List of UFC Featherweight Champions, Championship History
UFC Featherweight Championship is the title for the featherweight division which is for fighters between 136 lbs or 61 kgs and 145 lbs or 66 kgs.
Title History
Jose Aldo was WEC Featherweight Champion and got promoted as the first UFC Featherweight Champion when WEC merged with UFC. He was coronated as the champion at UFC 123. Aldo successfully defended the title 7 times from 2011 to 2014. He was supposed to defend it against Conor McGregor at UFC 189. However, Aldo pulled out of the bout due to a rib injury. He was replaced by Chad Mendes and the bout was turned into an interim title fight. McGregor won the interim title via TKO in round 2. McGregor then won bout the title unification bout against Aldo at UFC 194 via KO in 13 seconds.
With McGregor remaining inactive in the featherweight division, UFC announced an interim featherweight title bout between Aldo and Frankie Edgar. Aldo became the interim champion. He was promoted as the full-time champion when McGregor was stripped off the title on November 26, 2016. With Also out of action, UFC announced another interim title fight at UFC 206 where Max Holloway defeated Anthony Pettis. Holloway defeated Aldo in the title unification via third-round TKO at UFC 212.
Holloway retained the title in the rematch against Aldo via another third-round TKO. Holloway later retianed the title against Brain Ortega and Frankie Edgar. Alexander Volkanovski ended Holloway’s title reign at UFC 245 via unanimous decision.
Current Champion
Ilja Topuria is the current UFC Featherweight Champion. He won the title by defeating Alexander Volkanovski via knockout to end his 1526 days.
Title Reigns
6. Ilja Topuria
- Title Won Date: Feb 17, 2024
- Defenses: 0
- Reigns Day: 58+ day
- Event: UFC 298
- Notes: Defeated Alexander Volkanovski to win the title.
Interim – Yair Rodriguez
- Title Won Date: Feb 11, 2023
- Defenses: 0
- Reigns Day: 147
- Event: UFC 284
- Notes: Defeated Josh Emmett to win the title.
5. Alexander Volkanovski
- Title Won Date: Dec 14, 2019
- Defenses: 5
- Reigns Day: 1515+ day
- Event: UFC 245
- Notes: Defeated Max Holloway to win the title.
4. Max Halloway
- Title Won Date: Jun 3, 2017
- Defenses: 3
- Reigns Day: 925 days
- Event: UFC 212
- Notes: Defeated Jose Also to unify featherweight titles.
Interim. Max Halloway
- Title Won Date: Dec 10, 2016
- Defenses: –
- Reigns Day:
- Event: UFC 206
- Notes: Defeated Anthony Pettis to become interim champion.
3. Jose Aldo
- Title Won Date: Nov 26, 2016
- Defenses: 0
- Reigns Day: 189 Days
- Event:
- Notes: Aldo was promoted as full champion after McGregor was stripped off the title.
Interim. Jose Aldo
- Title Won Date: Jul 9, 2016
- Defenses:
- Reigns Day:
- Event: UFC 200
- Notes: With Conor McGregor inactive, Aldo became the interim title by beating Frankie Edgar.
2. Conor McGregor
- Title Won Date: Dec 12, 2015
- Defenses:
- Reigns Day: 350 Days
- Event: UFC 194
- Notes: Defeated Jose Aldo to unify Featherweight titles.
Interim. Conor McGregor
- Title Won Date: Jul 11, 2015
- Defenses:
- Reigns Day:
- Event: UFC 189
- Notes: Defeated Chad Mendes in an interim title bout after Aldo pulled out of title bout due to injury.
1. Jose Aldo
- Title Won Date: Nov 20, 2010
- Defenses: 7
- Reigns Day: 1848 Days
- Event: UFC 123
- Notes: Promoted from WEC Champion to UFC Champion
