert Melendez
Col 1
1.
Name
Gilbert Melendez
Promotion
WEC, Strikeforce
Title bout wins
10 (1 WEC, 9 Strikeforce)
Benson Henderson
Benson Henderson
Col 1
2.
Name
Benson Henderson
Promotion
WEC, UFC
Title bout wins
7 (3 WEC, 4 UFC)
Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev
Col 1
3.
Name
Islam Makhachev
Promotion
UFC
Title bout wins
5
Bellator
Bellator
Col 1
Michael Chandler
Name
Bellator
B.J. Penn
B.J. Penn
Col 1
4.
Name
B.J. Penn
Promotion
UFC
Title bout wins
4
UFC
UFC
Col 1
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Name
UFC
Bellator
Bellator
Col 1
Usman Nurmagomedov
Name
Bellator
Bellator, UFC
Bellator, UFC
Col 1
Eddie Alvarez
Name
Bellator, UFC
Promotion
4 (3 Bellator, 1 UFC)
Jens Pulver
Jens Pulver
Col 1
5.
Name
Jens Pulver
Promotion
UFC
Title bout wins
3
ONE
ONE
Col 1
Eduard Folayang
Name
ONE
WEC
WEC
Col 1
Gabe Ruediger
Name
WEC
WEC
WEC
Col 1
Hermes Franca
Name
WEC
WEC
WEC
Col 1
Jamie Varner
Name
WEC
UFC
UFC
Col 1
Frankie Edgar
Name
UFC
Promotion
3 (+1a)
WEC, UFC
WEC, UFC
Col 1
Anthony Pettis
Name
WEC, UFC
Promotion
3 (1 WEC, 2 UFC)
Sean Sherk
Sean Sherk
Col 1
6.
Name
Sean Sherk
Promotion
UFC
Title bout wins
2
WEC
WEC
Col 1
Rob McCullough
Name
WEC
UFC
UFC
Col 1
Rafael dos Anjos
Name
UFC
UFC
UFC
Col 1
Charles Oliveira
Name
UFC
| Name | Promotion | Title bout wins | |
| 1. | Gilbert Melendez | WEC, Strikeforce | 10 (1 WEC, 9 Strikeforce) |
| 2. | Benson Henderson | WEC, UFC | 7 (3 WEC, 4 UFC) |
| 3. | Islam Makhachev | UFC | 5 |
| Michael Chandler | Bellator | ||
| 4. | Penn | UFC | 4 |
| Khabib Nurmagomedov | UFC | ||
| Usman Nurmagomedov | Bellator | ||
| Eddie Alvarez | Bellator, UFC | 4 (3 Bellator, 1 UFC) | |
| 5. | Jens Pulver | UFC | 3 |
| Eduard Folayang | ONE | ||
| Gabe Ruediger | WEC | ||
| Hermes Franca | WEC | ||
| Jamie Varner | WEC | ||
| Frankie Edgar | UFC | 3 (+1a) | |
| Anthony Pettis | WEC, UFC | 3 (1 WEC, 2 UFC) | |
| 6. | Sean Sherk | UFC | 2 |
| Rob McCullough | WEC | ||
| Rafael dos Anjos | UFC | ||
| Charles Oliveira | UFC |
· Most consecutive defenses of lightweight title
Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev
Col 1
1.
Name
Islam Makhachev
Promotion
UFC
Consecutive title defenses
4
Gilbert Melendez
Gilbert Melendez
Col 1
2.
Name
Gilbert Melendez
Promotion
Strikeforce
Consecutive title defenses
4
B.J. Penn
B.J. Penn
Col 1
3.
Name
B.J. Penn
Promotion
UFC
Consecutive title defenses
3
Frankie Edgar
Frankie Edgar
Col 1
4.
Name
Frankie Edgar
Promotion
UFC
Consecutive title defenses
3
Benson Henderson
Benson Henderson
Col 1
5.
Name
Benson Henderson
Promotion
UFC
Consecutive title defenses
3
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Col 1
6.
Name
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Promotion
UFC
Consecutive title defenses
3
| Name | Promotion | Consecutive title defenses | |
| 1. | Islam Makhachev | UFC | 4 |
| 2. | Gilbert Melendez | Strikeforce | 4 |
| 3. | Penn | UFC | 3 |
| 4. | Frankie Edgar | UFC | 3 |
| 5. | Benson Henderson | UFC | 3 |
| 6. | Khabib Nurmagomedov | UFC | 3 |
References
- leg.state.nv.ushttp://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-467.html#NAC467Sec7956
- "Unified Rules of MMA"https://web.archive.org/web/20120705135723/http://www.abcboxing.com/unified_mma_rules.html