UFC title bouts throughout 2023 were brimming with thrilling moments, gripping finishes, and substantial surprises.
Over the past 12 months, titles frequently changed hands, reshaping the landscape for most divisions as they enter the new year.
Explore the names and rankings of the fresh champions (arranged from the lightest to the heaviest weight categories) who step into 2024 adorned with UFC gold around their midriffs:
Digging into the statistics:
- UFC championships switched ownership 11 times (including 2 interim champions) in 2023, equalling the second-highest tally in the promotion's history. The all-time record in a single calendar year stands at 12, achieved in 2016. Additionally, there were 11 title changes in 2017.
- Six out of the 12 weight categories, spanning both men’s and women’s divisions, welcomed new champions. The UFC's highest number of title changes in a year stands at eight, achieved in 2016 and 2017.
- As 2024 commences, two title vacancies remain: women’s bantamweight and women’s featherweight.
- In 2023, two fighters claimed their second championship, matching the feat from 2004. However, the record stands at four, achieved in 2022.
- One fighter became a champion in a second division.
- One fighter lost their title in one weight class and became champion in a different division in the same year, a first in UFC history.
- Three fighters attempted to defend their newly acquired title: Alexa Grasso retained the women’s flyweight title in a split draw vs. Valentina Shevchenko, Brandon Moreno surrendered the flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja, and Israel Adesanya relinquished the middleweight title to Sean Strickland.
Other Major Winners
- Alexa Grasso, women's flyweight
- Alexandre Pantoja, flyweight
- Vacant, Women's bantamweight
- Sean O'Malley, bantamweight
- Vacant, women's featherweight
- Sean Strickland, middleweight
- Alex Pereira, light heavyweight
- Jon Jones, heavyweight
- Tom Aspinall, heavyweight – interim
Meanwhile, these fighters began the year as champions and have maintained their positions heading into 2024.
Zhang Weili – Women’s Strawweight
Zhang competed once in 2023, defeating Amanda Lemos by unanimous decision to secure the first defense of her second title reign.
Alexander Volkanovski – Featherweight
Volkanovski fought thrice in 2023, but only once in the featherweight division. He faced a loss against Islam Makhachev in an attempt for the lightweight title in February, unified the featherweight title by defeating interim champion Yair Rodriguez in July, and then experienced another loss to Makhachev in October in another shot at the 155-pound title.
Islam Makhachev – Lightweight
Makhachev had two bouts in 2023, both against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. While slated to fight Charles Oliveira, an injury led to a rematch with Volkanovski on short notice.
Leon Edwards – Welterweight
Edwards secured two title defenses in 2023: A majority decision win in a rematch against Kamaru Usman and a unanimous decision victory over Colby Covington.