UFC Bantamweight Champions: Full Title History (2026)
UFC bantamweight champions, listed from 29 title fights. See all 9 winners, their title records and the latest 10 championship bouts in full.
Quick answer
As of October 22, 2026, 9 fighters have won a UFC men's bantamweight title fight. AgentMMA's database contains 29 such bouts, including interim titles. Petr Yan is the current champion in AgentMMA's rankings data. TJ Dillashaw leads the division with five title-fight wins.
Data snapshot: AgentMMA analysis of 29 UFC bantamweight title fights, covering 1994-03-11 to 2026-10-17 (computed 2026-10-22).
UFC bantamweight champions: every title-fight winner
Every UFC Bantamweight title-fight winner
| Fighter | First title-fight win | Title | Beat | Title-fight wins | Title-fight record | Last title fight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominick Cruz | 2011-07-02 | undisputed | Urijah Faber | 4 | 4-2-0 | 2020-05-09 |
| Renan Barao | 2012-07-21 | interim | Urijah Faber | 4 | 4-2-0 | 2015-07-25 |
| TJ Dillashaw | 2014-05-24 | undisputed | Renan Barao | 5 | 5-2-0 | 2022-10-22 |
| Cody Garbrandt | 2016-12-30 | undisputed | Dominick Cruz | 1 | 1-2-0 | 2018-08-04 |
| Henry Cejudo | 2019-06-08 | undisputed | Marlon Moraes | 2 | 2-1-0 | 2023-05-06 |
| Petr Yan | 2020-07-11 | undisputed | Jose Aldo | 3 | 3-2-0 | 2025-12-06 |
| Aljamain Sterling | 2021-03-06 | undisputed | Petr Yan | 4 | 4-1-0 | 2023-08-19 |
| Sean O'Malley | 2023-08-19 | undisputed | Aljamain Sterling | 2 | 2-2-0 | 2025-06-07 |
| Merab Dvalishvili | 2024-09-14 | undisputed | Sean O'Malley | 4 | 4-1-0 | 2025-12-06 |
Each fighter appears once, ordered by his first win in a UFC bantamweight title fight. The record covers title bouts at this weight, not the fighter's full career. A second reign or an interim win changes the totals but doesn't create another row. That distinction matters for Cruz, Dillashaw and Yan.
What were the last 10 UFC bantamweight title fights?
Last 10 UFC Bantamweight title fights
| Date | Event | Result | Method | Round | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-06 | UFC 323 | Petr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
| 2025-10-04 | UFC 320 | Merab Dvalishvili def. Cory Sandhagen | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
| 2025-06-07 | UFC 316 | Merab Dvalishvili def. Sean O'Malley | Submission | 3 | undisputed |
| 2025-01-18 | UFC 311 | Merab Dvalishvili def. Umar Nurmagomedov | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
| 2024-09-14 | UFC 306 | Merab Dvalishvili def. Sean O'Malley | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
| 2024-03-09 | UFC 299 | Sean O'Malley def. Marlon Vera | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
| 2023-08-19 | UFC 292 | Sean O'Malley def. Aljamain Sterling | KO/TKO | 2 | undisputed |
| 2023-05-06 | UFC 288 | Aljamain Sterling def. Henry Cejudo | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
| 2022-10-22 | UFC 280 | Aljamain Sterling def. TJ Dillashaw | KO/TKO | 2 | undisputed |
| 2022-04-09 | UFC 273 | Aljamain Sterling def. Petr Yan | Decision | 5 | undisputed |
Yan's December 2025 decision ended Dvalishvili's run after four straight title-fight wins. Every bout in this recent set involved the undisputed belt. The table ends at the study cutoff, so a later result won't appear until the next refresh.
How this list is counted
AgentMMA starts with UFC bout records tagged as men's bantamweight championship fights. Undisputed and interim title fights both enter the population. There is no career minimum or defense requirement. One win in a qualifying title fight puts a fighter in the first table.
The win-loss-draw record uses only those title fights at bantamweight. A non-title UFC fight doesn't count. Neither does a title fight in another division. A fighter's wider professional record can include other promotions, but those bouts never enter a UFC figure here.
This method produces a list of title-fight winners, not a reign-by-reign belt timeline. Administrative changes need a separate record. The UFC's official lineage says Dominick Cruz became its inaugural champion through the WEC transition at WEC 53 in December 2010. AgentMMA shows 2011-07-02 because that was Cruz's first win in a UFC bantamweight title bout. The UFC lineage dates Yan versus Aldo to July 12 in Abu Dhabi. AgentMMA keeps UFC Stats' event date, 2020-07-11.
The same UFC lineage records Cruz's injury vacancy and Renan Barao's promotion from interim champion in January 2014. It also records TJ Dillashaw's 2019 vacancy after a failed drug test, then Henry Cejudo's 2020 retirement vacancy. No title bout happened during any of those changes, so none can add a table row.
Another site's list may count each reign, omit interim champions, include the WEC handover or use a newer cutoff. It may also preserve an original result after an overturn. AgentMMA follows UFC Stats results as stored in its database, so an overturned result counts as a no-contest.
Notable names on the list
TJ Dillashaw: the title-fight wins leader
Dillashaw's five wins are the most in AgentMMA's 29-fight sample. His row runs from the Barao upset on 2014-05-24 through his final title fight on 2022-10-22. The 5-2-0 record includes both championship reigns. UFC now lists him as retired.
Dominick Cruz: the first champion, counted two ways
UFC treats Cruz as the inaugural champion because the WEC title transferred in 2010. This bout study starts with his win over Urijah Faber on 2011-07-02. He went 4-2-0 in qualifying UFC title fights. UFC announced his retirement in February 2025 after a shoulder injury stopped his planned return.
Petr Yan: back at the top
Yan is the current champion in AgentMMA's rankings data on October 22, 2026. His first listed win came over Jose Aldo for the vacant belt on 2020-07-11. His 3-2-0 record also includes an interim-title win and the 2025 decision that returned him to the top.
Aljamain Sterling: an unusual start, then three more wins
Sterling's 4-1-0 run began when he beat Yan by disqualification on 2021-03-06. He then beat interim champion Yan and won two more defenses. UFC reported that Sterling moved to featherweight after losing the bantamweight belt, so this title record is now a closed chapter unless he returns.
Merab Dvalishvili: four straight title-fight wins
Dvalishvili won the title from Sean O'Malley on 2024-09-14. He added three defenses before Yan beat him on 2025-12-06, leaving a 4-1-0 title-fight record. UFC's 2026 division preview still placed him in the contender group.
Related AgentMMA pages
- Most UFC title-fight wins
- Youngest and oldest UFC champions
- UFC Bantamweight rankings
- Most UFC wins
- Longest UFC win streaks
How solid is this data?
The base is 29 UFC men's bantamweight title fights, including interim bouts. The database window runs from 1994-03-11 through 2026-10-17. The early date marks the full bout-table range, not the start of this division's title history.
Only UFC bouts count. A number labelled 'pro record' may include WEC or another promotion. Those fights never enter a UFC total here. Results follow UFC Stats as stored in AgentMMA's database. If an official result is overturned, the database counts it as a no-contest.
The main limit is structural. Bout data can show who won, lost and drew. It can't show a vacancy, stripping or promotion because no fight occurred. AgentMMA uses the UFC's lineage record for those handovers and keeps them outside the computed table.
The page changes after a new qualifying result alters the list or its records. The champion can change at the next event, so UFC Bantamweight rankings holds the live answer.
FAQ
Who are all the UFC bantamweight champions?
AgentMMA finds nine UFC men's bantamweight title-fight winners. They are Dominick Cruz, Renan Barao, TJ Dillashaw, Cody Garbrandt, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling, Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili.
Who is the current UFC bantamweight champion?
Petr Yan is the current champion in AgentMMA's rankings data as of October 22, 2026. Check the UFC Bantamweight rankings for the live holder.
Who has the most UFC bantamweight title-fight wins?
TJ Dillashaw leads with five wins and a 5-2-0 record in UFC bantamweight title fights. The count includes both of his title reigns.
How many UFC bantamweight title fights have there been?
AgentMMA counted 29 UFC men's bantamweight title fights through October 17, 2026. That total includes undisputed and interim championship bouts.
Who was the first UFC bantamweight champion?
The UFC recognizes Dominick Cruz as its inaugural champion through the 2010 WEC transition. AgentMMA's UFC-only bout table starts his title-fight wins on 2011-07-02.
Does this UFC bantamweight title history include interim champions?
Yes. Interim title fights count, which is why Renan Barao's first listed win is for an interim belt. Petr Yan's 2021 interim win also enters his 3-2-0 record.
Sources & further reading
The data and published sources behind this article.
- UFC: Bantamweight title lineage (www.ufc.com)
- UFC: The Bantamweight Division 2026 Preview (www.ufc.com)
- UFC: Dominick Cruz announces retirement (www.ufc.com)
- UFC: TJ Dillashaw athlete profile (www.ufc.com)
- UFC: Aljamain Sterling on moving to featherweight (www.ufc.com)
Put the data to work
Compare any two fighters head-to-head, or see what our AI predicts for upcoming UFC fights.
More from the MMA Lab
UFC Women's Bantamweight Champions: Full Title History
UFC women's bantamweight champions, listed in order: 7 title-fight winners across 20 bouts, plus the last 10 results and full title history.
UFC Women's Flyweight Champions: Complete Title History
UFC women's flyweight champions, listed in order: 4 title-fight winners across 15 bouts, with records and full results through October 22, 2026.
UFC Women's Strawweight Champions: All 6 Winners Listed
UFC women's strawweight champions from AgentMMA's 21-fight study: all 6 title-fight winners, full records and the last 10 championship bouts.
UFC Heavyweight Champions: Full Title History (1997–2026)
UFC heavyweight champions, in order: 22 title-fight winners across 54 bouts, with the complete division title history through October 22, 2026.