Bantamweight (135 lbs)

The division

UFC Bantamweight is 125.1 to 135 lbs. Inaugurated via WEC in 2008 and absorbed into UFC at the end of 2010. The most-watched lower-weight-class division for marketing, particularly after the Sean O'Malley breakout in 2023.

The champion lineage (selected)

• 2008-2010 (WEC): Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles, Dominick Cruz
• 2010-2014: Dominick Cruz (UFC) — injury-shortened reign
• 2014-2016: Renan Barão → TJ Dillashaw → Cody Garbrandt → Dominick Cruz again
• 2016-2019: Cody Garbrandt → TJ Dillashaw (returned) — and the EPO suspension
• 2019-2020: Henry Cejudo (two-division champion, retired briefly)
• 2020-2021: Petr Yan → Aljamain Sterling (DQ controversy at UFC 259)
• 2021-2023: Aljamain Sterling — three defenses including a Yan rematch
• 2023-2024: Sean O'Malley — one defense
• 2024-present: Merab Dvalishvili

The Dominick Cruz era (2010-2014)

Dominick Cruz's WEC-and-UFC reign was the technical foundation of the modern bantamweight division. His footwork, angle-step entries, and constant-motion striking template influenced every lower-weight-class striker since.

The reign was interrupted by chronic injuries — multiple ACL surgeries kept him out of competition for almost three full years between 2011 and 2014. He vacated the title in early 2014 without losing in the cage. Returned to win the title again at UFC Fight Night 81 (January 2016) before losing it to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207 (December 2016).

The Petr Yan DQ (UFC 259, March 2021)

The most controversial title-change in modern bantamweight history. Yan landed an illegal knee to a grounded Sterling in round 4 — the strike was widely viewed as intentional. The referee disqualified Yan and Sterling was declared the new champion.

The DQ produced years of subsequent debate. Sterling won the immediate rematch at UFC 273 (April 2022) by close UD, removing some of the controversy.

The Sean O'Malley breakout (2023-2024)

Sean O'Malley's title win at UFC 292 (August 2023) — KO of Aljamain Sterling round 2 — was the bantamweight division's biggest commercial moment in over a decade. His marketing presence drove the highest-volume bantamweight title-bout PPV buys in UFC history.

O'Malley defended the title once (Marlon Vera at UFC 299, March 2024) before losing to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 (September 2024) — UD over five rounds.

The Dvalishvili era (2024-present)

Merab Dvalishvili won the title from O'Malley at UFC 306 (September 2024) and defended twice:

• vs Umar Nurmagomedov (UFC 311, January 2025) — UD
• vs Sean O'Malley 2 (UFC 316, June 2025) — submission via north-south choke round 3

Dvalishvili's takedown-volume game (highest in UFC history) and championship-rounds cardio define the current bantamweight title template.

The GOAT case

The bantamweight GOAT debate has multiple credible candidates:

• Dominick Cruz — first complete-fighter bantamweight, technical footwork pioneer, two reigns despite injuries.
• TJ Dillashaw — two reigns, the 32-second KO of Demetrious Johnson at UFC Brooklyn 2019. Tainted by EPO suspension.
• Aljamain Sterling — three defenses, longest reign at championship-level pace.
• Henry Cejudo — Olympic gold + UFC two-division champion; bantamweight reign was brief but capped his career narrative.

No single candidate has the dominance of an Anderson Silva or Khabib Nurmagomedov in their weight class. The bantamweight historical canon is genuinely contested.

Notable bouts

• TJ Dillashaw vs Renan Barão 1 (UFC 173, May 2014): the title-winning upset KO of one of the longest-reigning UFC bantamweight champions.
• Cody Garbrandt vs Dominick Cruz (UFC 207, December 2016): the title-changing UD that ended Cruz's second reign.
• TJ Dillashaw vs Henry Cejudo (UFC Brooklyn, January 2019): the 32-second KO that produced the post-fight EPO suspension.
• Petr Yan vs Aljamain Sterling 1 (UFC 259, March 2021): the DQ.
• Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan 2 (UFC 273, April 2022): the rematch UD that confirmed Sterling's championship credibility.
• Sean O'Malley vs Aljamain Sterling (UFC 292, August 2023): the title-winning KO.
• Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O'Malley 1 (UFC 306, September 2024): the title-changing UD via takedown pressure.
• Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O'Malley 2 (UFC 316, June 2025): the submission finish.

The bantamweight division's combination of technical depth (Cruz's footwork influence) and commercial reach (O'Malley's marketing) makes it the most-watched lower-weight-class division in modern MMA.