MMA midyear grades: An distinctive six months for light-weight, males’s flyweight
It is arduous to imagine we’re halfway by means of 2026, a yr that’s shaping as much as be among the best for MMA in latest reminiscence. Former middleweight and lightweight heavyweight...
It is arduous to imagine we’re halfway by means of 2026, a yr that’s shaping as much as be among the best for MMA in latest reminiscence.
Table Of Content
Former middleweight and lightweight heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira turned the primary UFC athlete to combat for titles in three weight courses, although he fell quick in his try at claiming the interim heavyweight championship. Two beforehand undefeated champions, Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev, suffered their first skilled defeats in large upsets. And first-time title challenger Carlos Ulberg claimed the UFC mild heavyweight belt on one good leg.
The yr’s storylines have featured all the pieces from high-profile upsets to prefight animus and never-before-seen in-cage motion. Because the UFC’s calendar hits its midway level, ESPN grades every weight class on combat high quality and fighter exercise and appears forward to the very best matchup of the second half at every weight.
Heavyweight: B-
Greatest combat to this point: Josh Hokit defeats Curtis Blaydes by unanimous determination
This grade could be beneficiant, however the fights this yr have felt like a present due to how unhealthy the division has been for therefore lengthy. It is unlucky that the undisputed champion, Tom Aspinall, has been held out of motion as a consequence of a watch harm, however even that has seen optimistic improvement, as Aspinall is again within the health club and making ready to return. Hokit has produced a few of the worst moments of the yr on the mic, however nobody can deny his expertise. His combat with Blaydes is a professional combat of the yr candidate. And though Ciryl Gane has gotten unfavourable press about eye-pokes and strikes to the again of the top, he’s combating at a stage excessive sufficient to be thought-about one of many world’s prime pound-for-pound fighters. Add in Francis Ngannou’s return with MVP MMA and this has been a banner yr for heavyweight.
Gentle heavyweight: D
Greatest combat to this point: Carlos Ulberg defeats Jiřà Procházka by TKO1
This division has been in poor form for a while, and now it will probably’t conceal behind a megastar champion in Pereira. Ulberg had a spectacular knockout at UFC 327 to win the championship Pereira vacated, however now he is out whereas rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered within the course of. Three extremely ranked mild heavyweight contenders have but to seem in 2026 — Magomed Ankalaev, Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr., although Ankalaev and Rountree will duel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, later this month. Along with Pereira testing the waters at heavyweight, mild heavyweight veterans Johnny Walker and Aleksandar Rakic could have their first heavyweight fights on Aug. 1. And rising challengers Azamat Murzakanov and Zhang Mingyang misplaced earlier this yr. If heavyweight can flip it round, this division can, too, however there’s not a lot to love proper now.
Middleweight: B
Greatest combat to this point: Michal Oleksiejczuk defeats Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous determination
The 2026 motion at middleweight has been good, however extra importantly, the longer term appears vibrant. The championship grudge match between Sean Strickland and Chimaev in Could was ok to make it a robust first half for the burden class. However there have been lots of good issues that occurred outdoors that combat as properly. Strickland has already fought twice, producing two upsets. Joe Pyfer appeared nice in a knockout of former champion Israel Adesanya, as did Caio Borralho in opposition to Reinier de Ridder. Brendan Allen is on a roll. Nassourdine Imavov is nearing his first title shot. And former titleholder Dricus Du Plessis is booked in opposition to the division’s latest addition, Kamaru Usman. Now Chimaev, who mentioned he was leaving for mild heavyweight, is abruptly motivated to remain at 185 kilos. This is among the finest divisions within the sport.
Welterweight: C+
Greatest combat to this point: Carlos Prates defeats Jack Della Maddalena by TKO3
I mentioned middleweight is “one in all” the very best weight courses within the sport as a result of the excellence of “finest” belongs to the welterweight division. The fights on this weight class have been good, however not nice which is why it will get a C+ grade. Nonetheless, they look like constructing towards one thing within the second half of the yr. A number of contenders are constructing title résumés concurrently. Prates’ victory over Della Maddelena furthered his id past “enjoyable to observe” and right into a professional contender. Gabriel Bonfim’s efficiency in opposition to former champion Belal Muhammad did the identical. Extra exercise from the highest fighters might enhance this division much more, and it actually helps that the champion, Islam Makhachev, simply had his subsequent protection introduced. Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on Aug. 15 has unimaginable potential as a predominant occasion. And let’s not overlook that Conor McGregor’s rematch in opposition to Max Holloway at 170 kilos is on July 11, too.
Light-weight: A+
Greatest combat to this point: Justin Gaethje defeats Ilia Topuria by TKO4
Gaethje has fought twice this yr and turned in two combat of the yr candidates, to the shock of nobody. Any time a division has one of the crucial entertaining fighters in its historical past compete twice in six months, it will be an enormous yr for the burden class. High contender Arman Tsarukyan hasn’t fought however is in some way within the headlines greater than anybody, between his exercise on social media and freestyle wrestling profession. There’s drama involving athletes of their primes all over the place you look on this deep division, and it seems like the brand new guard of Topuria (even following the loss to Gaethje), Tsarukyan, Paddy Pimblett, Benoît Saint Denis and Mauricio Ruffy is settling in.
Featherweight: B
Greatest combat to this point: Doo Ho Choi defeats Daniel Santos by TKO2
This weight class is much multiple man, in fact, nevertheless it’s additionally truthful to say that a lot of the state of the division revolves round Alexander Volkanovski. At 37 years previous, he’s defying age whereas defending his featherweight championship. All good issues should come to an finish, and Volkanovski’s time will come ultimately, however the query of how lengthy he can preserve this going on the highest stage is among the finest storylines within the sport. The primary half of this yr noticed Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy lastly sq. off in a No. 1 contender bout, plus a number of memorable matchups and the additional emergence of latest challengers.
Males’s bantamweight: C
Greatest combat to this point: Sean O’Malley defeats Tune Yadong by unanimous determination
It has been a comparatively quiet yr to this point at 135 kilos, however issues are brewing for a greater second half. There have been no title fights, as champion Petr Yan recovers from harm and Merab Dvalishvili waits for a trilogy bout. Nonetheless, Mario Bautista turned in a terrific predominant occasion in opposition to Vinicius Oliveira, and O’Malley is already 2-0 on the yr. However with the highest two males within the sport sitting out, Umar Nurmagomedov combating properly down the rankings in opposition to David Martinez on July 25, and thrilling names akin to Cory Sandhagen and Payton Talbott additionally inactive, it is arduous to rank this division’s first half as something aside from common. Verify again on the finish of the yr as a result of this might positively enhance.
Males’s flyweight: A+
Greatest combat to this point: Joshua Van defeats Tatsuro Taira by TKO5
There is not far more that could possibly be requested of the flyweight class. The division has an energetic, charismatic, 24-year-old champion who’s allergic to boring fights. Van desires to combat anyone and all people, and seemingly desires to do it as quickly as attainable. Taira may need misplaced to Van in his first title combat, however he isn’t even near his prime but. Manel Kape’s end of Kyoji Horiguchi in a predominant occasion two weeks in the past solidified him as a title challenger with severe knockout energy. Lone’er Kavanaugh’s full efficiency in opposition to Brandon Moreno on quick discover in February was legitimately one of the crucial spectacular performances of the yr. It in all probability deserved extra consideration, and it’ll get it if Kavanaugh carries that momentum into the second half of 2026. That is as thrilling and deep as flyweight has been in a very long time.
Girls’s bantamweight: F
Greatest combat to this point: Joselyne Edwards vs. Nora Cornolle by SUB2
It has been a wierd six months for ladies’s bantamweight. “Altering of the guard” is one factor, however that is on one other stage. Nearly each single title we have come to know prior to now decade is both visibly working out of gasoline or retiring. And in the meanwhile, the brand new crop just isn’t very inspiring. ESPN’s prime bantamweight, Edwards, is the brightest spot within the division by far, and even her scorching 2-0 begin to the yr has earned little curiosity. Julianna Peña, Irene Aldana and Raquel Pennington — the perennial names of this weight class — haven’t fought for greater than a yr. Many of the girls ranked inside the highest 10 have barely established themselves within the UFC. The excellent news is that Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes will probably be rebooked within the second half of this yr, and that is among the largest fights in girls’s MMA historical past. The unhealthy information is there ain’t a lot past that.
Girls’s flyweight: D
OH MY GOODNESS
ALEXA GRASSO FINISHES MAYCEE BARBER!!
@paramountplus pic.twitter.com/dMNRIKuLEt
— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) March 29, 2026
Greatest combat to this point: Alexa Grasso defeats Maycee Barber by KO1
Three of ESPN’s prime 4 girls’s flyweights — Valentina Shevchenko, Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot — have zero appearances mixed. (And No. 6 Dakota Ditcheva from the PFL might be added to that group as properly). Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas in January was an vital combat for the division, however a ho-hum unanimous determination for Silva wasn’t extraordinarily memorable and positively did not shake up the division. Grasso’s knockout/submission of Barber was a spectacular, singular second — however even that end result wasn’t nice for the general well being of the burden class, as Grasso in all probability will not combat for a title once more so long as Shevchenko is on the prime.
Girls’s Strawweight: D+
Greatest combat to this point: Tatiana Suarez vs. Crazy GodÃnez by SUB2
Inactivity has clearly been a theme of ladies’s MMA in 2026. Suarez’s win over Godinez in April and Gillian Robertson’s victory over Amanda Lemos in March are two of the one main outcomes this division has seen prior to now six months. Mackenzie Dern hasn’t fought since capturing the title with a call win over Virna Jandiroba in October. Former strawweight champion Zhang Weili hasn’t introduced her subsequent transfer but, after she got here up quick in a flyweight title bid final November. Strong performances from a few of the most intriguing new names at strawweight — together with Piera Rodriguez, Alexia Thainara and Jaqueline Amorim — have stored the division’s grade out of the gutter fully. However it’s undoubtedly been a gradual and forgettable first half of the yr.
