Bantamweight

Last updated: June 30, 2026

What is bantamweight in the UFC?

Bantamweight is one of the UFC’s lower weight classes, capped at 135 pounds. Fighters in it are small and fast, and the division has a reputation for high-output bouts that rarely slow down. The UFC runs two separate bantamweight divisions, one for men and one for women, and both use the same 135-pound ceiling.

The division matters because it is where a lot of the sport’s sharpest technical fighters end up. A fan who follows the UFC will hear “bantamweight” constantly during broadcasts, usually attached to a 135-pound title fight or a ranked contender. Knowing the weight tells you roughly how big these athletes are and who they can realistically face. A bantamweight cannot be matched against a welterweight because the size gap would be close to 35 pounds.

Bantamweight also sits inside a larger system. The UFC has 12 weight classes in total, eight for men and four for women, and bantamweight is one of the few that exists on both sides of the roster. That overlap is part of why the name comes up so often.

How the bantamweight limit works

The number that defines the division is 135 pounds. For a championship fight, both athletes have to weigh 135 pounds or less at the official weigh-in, which happens the day before the event. According to the UFC, a non-title bantamweight bout allows a one-pound margin, so a fighter can come in at up to 136 pounds and the fight still counts as a bantamweight contest.

Most fighters walk around heavier than 135 between fights and cut down to the limit in the final week. The Association of Boxing Commissions, which governs MMA rules in the United States, defines the bantamweight band as 126 to 135 pounds. In kilograms, that ceiling is about 61.2 kg.

Missing the limit has consequences. A fighter who comes in over weight usually forfeits part of their purse to the opponent, and in a title fight, they can lose the chance to win the belt even with a win in the cage. The weigh-in number, not the fight-night weight, is what the division is built on.

Bantamweight vs flyweight vs featherweight

Most people searching for “bantamweight” are trying to sort it out from the divisions beside it. The three stack right on top of each other, separated by 10 pounds at a time.

Division	Weight limit (title)	Where it sits
Flyweight	125 lb (56.7 kg)	Below bantamweight
Bantamweight	135 lb (61.2 kg)	The middle of the three
Featherweight	145 lb (65.8 kg)	Above bantamweight

Flyweight is the lighter, quicker division directly below. Featherweight is one step up and carries more power. A fighter who struggles to make 135 will often move up to featherweight, while a fighter giving up too much size at 135 may drop to flyweight. Henry Cejudo did the reverse, winning the flyweight title and then moving up to take the bantamweight belt.

One more point of confusion is worth clearing up. Bantamweight in boxing is a much lighter class, capped at 118 pounds. The MMA version is heavier, so a “bantamweight” boxer and a “bantamweight” MMA fighter are not the same size.

Why is it called bantamweight?

The name has nothing to do with MMA. It comes from boxing, which borrowed it from bantam chickens, a small breed of fowl known for being scrappy well above their size. Early boxing organizers used animal and size labels for their lighter classes, and bantamweight became the tag for one of the smallest.

When MMA built its own divisions in the late 1990s and 2000s, it kept the traditional boxing names but set the weights higher. That is why the MMA bantamweight limit of 135 pounds sits well above the boxing figure of 118. The word is old. The number attached to it in the UFC is specific to MMA.

Men’s and women’s bantamweight in the UFC

The men’s division arrived in the UFC in 2010, when the promotion absorbed the WEC. Dominick Cruz, the WEC’s 135-pound champion at the time, was named the first UFC bantamweight champion. Cruz is part of the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame class. As of mid-2026, Petr Yan holds the men’s title after beating Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in December 2025, his second run as champion. ESPN ranked the men’s bantamweight division as the deepest in the UFC heading into 2026.

The women’s division has its own history. It was the first women’s weight class the UFC ever ran, brought over from Strikeforce in 2012, with Ronda Rousey installed as the inaugural champion. Her run did a lot to put women’s MMA on television. Kayla Harrison is the current women’s bantamweight champion, having won the belt at UFC 316 in June 2025.

Both divisions share the 135-pound limit, but they are entirely separate. Men and women do not compete against each other, and the two titles are held by different fighters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What weight is bantamweight in the UFC?

135 pounds, or about 61.2 kg. That is the title-fight limit. Non-title bantamweight bouts allow up to 136 pounds.

Is bantamweight bigger than flyweight?

Yes. Flyweight tops out at 125 pounds, 10 pounds under the bantamweight limit. Bantamweight is the next division up.

Who is the UFC bantamweight champion?

As of mid-2026, Petr Yan holds the men’s title and Kayla Harrison holds the women’s title. Champions change, so it is worth checking current rankings.

Why is MMA bantamweight heavier than boxing bantamweight?

MMA kept the older boxing division names but assigned them higher weight limits. Boxing bantamweight is 118 pounds. The UFC version is 135.

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Sources

1. UFC. “Understanding UFC Weight Classes and Weigh-Ins.” Accessed July 2026.
   https://www.ufc.com/news/understanding-ufc-weight-classes-and-weigh-ins
2. Wikipedia. “Bantamweight (MMA).” Accessed July 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantamweight_(MMA)
3. Wikipedia. “List of UFC Champions.” Accessed July 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UFC_champions
4. ESPN. “UFC weight class rankings.” Accessed July 2026.
   https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/46877818/ufc-weight-class-rankings-close-race-no1-bantamweight-welterweight
5. UFC. “The Bantamweight Division, 2026 Preview.” Accessed July 2026.
   https://www.ufc.com/news/bantamweight-division-2026-preview
6. Wikipedia. “Kayla Harrison.” Accessed July 2026.
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayla_Harrison

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