Where We Stand: Lightweight Division | January 2026

Outlook: Topuria announced he wouldn’t compete in the first quarter of 2026 as he handled personal matters, which prompted UFC to put an interim title up for grabs. Topuria mentioned online that he expects to fight sometime between April and June. After Gaethje defeated Pimblett, Topuria now has a fourth consecutive future UFC Hall of Fame member in his sights. When that bout is scheduled, it’ll immediately stand as one of the most anticipated fights of the year. From there, it’s unclear if Topuria will continue chasing a bout with welterweight champion Islam Makhachev or focus on the lightweight crop of contenders, including Arman Tsarukyan, but looking past Gaethje is ill-advised. 

Interim Champion: Justin Gaethje

Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Win vs Paddy Pimblett (1/24/2026)

Next fight: N/A

Outlook: Gaethje blended his vintage, all-action style with some of the more poised, composed approach akin to the last few years. He found the most success when pushing Pimblett back to the fence with smart footwork and relentless offense, and he also showed off his dynamic defensive grappling. The 37-year-old feels like he has plenty left in the tank despite acknowledging this as the last chapter of his career, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles life after the unification bout with Topuria, whether he wins or loses.  

Outlook: A year after pulling out of his title shot against Islam Makhachev, it seems like Tsarukyan worked his way into the “people’s top contender” slot in the eyes of fans. Tsarukyan did what was asked of him since that flub ahead of UFC 311. He successfully weighed in as the backup when Topuria fought Charles Oliveira at International Fight Week and then dispatched of Dan Hooker in their main event tie in Qatar. Tsarukyan is doing what he can to advocate for himself, but seems to understand needing to wait until Topuria and Gaethje handle business. Whether he fights again before that to clear any doubts about his place in line is uncertain, but he doesn’t have much more to prove at this point.

Outlook: “Do Bronxs” scored a much-needed bounce-back win when he submitted Mateusz Gamrot in Rio de Janeiro following his knockout loss to Topuria for the lightweight title. Some retirement whispers buzzed around Oliveira in Brazil, but the former champion remains one of the best 155ers in the world despite splitting his last six fights. While he won’t fight for gold in the first half of 2026, he can add hardware to his collection when he faces Max Holloway for the BMF title in a rematch nearly 11 years in the making. Beating Holloway would also throw Oliveira back into the thick of the title picture, although his losses to Tsarukyan and Topuria make things a little complicated if that becomes the case.  

Outlook: The last time “Blessed” had won four of his last five fights, he was still the featherweight champion and had not yet fought Alexander Volkanovski. Having just turned 34 years old in December, the defending BMF champion remains one of the best fighters on the planet. The move to lightweight seems rejuvenating as well after he picked up his second win at 155 when he sent Dustin Poirier off with a defeat in New Orleans. Holloway remains focused on claiming the undisputed title, which is more complicated if Topuria defeats Gaethje and less so if the unification goes the other way. He must first defeat Oliveira, however, while Tsarukyan’s presence looms over the winner of the bout as well. 

Outlook: “The Baddy” suffered his first loss in the Octagon in the brightest of spotlights, snapping a near-6-year winning streak in the process. The grudge match with Topuria will have to wait as Pimblett rebuilds his way to a top slot, as some around the sport felt his title shot was disputed as undeserved. Pimblett did well for himself, though, showing his toughness while hanging in with one of the most damaging fighters to compete at 155 pounds. Depending on the results over the next few weeks, fights against Dan Hooker, Benoît Saint Denis, Rafael Fiziev and Mauricio Ruffy would all make sense, as would a bout against the loser between Holloway and Oliveira. The 31-year-old may have stumbled in his first title shot, but one could glean that wasn’t the last time the Scouser will put himself in that position.