Where We Stand: Featherweight Division | February 2026

Outlook: “The Great” resumed business as usual in his first fight of 2026. Volkanovski, as expected, made the requisite adjustments between his first and second fights with Lopes, more or less cruising to another title defense. His eight title-fight wins tied him with José Aldo for most in featherweight history (although Aldo won four championship bouts in WEC before joining the roster), and Volkanovski is now generally considered the greatest 145er of all-time. So, what’s left for the Australian? More fights, of course. Volkanovski didn’t entertain the idea of retirement in his interviews after UFC 325, instead pointing his course toward the winner of Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy. At this point, Volkanovski can do whatever he wants. His legacy in the sport is cemented.

Outlook: Two consecutive title fights which didn’t include Evloev have some fans clamoring about injustice in the division, but the undefeated Russian can once again solidify his spot at the top of the rankings when he faces Murphy in his first main event assignment. Although there isn’t much for Evloev to prove outside of a championship setting, accepting a dangerous fight in enemy territory is very much a credit to his confidence.

Outlook: Lopes fought valiant as always in his rematch with Volkanovski, but he came up short once again on the biggest stage. While Lopes looked a little sharper with his footwork, he wasn’t able to execute in-fight adjustments to keep up with the champion and thus fell well behind early in the fight. On the positive side, Lopes can rebuild his case for contention quickly so long as Volkanovski doesn’t fight much longer than anticipated. Lopes could fight the loser of Evloev and Murphy or a top-5 hopeful like Youssef Zalal and Steve Garcia. Regardless, he has earned himself easy fan-favorite status, which means his fights will always be anticipated and highly viewed. 

Outlook: Murphy launched himself into the thick of the featherweight title picture when he knocked Aaron Pico out with a spinning elbow at UFC 319, extending his unbeaten UFC run to 10. Although it initially seemed as if Murphy would earn a title shot immediately after the result, he will now have an opportunity to cement his claim on the next crack at Volkanovski as he attempts to defend home turf and hand Evloev his first professional loss. 

Outlook: “El Pantera” bounced back well with a decision win over Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314, but the former interim champion hasn’t fought since. Other than the handful of defeats suffered, inactivity remains Rodriguez’s biggest obstacle in terms of his pursuit of undisputed gold. A bout against Lopes, which features tension that popped off at the UFC 314 press conference, would certainly make sense as would a fight against Aljamain Sterling and Jean Silva. 

Outlook: The 36-year-old Sterling looked sharp against Brian Ortega in their 5-round bout in Shanghai, although the former bantamweight champion injured his elbow in the battle. “Funk Master” feels on the outside looking in when it comes to a title shot in 2026 unless he can string together a major victory or two solid wins while Volkanovski waits for Evloev or Murphy.

Outlook: After falling to Lopes in a thriller, Jean Silva returned to form with a slightly less spectacular-than-usual decision win over Arnold Allen. Although Silva didn’t score the finish, the Brazilian was composed while also flashing the dynamic explosiveness that makes him a thrill to watch. Allen, despite losing, looked sharp and still figured to be a factor in the rankings. 

Carrying great momentum into 2026 are two fighters: Youssef Zalal and Steve Garcia. Zalal, 29, scored decisive wins over Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett in 2025, extending his winning streak to five in the Octagon. Meanwhile, Garcia extended his overall winning streak to seven with wins over Kattar and David Onama in 2025. Both men are due for a big name at some point in 2026.