UFC Men's Weight Classes
| Division | Upper Limit (lbs) | Upper Limit (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Flyweight | 125 lbs | 56.7 kg |
| Bantamweight | 135 lbs | 61.2 kg |
| Featherweight | 145 lbs | 65.8 kg |
| Lightweight | 155 lbs | 70.3 kg |
| Welterweight | 170 lbs | 77.1 kg |
| Middleweight | 185 lbs | 83.9 kg |
| Light Heavyweight | 205 lbs | 93 kg |
| Heavyweight | 265 lbs | 120.2 kg |
Lower bound for each division is 0.01 lbs above the previous division's limit. Heavyweight has no minimum — any fighter over 205 lbs up to 265 lbs qualifies.
UFC Women's Weight Classes
| Division | Upper Limit (lbs) | Upper Limit (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Strawweight | 115 lbs | 52.2 kg |
| Flyweight | 125 lbs | 56.7 kg |
| Bantamweight | 135 lbs | 61.2 kg |
| Featherweight | 145 lbs | 65.8 kg |
The UFC currently does not roster women's divisions below Strawweight or above Featherweight. Women's Super Bantamweight, Super Featherweight, Lightweight, and higher classes exist in boxing and other MMA promotions but not in the UFC.
UFC vs Boxing: Same Name, Different Weight
Eight divisions share names across the UFC and professional boxing, but the weight limits rarely match. A fighter moving between sports would usually compete in a differently named class. The gap ranges from 13 lbs (Flyweight) to 30 lbs (Light Heavyweight).
| Division | UFC Limit | Boxing Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Flyweight | 125 lbs | 112 lbs |
| Bantamweight | 135 lbs | 118 lbs |
| Featherweight | 145 lbs | 126 lbs |
| Lightweight | 155 lbs | 135 lbs |
| Welterweight | 170 lbs | 147 lbs |
| Middleweight | 185 lbs | 160 lbs |
| Light Heavyweight | 205 lbs | 175 lbs |
The most dramatic difference is at heavyweight: boxing has no upper limit beyond 200 lbs, which is why fights between 220-lb and 270-lb heavyweights are common. The UFC caps its heavyweight division at 265 lbs. A 250-lb boxer is a standard heavyweight; a 250-lb MMA fighter is near the top of the UFC's heaviest class.
UFC Titles: One Champion Per Division
Unlike boxing, where the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO each crown a world champion in every division, the UFC operates a unified title system. There is exactly one UFC champion per weight class. There are no competing sanctioning bodies, no interim vs regular title confusion, and no "super champion" designations.
This makes the UFC title picture far easier to follow. When a fighter wins the UFC Lightweight Championship, they are indisputably the best lightweight in the promotion. In boxing, a lightweight champion might hold only the WBC belt, with three other fighters claiming to be "world champion" in the same division.
The trade-off is fewer championship opportunities. Boxing's fragmented system creates dozens of title fights per year; the UFC's unified model means only one fighter can hold gold at a time, making title shots harder to earn but more prestigious to hold.
UFC Weigh-In Rules
UFC fighters weigh in the day before the event, typically during a morning window. The official scale is provided by the state athletic commission overseeing the event. Fighters must weigh at or below their division limit; there is no one-pound allowance in title fights.
Missing weight has serious consequences. A fighter who fails to make weight forfeits 20–30% of their show purse to their opponent. The fight proceeds at a catchweight, but it is no longer a title bout — even if the champion is the one who made weight. In some cases, the opponent may refuse the bout entirely.
Like boxing, the UFC has seen extreme weight cuts. Fighters routinely drop 10–20 lbs in fight week through dehydration, then rehydrate rapidly. Some commissions now enforce second-day weight checks or hydration testing to discourage dangerous cuts, though this is not yet universal across all UFC events.