Heavyweight (MMA)

The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts (MMA) generally groups fighters between 206–265 lb (93.4–120.2 kg).

Although many ambiguities exist within the lowerweight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and most other North American MMA organizations such as Bellator MMA, WSOF, and King of the Cage (KOTC) abide by this interpretation to their 206–265 lb athletes as heavyweights. ONE Championship's heavyweight division is at 226–265 lb. Pancrase's overweight division was 198.4–220.5 lb (90.0–100.0 kg) before being revised to its current 205–264.5 lb (93.0–120.0 kg).

The heavyweight upper weight limit, as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission^[1] and the Association of Boxing Commissions^[2] is 265 lb (120 kg).

Professional champions

Current champions

This table was last updated on June 24, 2023.

Organization	Reign Began	Champion	Record	Defenses
UFC	March 4, 2023	Jon Jones	27–1 (1) (10KO 7SUB)	0
PFL	October 19, 2024	Francis Ngannou	18–3 (13KO 4SUB)	0
Bellator MMA	August 21, 2020	Ryan Bader	31–8 (1) (13KO 3SUB)	3
ONE Championship	June 24, 2023	Anatoly Malykhin	13–0 (9KO 4SUB)	0
ACA	March 17, 2023	Evgeniy Goncharov	20–7 (8KO 2SUB)	2
KSW	April 14, 2018	Phil De Fries	24–6 (6KO 14SUB)	10

Most wins in heavyweight title bouts

Note: the list includes wins in bouts for heavyweight titles of major promotions (UFC, Bellator, ONE, Pride, Strikeforce, WEC)

Note: the list includes both undisputed and interim champions

Active title reign

	Name	Promotion	Title bout wins
1.	Randy Couture	UFC	6
1.	Stipe Miocic	UFC	6
2.	Tim Sylvia	UFC	5
3.	Fedor Emelianenko	Pride	4
	Cain Velasquez	UFC
	Ryan Bader	Bellator MMA
5.	Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira	UFC, Pride	3
	Andrei Arlovski	UFC
	Brandon Vera	ONE
	Brock Lesnar	UFC
	Francis Ngannou	UFC, PFL
6.	Alistair Overeem	Strikeforce	2
	Vitaly Minakov	Bellator MMA
	Frank Mir	UFC
	Fabricio Werdum	UFC
	Kevin Randleman	UFC
	Maurice Smith	UFC
	Daniel Cormier	UFC
	Tom Aspinall	UFC
	Junior Dos Santos	UFC
	Ron Waterman	WEC
	James Irvin	WEC

Most consecutive defenses of heavyweight title

	Name	Promotion	Title defenses
1.	Fedor Emelianenko	Pride	3
	Stipe Miocic*	UFC
	Ryan Bader	Bellator MMA
3.	Randy Couture	UFC	2
	Tim Sylvia	UFC
	Brandon Vera*	ONE
	Brock Lesnar	UFC
	Cain Velasquez	UFC
7.	Alistair Overeem	Strikeforce	1
	Vitaly Minakov	Bellator MMA
	Daniel Cormier	UFC
	Junior dos Santos	UFC
	Fabricio Werdum	UFC
	Kevin Randleman	UFC
	Maurice Smith	UFC
	Francis Ngannou	UFC
	Ron Waterman	WEC
	James Irvin	WEC
	Brian Olsen	WEC

First title reign.

References

^ Nevada State Athletic Commission. "Nevada Revised Statutes: Chapter 467 - Unarmed Combat". Retrieved 9 May 2017.
^ "Unified Rules of MMA". Association of Boxing Commissions. Archived from the original on 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2012-07-15.

[1] Nevada State Athletic Commission. "Nevada Revised Statutes: Chapter 467 - Unarmed Combat". Retrieved 9 May 2017.

[2] "Unified Rules of MMA". Association of Boxing Commissions. Archived from the original on 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2012-07-15.

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