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UFC Champions by Country – An Overview of MMA’s Global Dominance

Magomed Ankalaev
Source: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Mixed Martial Arts has become a global phenomenon, with fighters emerging from around the world. While the sport initially gained popularity in the United States it rapidly spread to numerous countries worldwide, primarily because of the UFC – the global leader in MMA. Now, there are champions from Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Russia representing their countries and their respective martial arts backgrounds. Below, we’ll take a closer look at the current UFC champions from each country and look at their backgrounds and potential futures.

Champions by Country

Brazilian UFC Champions

Brazilian jiu-jitsu has had a tremendous impact on the sport of MMA, and Brazilian fighters have dominated the UFC scene for many years. Brazil has produced some of the greatest fighters in UFC history such as Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, and Vitor Belfort among the most notable. There are 2 Brazilian UFC champions, currently:

Alexandre Pantoja - Flyweight (125 lbs.)

Alexandre Pantoja (26-5-0 8KO) is the 10th ranked pound-for-pound in the UFC. The Brazilian fighter is well-renowned for his grappling skills but showed strong striking skills when he won the Flyweight championship in July of 2023 when he defeated Brandon Moreno via split decision. This was Pantoja’s second time defeating Brandon Moreno, who is widely regarded as one of the best fighters on the planet. Pantoja is currently scheduled to defend his UFC Flyweight Championship vs Brandon Royval on December 16th at UFC 296. Pantoja previously defeated Royval by rear naked choke in August of 2021.

 

American UFC Champions

The United States has produced some of the most iconic fighters in UFC history, including Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, and the greatest of all time – Jon Jones. With the home of prominent gyms like Jackson Wink in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Fortis MMA in Dallas Texas, and American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida – America will continue to churn out some of the best fighters in the world.

Jon Jones - Heavyweight (206-265 lbs.)

Jon Jones (28-1* 11KO) is the 2nd ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Wildly regarded as the greatest fighter to ever live, Jones has had an unprecedented career. Jon Jones still holds the record for the youngest fighter to become a UFC champion, among several other records he’s broken. Speaking of records, Jones’ lone defeat came via disqualification in a fight he was dominating so much, it should have already been stopped and Jones should have been named the winner. Jones ruled the Light Heavyweight division from 2011 to 2020 before vacating the belt and moving up to Heavyweight and winning the Heavyweight championship in November of 2023. He most recently dominated Stipe Miocic to retain his UFC Heavyweight Championship in November of 2024

Julianna Peña - Women's Bantamweight (135 lbs.)

Julianna Peña (11-5-0, 3 KOs) recaptured the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship on October 5, 2024, defeating Raquel Pennington via split decision at UFC 307. This is now her second reign as champion after previously winning the title in 2021 with a shocking submission victory over the GOAT Amanda Nunes. Her relentless grappling, fearlessness and pure toughness has made her a force in the division. Despite setbacks, she has consistently remained among the elite, using her durability and well-rounded skill set to reclaim her spot at the top. Julianna Peña is scheduled to defend her title vs Kayla Harrison at UFC 316. 

Belal Muhammad - Welterweight (170 lbs.)

Belal Muhammad (24-3, 5 KO) has one of the longest win streaks in the UFC. With 10-straight fights unbeaten, Belal is known for his relentless pressure and exceptional grappling skills. He claimed the UFC Welterweight Championship with a strategic and dominant performance, over Leon Edwards. As the current welterweight champion, he is expected to defend his title against some of the division’s elite – including Shavkat Rakhmonov, Sean Brady, or Kamaru Usman

Russian UFC Champions

Russia has quickly become one of the world’s leading countries in producing high-level mixed martial artists. With notable fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and Petr Yan hailing from Russia, it’s no surprise that they have made a significant impact in the UFC. Their grappling prowess and ability to finish fights has nearly taken over the sport of MMA.

Islam Makhachev - Lightweight (155 lbs.)

Islam Makhachev (25-1-0 5KO) is the 1st ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. The fighter initially known as a protege of Khabib’s has nearly made himself a household name after submitting Charles Oliveira to become the UFC Lightweight Champion in October of 2022. Since, then, he has defended his belt over UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski twice, once by unanimous decision and most recently with a headkick knockout. Makhachev is now on an incredible 15-fight win streak and will likely defend his belt against Justin Gaethje or Arman Tsarukyan

Magomed Ankalaev – Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.)

Belal Muhammad (24-3, 5 KO) has one of the longest win streaks in the UFC. With 10-straight fights unbeaten, Belal is known for his relentless pressure and exceptional grappling skills. He claimed the UFC Welterweight Championship with a strategic and dominant performance, over Leon Edwards. As the current welterweight champion, he is expected to defend his title against some of the division’s elite – including Shavkat Rakhmonov, Sean Brady, or Kamaru Usman

Valentina Shevchenko - Flyweight (125 lbs.)

Valentina Shevchenko (24-4, 8 KO) has solidified her place as one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. Her recent victory over Alexa Grasso at UFC 306 marked her 9th UFC title fight victory where she reclaimed the flyweight title in a commanding performance. She won via unanimous decision, with judges scoring the bout 50-45 across the board. With her trilogy with Alexa Grasso ending even with a draw and a win a piece, she may have to face her again or Manon Fiorot, or potentially the winner of Erin Blanchfield vs Rose Namajunas

English UFC Champions

England has had some impressive fighters to come through the UFC over the last decade. From Michael Bisping, Darren Till, and now Leon Edwards – England has been well-represented in the sport of MMA. The fans in the UK are some of the best in the world and they fuel their countrymen with their deafening chants and unbelievable celebrations.

Tom Aspinall - Interim Heavyweight (206-265 lbs.)

Tom Aspinall (14-3-0 10KO) is the 12th ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. He may not be a household name around the world but Aspinall is a superstar in the UK. His versatility is incredible as far as heavyweights go, he has an arsenal of takedowns, a great grappling base, and power in both hands. His 8-fight win streak was derailed when he blew his knee out vs Curtis Blaydes, but he bounced back by steamrolling Marcin Tybura a year later, followed by an explosive knockout of KO artist Sergei Pavlovich to become the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion in November of 2023. Aspinall will likely defend his interim title vs Jailton Almeida while we wait for Jon Jones to recover from his injury.

Chinese UFC Champions

China has been involved in combat sports and martial arts for about as long as we can track. From boxing to kickboxing and now MMA, they have produced some of the most talented athletes in the world. China’s UFC presence is quickly growing as its fighters continue to impress with each performance, it’s only a matter of time before we see multiple Chinese UFC champions.

Zhang Weili - Women's Strawweight (115 lbs.)

Zhang Weili (24-3 11KO) is the 2nd ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. One of the most feared fighters in the UFC, Zhang’s versatility and brute strength separate her from anybody in the division. She seems to improve every fight and has picked up pieces of the English language impressively fast – making her more marketable within the States. Zhang initially won the UFC Strawweight Championship over Jessica Andrade by knockout in the first round becoming the first Chinese champion in the UFC. After losing the title to Rose Namajunas, Weili bounced back by knocking Joanna Jedrzejczyk out and dominating Carla Esparza to become one of the 2-time UFC Champion in the history of the women’s divisions. 

African UFC Champions

Africa has become a powerhouse in the MMA world, producing some of the most dominant UFC fighters. This rise of African fighters in the UFC has been nothing short of spectacular, fighters with African heritage like Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou, and Isreal Adesayna have represented their culture well. As the UFC continues to invest in finding talent and providing training facilities for African fighters, there is certainly another surge of top-tier talent ahead.

Dricus Du Plessis

Dricus Du Plessis - Middleweight (185 lbs.)

Dricus Du Plessis (21-2-0 9KO) is the 8th ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Before his rise to the top of the sport, Du Plessis was a dominant force in other organizations. He became a dual-division champion in EFC, a prominent African MMA promotion, where he held titles in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions. He then moved to KSW, a Polish MMA organization, and in his debut, he claimed the KSW Welterweight Championship. His success caught the eye of the UFC, and he was signed in 2020.

In the UFC, Du Plessis has been a force winning his first 6 fights including stoppages of UFC legends Darren Till, Derek Brunson, and former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker, setting up a clash between Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. Du Plessis edged out a split decision victory over Strickland to become the first UFC champion from South Africa. Du Plessis will likely make his first title defense against Isreal Adesanya (if he decides to return soon), Khamzat Chimaev, or a rematch with Sean Strickland.

Georgian UFC Champions

Eastern Europe has been a hot spot for top-tier MMA fighters in recent years, and Georgia is no exception. With the likes of Merab Dvalishvili, Liana Jojua, and Giga Chikadze bursting onto the scene – this small country in Eurasia has made its presence known in the UFC. As these fighters continue to improve their skills and gain more experience inside the octagon, it’s likely that we will see more Georgian UFC champions in the near future.

Ilia Topuria - Featherweight (185lbs. )

Ilia Topuria (15-0 5KO) is the 5th-ranked pound pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Despite being relatively new to the UFC scene, Topuria has already made a name for himself with his impressive knockout power and dominant grappling skills. A 14-fight win streak including dominant wins over Ryan Hall and Bryce Mitchell earned him a title shot against former #1 pound-for-pound ranked fighter Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria did not disappoint, landing a devastating right hand in the middle of a combination that knocked Volkanovski unconscious and crowed Topuria as the new UFC Featherweight Champion. Depending on how the next few events play out, Topuria may rematch Volkanovski, fight Max Halloway, or Movsar Evloev.

Merab Dvalishvili - Bantamweight (135lbs. )

Merab Dvalishvili (18-4, 3 KO) has solidified his status as one of the UFC’s most relentless competitors. Known for his extraordinary cardio and relentless pace, Dvalishvili combines his wrestling expertise with an unyielding pressure game. His crowning achievement came at UFC 306 when he captured the UFC Bantamweight title from Sean O’Malley through a unanimous decision. This victory added to his incredible 11-fight win streak, which includes triumphs over top contenders like Petr Yan and José Aldo. As the reigning champion, Dvalishvili is poised to defend his title against the likes of Umar Nurmagomedov or the winner of Petr Yan vs Deiveson Figueiredo

Whether you’re a hardcore fan or a casual observer, the UFC’s global appeal is impressive. With the UFC’s initiative to build facilities and host events in every part of the world, you can be assured the best fighters on the planet will always end up in the UFC – one way or another.

(Updated March. 2025)

Author

Sav Maddox

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