Introduction

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has seen several new titleholders and UFC new champion emerge in 2024. As one of the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions, the UFC hosts events across the world to crown champions in different weight classes. With many divisions having new rulers this year, the UFC landscape continues to evolve.

List of New UFC Champions in 2024

Here is a list of the new UFC champions crowned so far in 2024:

• Flyweight – Demetrious Johnson
• Bantamweight – Aljamain Sterling
• Featherweight – Max Holloway
• Lightweight – Islam Makhachev
• Welterweight – Leon Edwards
• Middleweight – Alex Pereira
• Light Heavyweight – Jiri Prochazka
• Heavyweight – Ciryl Gane

Flyweight – Demetrious Johnson

Demetrious Johnson regained the UFC flyweight title by defeating Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision at UFC 283 in January.

“UFC new champions like Johnson represent the elite level of MMA fighters competing in the promotion. After losing the belt to Henry Cejudo in 2018, Johnson worked his way back up the division and showed his championship pedigree against Moreno. At 36 years old, Johnson continues to prove he is one of the greatest flyweight fighters in UFC history.

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Bantamweight – Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling captured the UFC bantamweight title by defeating former champion Petr Yan via split decision at UFC 273 in April.

The fight was a rematch of their controversial disqualification bout in 2021. This time, Sterling left no doubt and walked away with the belt. Possessing excellent grappling skills, Sterling adds another dynamic African American UFC new champion to the promotion’s lineup. At 33 years old, he seems poised for a solid title run at 135 pounds.

Featherweight – Max Holloway

Max Holloway regained the featherweight crown by defeating Alexander Volkanovski via TKO at UFC 284 in February.

This was a trilogy fight after Volkanovski won the first two matchups. Holloway made the right adjustments and timed Volkanovski for the finish. Now a 3-time 145-pound king, the 31-year-old Holloway shows no signs of slowing down. With sound striking and endurance, he aims to have another dominant reign as one of the UFC’s newest champions.

Lightweight – Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev realized his championship destiny by defeating Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 280 in October.

As the protege of retired great Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev utilized sambo and wrestling en route to grounding Oliveira. The 31-year-old from Dagestan now sits atop arguably the UFC’s most competitive division. With massive hype behind him, Makhachev could have a long tenure as the next great Russian UFC new champion.

Welterweight – Leon Edwards

Fighting out of Birmingham, England, Leon Edwards shocked Kamaru Usman with a last-minute head kick to capture UFC welterweight gold at UFC 278 in August.

After losing to Usman in 2015, Edwards grinded for seven years before getting another title shot. With the promotion needing new contenders at 170 pounds, the 31-year-old adds international flavor as the UFC’s first British UFC new champion. His first defense comes against Usman in early 2024.

Middleweight – Alex Pereira

At UFC 281 in November, Alex Pereira duplicated his two kickboxing victories over Israel Adesanya, this time by TKO to win the UFC middleweight title.

With a left hook putting Adesanya down in Round 5, Pereira completed his MMA vengeance. The Brazilian striker brings danger to the 185-pound division with creative attacks. Having just made his UFC debut in 2021, the 35-year-old Pereira makes history as one of the quickest ever to go from debut to UFC new champion.

Light Heavyweight – Jiri Prochazka

Czech fighter Jiri Prochazka became the new UFC light heavyweight champion by submitting Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 in June.

Displaying lethal Muay Thai strikes, the 30-year-old weathered Teixeira’s attacks before locking in a rear naked choke. Prochazka’s unpredictable offense presents a challenge to the division’s strikers and grapplers. As the UFC continues expanding globally, he represents a new international face and fighting style as a UFC new champion.

Heavyweight – Ciryl Gane

At UFC 270 in January, France’s Ciryl Gane defeated Francis Ngannou by unanimous decision to claim the UFC heavyweight title.

Utilizing movement and leg kicks, the former Muay Thai fighter kept the powerful Ngannou off balance. At 32 years old, Gane provides a technical style at heavyweight not reliant on sheer power. Along with bringing the UFC title back to Europe, he ushers in the new era of well-rounded elite big men.

The Evolving UFC Landscape

The number of new titleholders in 2024 highlights the evolving landscape in the UFC. While dominant champions used to reign for years, recent times have seen more parity and turnover at the top.

Rising contenders have showcased more well-rounded skills to dethrone champions. Veterans like Demetrious Johnson and Max Holloway recaptured belts by adjusting their game plans. Other new rulers brought unique backgrounds, revealing MMA’s continued growth.

As the UFC’s new crop of champions settle into their reigns, reshuffled divisions provide fresh title matchups. With the promotion expanding globally, these new diverse champions help drive interest worldwide. The evolution never stops in the UFC as 2024 sees the next generation of elite fighters taking over.

Sources

• UFC.com for fighter records and biographies
• MMA Fighting and MMA Junkie for analysis and detailed fight breakdowns
• ESPN MMA and Sherdog for divisional rankings and title histories
• UFC Ultimate Insider on YouTube for in-depth fighter profiles