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Best UFC Divisions Ever•Best UFC Division By Year•Most Dominant UFC Divisions•2026•2025•2024•2023•2022•2021•2020•2019•2018•2017•2016•2015•2014•2013•2012•2011•2010•2009•2008•2007•2006

A historical look at how competitive each UFC division was in a given year, based on the top fighters active at that time.

The strongest division-year in UFC history was Middleweight (M) in 2017, with an average C-ELO of 1351 among its top fighters and Georges St-Pierre as champion.

RankDivisionYearChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Middleweight (M)2017Georges St-Pierre13511303
#2Lightweight (M)2026Justin Gaethje13491305
#3Welterweight (M)2025Islam Makhachev13491327

In 2026, the strongest UFC division was Lightweight (M). Since 2006, Welterweight (M) has been the strongest division more often than any other, in 12 different years.

#YearDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#12026Lightweight (M)Justin Gaethje13491305
#22025Welterweight (M)Islam Makhachev13491327
#32024Featherweight (M)Ilia Topuria13341270

Welterweight (M) is the most dominant division in UFC history, finishing in the top 3 in 21 of 21 years and ranking first 12 times.

RankDivisionYears in Top 3Years at #1Avg RankYears Tracked
#1Welterweight (M)2112221
#2Lightweight (M)153320
#3Middleweight (M)112321

In 2026, Lightweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Justin Gaethje), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Middleweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Lightweight (M)Justin Gaethje13491305
#2Welterweight (M)Islam Makhachev13351276
#3Middleweight (M)Sean Strickland13281367

In 2025, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Islam Makhachev), ahead of Lightweight (M) and Middleweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Islam Makhachev13491327
#2Lightweight (M)Ilia Topuria13351306
#3Middleweight (M)Khamzat Chimaev13321334

In 2024, Featherweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Ilia Topuria), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Middleweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Featherweight (M)Ilia Topuria13341270
#2Welterweight (M)Belal Muhammad13331240
#3Middleweight (M)Dricus Du Plessis13211278

In 2023, Lightweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Islam Makhachev), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Bantamweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Lightweight (M)Islam Makhachev13361262
#2Welterweight (M)Leon Edwards13151269
#3Bantamweight (M)Sean O'Malley12861292

In 2022, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Leon Edwards), ahead of Lightweight (M) and Middleweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Leon Edwards13461268
#2Lightweight (M)Islam Makhachev12921259
#3Middleweight (M)Alex Pereira12781207

In 2021, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Kamaru Usman), ahead of Heavyweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Kamaru Usman13161302
#2Heavyweight (M)Francis Ngannou12961292
#3Lightweight (M)Charles Oliveira12861306

In 2020, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Kamaru Usman), ahead of Lightweight (M) and Heavyweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Kamaru Usman13251337
#2Lightweight (M)Conor McGregor13031379
#3Heavyweight (M)Stipe Miocic12741297

In 2019, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Kamaru Usman), ahead of Lightweight (M) and Heavyweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Kamaru Usman13131354
#2Lightweight (M)Khabib Nurmagomedov12951262
#3Heavyweight (M)Stipe Miocic12831223

In 2018, Middleweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Georges St-Pierre), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Middleweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12981376
#2Welterweight (M)Tyron Woodley12971328
#3Lightweight (M)Khabib Nurmagomedov12691208

In 2017, Middleweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Georges St-Pierre), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Middleweight (M)Georges St-Pierre13511303
#2Welterweight (M)Tyron Woodley13011349
#3Lightweight (M)Conor McGregor12731261

In 2016, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Tyron Woodley), ahead of Middleweight (M) and Light Heavyweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Tyron Woodley12941281
#2Middleweight (M)Michael Bisping12891285
#3Light Heavyweight (M)Daniel Cormier12621248

In 2015, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Robbie Lawler), ahead of Middleweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Robbie Lawler12801266
#2Middleweight (M)Luke Rockhold12641234
#3Lightweight (M)Rafael Dos Anjos12281225

In 2014, Lightweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Anthony Pettis), ahead of Middleweight (M) and Welterweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Lightweight (M)Anthony Pettis12501264
#2Middleweight (M)Chris Weidman12481242
#3Welterweight (M)Robbie Lawler12431206

In 2013, Light Heavyweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Jon Jones), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Light Heavyweight (M)Jon Jones12471273
#2Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12341226
#3Lightweight (M)Anthony Pettis12221196

In 2012, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Georges St-Pierre), ahead of Light Heavyweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12391208
#2Light Heavyweight (M)Jon Jones12261192
#3Lightweight (M)Benson Henderson12111192

In 2011, Light Heavyweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Jon Jones), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Middleweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Light Heavyweight (M)Jon Jones12481201
#2Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12431255
#3Middleweight (M)Anderson Silva12131209

In 2010, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Georges St-Pierre), ahead of Light Heavyweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12501189
#2Light Heavyweight (M)Mauricio Rua12181290
#3Lightweight (M)Frankie Edgar12041204

In 2009, Light Heavyweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Lyoto Machida), ahead of Welterweight (M) and Lightweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Light Heavyweight (M)Lyoto Machida12181251
#2Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12081358
#3Lightweight (M)BJ Penn11871198

In 2008, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Georges St-Pierre), ahead of Light Heavyweight (M) and Heavyweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre12151223
#2Light Heavyweight (M)Rashad Evans11781328
#3Heavyweight (M)Brock Lesnar11741237

In 2007, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Matt Serra), ahead of Light Heavyweight (M) and Heavyweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Matt Serra12071169
#2Light Heavyweight (M)Quinton Jackson11891373
#3Heavyweight (M)Randy Couture11321140

In 2006, Welterweight (M) was the UFC's strongest division (champion: Georges St-Pierre), ahead of Light Heavyweight (M) and Middleweight (M).

RankDivisionChampionAvg C-ELOMedian C-ELO
#1Welterweight (M)Georges St-Pierre11721118
#2Light Heavyweight (M)Chuck Liddell11611122
#3Middleweight (M)Anderson Silva11441103