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All-time UFC middleweight champions

Dricus Du Plessis walked out of the cage at UFC 297 in possession of the middleweight belt. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The champions are listed in reverse chronological order.

Click here for the list of current UFC champions in each division and here for the champions in each MMA promotion.

All-time UFC champions by division:
Heavyweight | Light heavyweight
Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Men's featherweight
Men's bantamweight | Men's flyweight
Women's featherweight
Women's bantamweight
Women's flyweight
Strawweight

Current champion

Dricus Du Plessis
Won title: Jan. 20, 2024
Outcome: SD over Sean Strickland (UFC 297)
Defenses: 0

Past champions

Sean Strickland
Won title: Sept. 9, 2023
Outcome: UD over Israel Adesanya (UFC 293)
Defenses: 0


Israel Adesanya
Won title: April 8, 2023
Outcome: TKO2 over Alex Pereira (UFC 287)
Defenses: 0


Alex Pereira
Won title: Nov. 12, 2022
Outcome: TKO5 over Israel Adesanya (UFC 281)
Defenses: 0


Israel Adesanya
Won title: Oct. 6, 2019
Outcome: TKO2 over Robert Whittaker (UFC 243)
Defenses: 5


Robert Whittaker
Won title: July 8, 2017
Outcome: UD against Yoel Romero (UFC 213)
Defenses: 0


Georges St-Pierre
Won title: Nov. 4 2017
Outcome: KO1 over Michael Bisping (UFC 217)
Defenses: 0*

* -- Vacated the title on Dec. 7, 2017, because of injury


Michael Bisping
Won title: June 4, 2016
Outcome: KO1 over Luke Rockhold (UFC 199)
Defenses: 0


Luke Rockhold
Won title: Dec. 12, 2015
Outcome: TKO4 over Chris Weidman (UFC 194)
Defenses: 1


Chris Weidman
Won title: July 6, 2013
Outcome: KO2 over Anderson Silva (UFC 162)
Defenses: 3


Anderson Silva
Won title: Oct. 14, 2006
Outcome: KO1 over Rich Franklin (UFC 64)
Defenses: 10


Rich Franklin
Won title: June 4, 2005
Outcome: TKO4 over Evan Tanner (UFC 53)
Defenses: 2


Evan Tanner
Won title: Feb. 5, 2005
Outcome: TKO1 over David Terrell (UFC 51)
Defenses: 0


Murilo Bustamante
Won title: Jan. 11, 2002
Outcome: TKO2 over Dave Menne (UFC 35)
Defenses: 1*

* -- Stripped of title on Oct. 5, 2002, when he left UFC for Pride


Dave Menne
Won title: Sept. 28, 2001
Outcome: UD5 over Gil Castillo (UFC 33)
Defenses: 0