Athletes
The Bantamweight Division | 2026 Preview
A Returning Champion Unseated A Dominant Force At The Top, But The Wealth Of Contenders Remains Strong At 135 Pounds
The bantamweight division almost always feels stacked with myriad contenders all deserving of a shot at gold, which is part of the reason why Merab Dvalishvili was able to step into the Octagon four times in 2025, defending his title thrice before falling to Petr Yan at UFC 323. Back on the throne after several years swimming through the 135-pound shark pit, Yan has no shortage of prospective challengers ahead of him, which is why the weightclass’ title conversation is routinely fascinating.
Although Dvalishvili’s reign lasted just 15 months, his active schedule matched his nonstop motor in the Octagon, so a change at the top should revive the division in a fun way. On top of that, there has been a slight sea-change in the division lower down the rankings as well with a handful of fresh faces making their way through and setting themselves up for major opportunities in 2026.
2025 UFC.COM AWARDS: The Newcomers | The Submissions | The Knockouts | The Fighters | The Fights
Title Picture
Champion: Petr Yan
Contenders: Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley, Song Yadong, Cory Sandhagen
Ones to Watch: Aiemann Zahabi, David Martinez, Payton Talbott, Vinicius Oliviera
Outlook for 2026: Yan’s decision win over Dvalishvili represented the completion of a 4-and-a-half year, 8-fight odyssey back to undisputed gold, which included a 2-and-a-half year stretch with out a victory. Yan started turning things around in March 2024, collecting three wins in a row to climb back into a rematch with “The Machine” and turning in one of the most complete performances in recent memory to unseat the Georgian. The win also evened the score at one win apiece, so a championship trilogy could be in-store.
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Beyond the rubber match, however, Yan’s reemergence opens the doors to a handful of other fun matchups as well. Umar Nurmagomedov, who took the first two rounds off Dvalishvili in his first title bid at UFC 311, bounced back well with a win over Mario Bautista in Abu Dhabi and is set for a matchup with former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324. A victory in Las Vegas would almost certainly entrench him for a shot at the title in his following bout. Also in play with a win on January 24 is former bantamweight champion “Suga” Sean O’Malley, who faces Song Yadong in the Fight Capital. O’Malley boasts a split decision victory over Yan from October 2022 although the scorecards remain debated.
Song can play spoiler, however, and toss his hat in the title ring as a win over O’Malley would serve as his ticket into the elite ranks. Cory Sandhagen remains in the picture as well even after losing his first undisputed bid in October 2025. The Colorado-native holds a win over Song, but with previous losses to Nurmagomedov and Yan, he may have to fight a little further down the rankings before looking back toward the top of the division.
Among those who are looking for a pathway to the top-5 is the 38-year-old Aiemann Zahabi. The Canadian quietly put together a 5-fight winning streak heading into 2025 and tacked on decision wins over José Aldo and Marlno “Chito” Vera to cement himself as a top-10 bantamweight. Considering his age, he is looking to move up the ladder quickly, parlaying his run of form into an opportunity against someone in the top-5.
2026 DIVISION PREVIEWS: Flyweight | Lightweight | Welterweight
Three newer and younger faces in the top-15 are David Martinez, Payton Talbott and Vinicius Oliveira. The trio of Dana White’s Contender Series alumni each secured marquee wins in 2025 to break through the pack. Martinez’s was perhaps the most surprising as he stepped in on short-notice to defeat Rob Font on the scorecards and position himself in the top-10 just two fights into his UFC tenure. Oliveira and Talbott didn’t take much more time than that. The former bagged wins over Said Nurmagomedov and Kyler Phillips in 2025 to reach the rankings two years after securing his contract, and Talbott, after suffering a momentum-halting loss to Raoni Barcelos, returned with a solid win over Felipe Lima before beating up Henry Cejudo in Cejudo’s retirement fight. Each of them could serve as catalysts toward a shift in the bantamweight scheme in 2026.
Other Names to Track: Montel Jackson, Charles Jourdain, Aleksandre Topuria, Felipe Lima
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