CBS Sports published a 2026 UFC title-picture update that maps out the current champions across the promotion as the second half of the year begins.[1] The article lists Justin Gaethje as lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev as welterweight champion, and several other divisional titleholders, showing how much the landscape has already changed in 2026.[1] While the piece is more of a broader status update than a breaking fight announcement, it is useful context for where each division stands after a major event week. For contenders, the championship picture helps define the next matchups the UFC may prioritize later in the summer.[1]
A CBS Sports report published on July 12, 2026 surveyed the current UFC championship landscape following a major event week, mapping out who holds gold across the promotion as the second half of the year gets underway. Among the notable placements, Islam Makhachev is listed as welterweight champion, reflecting significant divisional movement in 2026.
Makhachev, 34, has carried his dominance from lightweight into the 170-pound division, now sitting at 28-1-0 and ranked the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. The Russian southpaw, trained out of Eagles MMA, is one of the most precise grapplers in UFC history, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He connects at a 58 percent striking accuracy rate, among the highest in the promotion.
At middleweight, Sean Strickland retains championship status with a 31-7-0 record. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and leads the UFC in output, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute. His relentless forward pressure and volume have defined his title reign.
The flyweight division belongs to Joshua Van, the 24-year-old from Myanmar with a 17-2-0 record. Fighting out of 4oz. Fight Club, Van is among the most accurate strikers in the division, landing 8.84 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy — numbers that are striking for any weight class.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's move to welterweight reshapes two divisions simultaneously, creating a vacancy at lightweight that the CBS Sports update addresses by listing Justin Gaethje as champion
- Strickland's continued reign at middleweight sets up a crowded contender picture at 185 pounds
- Van's dominant early-career numbers at flyweight signal a long title run could be ahead for one of the division's youngest champions
