As 2026 gets underway, many fighters share the same New Year's resolution: win a UFC championship. Of course, that dream will come true for only a select few.
Below, theScore's Nick Baldwin predicts who will be wearing gold in each weight class at the end of the year.
Flyweight
Current champion: Joshua Van
Champion at end of 2026: Alexandre Pantoja
The flyweight division is wide open after Van unceremoniously snatched the title from Pantoja at UFC 323 in December. Manel Kape and Tatsuro Taira have a case for the next title shot after closing the year with big wins over Brandon Royval and Brandon Moreno, respectively. Kyoji Horiguchi could also be next in line if he beats Amir Albazi on Feb. 7. Then, of course, there's Pantoja, the former champion who could be the current champion if it weren't for a flukey arm injury. Pantoja turns 36 in April, so there's a chance this is the year we see his fall from grace, but until it happens, I'll take the guy who's proven himself over and over again.
Bantamweight
Current champion: Petr Yan
Champion at end of 2026: Merab Dvalishvili
Yan shook up the bantamweight division when he beat Dvalishvili and reclaimed the title at UFC 323. The question is, how long can he stay on top this time? No one seems to hang on to the 135-pound belt for very long. There's a world where Yan beats Dvalishvili again and then either Umar Nurmagomedov or Sean O'Malley to make it through a full year as champion. There's also a chance that Nurmagomedov breaks through and captures gold himself. That said, I can't help but think that on his best night, Dvalishvili is the guy to beat at 135 pounds.
Featherweight
Current champion: Alexander Volkanovski
Champion at end of 2026: Lerone Murphy
It wouldn't be a surprise if Volkanovski - who turns 38 in September - retires from MMA this year. Even if he doesn't, it's hard to see him making it through the gauntlet of contenders - Diego Lopes, Movsar Evloev, and Murphy - without a loss. That's not a knock on Volkanovski, who's one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history. This is a young man's game, and he can defy the odds only so many times. Volkanovski will beat Lopes again in their UFC 325 rematch on Jan. 31, but Evloev and Murphy are more challenging matchups for the Australian. Between those two, something tells me this is Murphy's year.
Lightweight
Current champion: Ilia Topuria
Champion at end of 2026: Ilia Topuria
Topuria is taking a break from the sport due to issues in his personal life. That could mean he fights only once - maybe twice, at most - this year. His next Octagon appearance will likely be against the winner of the interim title bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, which is scheduled for UFC 324 on Jan. 24. After that, it'd likely be Arman Tsarukyan. I'd be relatively confident in Topuria to win any of those matchups (though Tsarukyan would have the best shot at playing spoiler). My only real concern about Topuria is that he might decide to vacate the title due to his issues outside the cage.
Welterweight
Current champion: Islam Makhachev
Champion at end of 2026: Islam Makhachev
Makhachev has a long reign ahead of him after dominating Jack Della Maddalena to become the welterweight champion at UFC 322 in November. His toughest challenge at 170 pounds is probably Shavkat Rakhmonov, but at this point, who knows if Rakhmonov will even get the opportunity to fight for the title?
Middleweight
Current champion: Khamzat Chimaev
Champion at end of 2026: Khamzat Chimaev
Chimaev should have no problem remaining the middleweight champion between now and December. He proved during his absurdly lopsided title win over Dricus Du Plessis in August that he's in a league of his own. Nassourdine Imavov, Anthony "Fluffy" Hernandez, and others can try to dethrone him, but they'll all fail. Unless Chimaev jumps up to light heavyweight to challenge for a second title, I'm very confident he'll still be the 185-pound champ this time next year.
Light heavyweight
Current champion: Alex Pereira
Champion at end of 2026: Jiri Prochazka
Yes, I'm aware Prochazka has lost twice to Pereira. And yes, I'm still picking him to reclaim the light heavyweight title before the end of the year - but not by beating the current champion. Pereira wants to move up to heavyweight, and if he opts to do so in his next fight, that'll pave the way for Prochazka to fight Carlos Ulberg for the vacant title. It's a close matchup on paper, but I'd pick Prochazka to win.
Heavyweight
Current champion: Tom Aspinall
Champion at end of 2026: Tom Aspinall
I feel less sure about Aspinall ending 2026 as the heavyweight champion than I did a few months ago - but that's not his fault. Aspinall is planning to undergo multiple eye surgeries in January to address the injuries he suffered against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October. If he's still sidelined by, say, the third quarter of the year, it wouldn't be unlike the UFC to strip him of the title. (Which kind of sounds like a sick joke given how long Jon Jones held up the division, but I digress.) When Aspinall is active, he's the best heavyweight in the world, so I ultimately have to go with the Englishman to be on top of the division 12 months from now.
Strawweight
Current champion: Mackenzie Dern
Champion at end of 2026: Zhang Weili
With all due respect to Dern, who rose to the occasion in her title win against Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321, we all know Zhang is the real champ. She vacated the title to move up in weight and challenge Valentina Shevchenko for a second belt. After a tough loss, Zhang will return to her natural weight class and reclaim what's rightfully hers.
Women's flyweight
Current champion: Valentina Shevchenko
Champion at end of 2026: Valentina Shevchenko
Shevchenko's longevity in this sport needs to be studied. She's 37 years old, entering her 23rd year as a professional MMA fighter, and has fought 31 times. And yet, she's still competing at the highest of levels. Her two title defenses in 2025 - against Manon Fiorot and Zhang - were enough for me to believe she can keep this going for at least another year.
Women's bantamweight
Current champion: Kayla Harrison
Champion at end of 2026: Amanda Nunes
It won't be an easy task for Nunes to emerge from a two-and-a-half-year retirement and reclaim the women's bantamweight title - especially against Harrison - but if anyone can do it, it's the women's GOAT. My biggest concern is that Nunes beats Harrison at UFC 324 but retires again before the end of the year. If that happens, oh well. I have to trust my gut and go with "The Lioness."
