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Featherweight
Topuria made a bold prediction and fulfilled it by knocking out Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317. With this achievement, “El Matador” becomes the first fighter to hold an undefeated record while also being a two-division champion in the UFC. His recent victory streak includes knockouts over notable fighters such as Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Oliveira. Following a personal break in the first half of 2026, Topuria is set to face Justin Gaethje on June 14 during the UFC White House event, with his featherweight ranking remaining valid until April 26, 2026.
Alexander Volkanovski showcased his dominance by easily defeating Diego Lopes via unanimous decision at UFC 325 in front of a home crowd in Sydney, Australia. This victory marked Volkanovski’s eighth title win in the featherweight category, tying him with Jose Aldo for the most all-time title victories in the division, solidifying his legacy. Future bouts against fighters like Lerone Murphy or Movsar Evloev are on the horizon for Volkanovski.
After being absent for over a year, Evloev returned to the octagon at UFC London, winning a majority decision against Lerone Murphy on March 21. Although this was touted as a title eliminator and Volkanovski acknowledged Evloev’s challenge post-fight, UFC President Dana White has not yet confirmed Evloev as the top contender. Evloev’s ten decision victories in the UFC have been a point of contention regarding his title shot ambitions.
Max Holloway played spoiler in UFC 318 as he claimed a unanimous decision over Dustin Poirier. As Poirier retires, Holloway appears ready for a title run at lightweight. He is scheduled to defend his BMF belt in a rematch against Charles Oliveira at UFC 326, occurring more than 15 years after their initial meeting. Holloway’s eligibility in the featherweight rankings will also run out on April 26, 2026.
Despite a quick rematch, Lopes couldn’t outsmart Volkanovski at UFC 325 and lost by unanimous decision on January 31. This second defeat likely pushes Lopes out of the title conversation for the foreseeable future. He is slated to return against surging featherweight Steve Garcia at the UFC White House event on June 14.
At UFC 324, Silva executed a tactical yet aggressive performance, winning against Arnold Allen by unanimous decision. Following a prior loss to Diego Lopes, Silva remains a contender in the 145-pound division, having won six out of his last seven fights in the UFC. Meanwhile, Murphy faced his first career loss against Movsar Evloev in a closely contested encounter that brought his nine-fight winning streak to an end, though his standing in the division remains solid.
Rodriguez marked a successful debut for Patricio Freire in the featherweight division during UFC 314, decisively beating the former Bellator champion with a unanimous decision. This victory halted a two-fight losing streak for Rodriguez and could lead to a title opportunity against Alexander Volkanovski, particularly as Freire was initially considered for a title bout prior to the location change for Noche UFC.
Shaidullaev knocked out Japanese fighter Mikuru Asakura in the first round during the main event of the Rizin “Shiwasu no Cho Tsuwamono Matsuri,” successfully retaining his featherweight championship. Now undefeated in Rizin with all but one of his wins coming within the first round, Shaidullaev has clearly made a name for himself as one of the premier featherweights globally.
Other Contenders: Youssef Zalal, Timur Khizriev, Aljamain Sterling, Steve Garcia, Movlid Khaybulaev.
