UFC Light Heavyweight Division: Results, Ranking, History, Fighters to Watch
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Bren Gray
The UFC light heavyweight division is one of the more underrated weight classes in the history of mixed martial arts. According to public opinion, this weight class event has lost its touch, having been all the rage in the 2010s. Regardless, fans of MMA know that these events are all hit or miss, so who knows what the UFC light heavyweight division will be like this year.
Since the beginning of the weight class in 1997, the belt has changed owners a total of 22 times up until now. We take a look at the UFC light heavyweight division history, rankings and top fighters to watch in this season of the weight class.
UFC Light Heavyweight Division Explained
The UFC light heavyweight division is a males-only category in the UFC, with the weight class ranging from a minimum of 186 lb or 84 kg to 205 lb or 93 kg. This weight class makes a 20-pound jump from the middleweight division. As mentioned before, the weight class was in its prime during the 2010s, specifically because of one of the greatest talents of all time, Jon “Bones” Jones.
Jon “Bones” Jones held the title of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion for the first five years from 2011 to 2015. Then, he again claimed the title in 2018 and defended it up until 2020 because he expressed his desire to fight in the heavyweight division. After that, the weight class became very lackluster, falling behind the other divisions and has not made a comeback, yet.
The most recent event that took place for the UFC light heavyweight division was the match between Zhang and Brendson.
Alex Pereira vs Jamahal Hill (UFC 300) – Pereira wo via KO (Punches)
The main event of UFC 300 was a fight between Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill for Pereira's 205-pound title. Considering that Hill was the champion before he vacated his belt due to injury in 2023, many fans were excited to see these two heavy hitters face off. Yet, Pereira made short work of Hill, and produced an impressive knockout to close the show at UFC 300.
Jiří Procházka vs Aleksandar Rakic (UFC 300) – Prochazka won via TKO
Another noteworthy performance at UFC 300 was when Jiří Procházka defeated Aleksandar Rakic via TKO in the second round. Procházka appeared to be in trouble in the first round, before unleashing a flurry of punches in the second that ultimately earned him the KO win.
There isn't a ton of upcoming action between ranked UFC light heavyweight in the near future. However, 205-pound stalwart Anthony Smith is facing up and coming contender Vitor Petrino on May 4. This bout will let the world know whether Petrino is prepared for the top of the division — and will come us a better idea of where Smith is currently at in his career.
Who is the Current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion?
Alex Pereira is the latest UFC Light Heavyweight Champion who acquired the belt and was crowned the champion on November 11 last year. At 36 years old, the guy has had a very successful MMA career, being a former Glory title holder and number 9 of all people in the world to have become champion in two divisions of the UFC, including the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Nicknamed as “Poatan”, which means “Hands of Stone”, the Brazilian from São Paulo is a tall menace that quickly floors his enemies during matches. At present, he is the number 4 name in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings. He is the only known fighter to be a two-division world champion in multiple combat sports. He is regarded as one of the absolute greatest combat athletes of all time.
His kickboxing career took off successfully in 2014 when he beat Dustin Jacoby by KO/TKO in the first round of the semi-finals and Sahak Parparyan by majority decision in the finals at the Glory 14: Zagreb – Middleweight Contender Tournament. After that, he went on to sign with UFC in 2021, making his promotional debut at UFC 268 in a match against Andrea Michaidilis.
Last year, he won the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion title at UFC 295 in a match against the Czech fighter and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jiří “BJP” Procházka. He won the match via a split decision where the fight went back and forth for a good minute until he landed the final blow and knocked BJP out in a complete TKO during the second round of the match.
We will be seeing Alex Pereira again very soon in the UFC light heavyweight division at the UFC 300. He is scheduled to go against the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jamahal Hill, from America on 13 April 2024 for his first title defense match to protect his belt.
UFC Light Heavyweight Division Rankings in 2024
The UFC light heavyweight division has had lots of amazing and talented players at the Fight Nights over the years. So, here are the rankings for the top active players in the light heavyweight division in 2024:
Champion – Alex Pereira
Jiří Procházka
Magomed Ankalaev
Jamahal Hill
Jan Błachowicz
Aleksandar Rakić
Nikita Krylov
Johnny Walker
Khalil Rountree Jr.
Volkan Oezdemir
Anthony Smith
Ryan Spann
Alonzo Menifield
Azamat Murzakanov
Dominick Reyes
Vitor Petrino
Alex Pereira is leading the pack as the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of 2023. After him Jiří Procházka, Jamahal Hill, and Magomed Ankalaev hold the top three spots, where the first two are former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions.
Holding the 4th position in the UFC light heavyweight division ranking list is the Polish martial artist Jan Błachowicz. He is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of 2020 who lost his title in 2021 to the Brazilian Glover Teixeira.
Other names to watch out for are Nikita Krylov, Khalil Rountree Jr. and Volkan Oezdemir, who are formidable opponents thanks to their professional kickboxing careers and amazing skills when it comes to mixed martial arts.
Fighters to Watch in the UFC Light Heavyweight Division
Of course, it goes without saying that Alex Pereira is the guy we need to be watching this year. He is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, after all, who will be defending his title against many opponents at the UFC 300. However, there are many other fighters that you should be watching this year as well.
Here are our picks for the top three fighters you should be looking out for in the UFC light heavyweight division:
1. Jamahal Hill
Jamahal Hill is a professional mixed martial artist from America who was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. At 32 years old, he is the highest-ranking fighter in the UFC light heavyweight division rankings of 2024, right behind the champion. He started his career in early 2017, and within seven years, he paved his way straight to the UFC, debuting in 2020.
Ever since then, he has proved to be a tough fighter with amazing skills, facing many of the heavyweights in the UFC and successfully defeating them to get where he is today. For this very reason, he is a fighter you should be watching at the UFC 300 because we sure are excited to see how he will perform.
2. Jiří Procházka
Jiří Procházka is a professional mixed martial artist from the Czech Republic who was also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is 31 years old and has been active in the kickboxing scene since his debut in 2012. Besides having had a UFC belt in the past, he was also the inaugural Rizin Fighting Federation Light Heavyweight Champion and the inaugural Gladiator Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight Champion.
He has a lot of professional experience, having fought at quite a few championships during his career. He is tall and strong with amazing skills that make him a tough opponent to go against, even for seasoned veterans. So, it goes without saying that he is a player you should be looking out for.
3. Magomed Ankalaev
Magomed Ankalaev is a professional mixed martial artist from Russia who is the third-ranking fighter in the UFC light heavyweight rankings list. At 31 years old, he has already claimed many kickboxing titles in the past, including the Light heavyweight champion of the World Fighting Championship Akhmat and he is also the winner of the 2016 Akhmat FC Light Heavyweight Grand Prix.
He properly began his professional career in 2013 at the WMMAA’s World Cup in Russia, winning the gold medal as well. He made his promotional debut at the UFC in 2018, so he is a fairly new but seasoned fighter. So far, he has dominated every opponent he has come across, which makes him a player definitely worth watching at UFC 300.
History of the UFC Light Heavyweight Division
The UFC light heavyweight division goes back a long way, beginning its journey in 1997. Before 2001 i.e. UFC 31, the division was actually known as the Middleweight Championship. However, after UFC 31, the Pride World Middleweight Championship was unified with the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in 2007, officially creating the light heavyweight division.
This official change happened specifically after Quinton Jackson defeated Dan Henderson at UFC 75 because the fight was hosted to unify the two titles. After that, the championship was very popular, having hundreds and even thousands of people tuning in to watch it. In the 2010s, it was especially popular thanks to Jon “Bones” Jones. After that, the public said the quality dropped and the championship has not been the same ever since.
Nowadays, the light heavyweight division is very stale with only the hardcore MMA fans tuning in to keep up with the UFC Fight Nights. However, things might change with the storm that Alex Pereira and the others have been kicking up since 2023. With former UFC champions like Jamahal Hill and Jiří “BJP” Procházka and of course, new talent like Alex Pereira, the UFC light heavyweight division might finally be revived.
Fans of MMA may be getting a glimpse back to the glory days when Jon Jones dominated the whole scene in the 2010s leading up to the beginning of the 2020s. So, make sure to mark your calendars because, from March, the UFC 300 will be taking place with all the high rankers and things will surely get very interesting.
UFC Light Heavyweight FAQ
Who is the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion?
The current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is Alex Pereira from Brazil. He claimed the title for the first time in 2023 defeating Jiří “BJP” Procházka, another former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.
What is the Weight Limit in UFC Light Heavyweight?
The weight limit for the UFC light heavyweight division is 205 lb or 93 kg.
Who is the Best UFC Light Heavyweight Fighter?
Alex Pereira is widely considered as the absolute greatest combat athlete of all time, thanks to his rank as the number 9 fighter in the world who has become champion in two divisions of the UFC, including the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. He’s been crowned the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion last year and is going to be defending the title at UFC 300 in April.
Bren Gray is our resident Kiwi, and has been writing about sports since he could first string words together. He first fell in love with boxing when David Tua took on Lennox Lewis in 2000, and hasn't looked back since.
