Weight classes are a fundamental part of the UFC, the most famous mixed martial arts organization in the world. These weight limits not only ensure a fair competition but also add a strategic and narrative dimension to the fights. Weight classes are categories that separate fighters based on their body weight. This system prevents athletes with significant weight differences from competing against each other, ensuring more balanced and safer fights.
The UFC currently divides fighters into 12 main categories, 8 for men and 4 for women. Initially, the UFC had no weight limits. Fights were true style clashes without regard for body size differences. In 1997, the introduction of the first weight classes revolutionized the sport.
Weight Cutting and Class Characteristics
One of the most controversial aspects of weight classes is “cutting,” the practice of rapidly losing weight to meet the weight limit of one’s class. While common, it can have devastating effects on athletes’ health, such as extreme dehydration and fatigue. Each class has characteristics that influence fighting strategies. In lighter classes, speed and technique are crucial, while in heavier classes, striking power plays a central role.
Weight classes vary slightly between organizations. ONE Championship, for example, uses a hydration-based system designed to eliminate weight cutting. There are ongoing discussions about introducing new weight classes, such as the Cruiserweight class (between Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight). Weight classes are not just a sports matter. They also reflect diversity in gender and body types, promoting a message of inclusivity.
The UFC weight classes are an essential part of the sport’s success and appeal. Since their introduction, they have ensured fairness and enabled the rise of legendary champions.
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Alexandre Pantoja: A Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja Passidomo (born April 16, 1990) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC Flyweight Champion. Alexandre Pantoja was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During his childhood, he experienced difficult moments with his parents' separation, after family conflicts led his father to leave home. Raised primarily by his mother, he was introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of 11 through the influence of his stepfather, Moraes, with whom he began training at the traditional academy of renowned master Osvaldo Alves in Copacabana.
Despite a promising start in martial arts, his relationship with his stepfather deteriorated due to alcohol-related problems, which led Pantoja to move to Bahia to live with his father. Back in Arraial do Cabo, he participated in a jiu-jitsu championship held in a ring, where he first encountered muay thai. Fascinated by the new martial art, he began training under the guidance of master Helbert Reis, accumulating several victories in the sport. However, due to the lack of financial return in muay thai, often having to pay to compete, he decided to transition to mixed martial arts.
The Ultimate Fighter
On May 11, 2016, the UFC announced that the 16 contestants for the season of this TUF would be flyweight champion fighters from various organizations around the world, with the winner being expected to have a chance to fight for the flyweight title against Demetrious Johnson. The cast was announced on July 20. He was ranked # 1 in Team Cejudo, and made his first fight against # 16 Team Benavidez, Brandon Moreno. The two came to interact within the house, even with Pantoja speaking Portuguese and Brandon Moreno speaking Spanish, the similarity between languages facilitated communication. In the fight, Alexandre Pantoja defeated Brandon Moreno by submission in the second round.
Pantoja attempted to make his fifth title defence against Joshua Van on December 6, 2025 at UFC 323. He lost the championship in the first round via technical knockout due to an arm injury. Pantoja is married and has two sons.
The Inspiring Life of Proud UFC Champion Alexandre Pantoja
Accomplishments and Awards
- Fight of the Night (Two times)
- Performance of the Night (Four times)
- 2023: President's Choice Fight of the Year Nominee
- 2023: Ranked #5 Fighter of the Year & Ranked #2 Fight of the Year
- 2024: Ranked #8 Fighter of the Year & Ranked #7 Submission of the Year
- 2019 July Fight of the Month
- 2023 Fight of the Year
- 2024 Nomination - Fight of the Year
- 2024 #4 Ranked Submission of the Year
- Defended the UFC Flyweight Championship
- Won the UFC Flyweight Championship
Pantoja has participated in several UFC events, including UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs., UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs., UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs., UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs., UFC Fight Night: Magny vs., UFC Fight Night: Maia vs., UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs., and UFC on Fox: Shevchenko vs.
Read also: Lightweight Comfort and Protection
It’s not uncommon for martial artists to partake in other sports like football and basketball in their free time. “Mikinho” first began skateboarding as a kid in his native Brazil. He continues to enjoy every minute of it, whether he’s relaxing his mind, learning new skills, or hanging out with the skating community.
“It’s a much quieter adrenaline rush [than MMA]. It’s an adrenaline rush made up of adventure. You surf on concrete streets, being able to do tricks. You and your skateboard become one person, a single subject."
With a professional record of 20-3, Moraes is one of the most dominant forces in ONE Championship, and undoubtedly one of the most talented fighters in the entire world. Even more remarkable is that Moraes has never been finished or lost a fight via unanimous decision in a career that spans more than a decade. Many fans and pundits also believed that Moraes would drop his flyweight strap to Johnson in their first meeting, given the American’s legendary pedigree.
Moraes has long ruled over ONE Championship’s flyweight MMA division - one of the deepest and most talented weight classes in the promotion. While Eustaquio and Akhmetov enjoyed their own World Championship reigns after beating the Brazilian, they didn’t last very long, and “Mikinho” eventually exacted his revenge on both men.
Alexandre Pantoja Fight History
| Date | Event | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 6, 2025 | UFC 323 | Joshua Van | Loss (TKO) |
| June 29, 2025 | UFC 317 | Kai Kara-France | Win (Submission) |
| December 7, 2024 | UFC 310 | Kai Asakura | Win (Submission) |
| May 4, 2024 | UFC 301 | Steve Erceg | Win (Decision) |
| December 16, 2023 | UFC 296 | Brandon Royval | Win (Decision) |
| July 8, 2023 | UFC 290 | Brandon Moreno | Win (Decision) |
| July 30, 2022 | UFC 277 | Alex Perez | Win (Submission) |
| August 21, 2021 | UFC Vegas 34 | Brandon Royval | Win (Submission) |
| February 6, 2021 | UFC Fight Night 184 | Manel Kape | Win (Decision) |
| July 18, 2020 | UFC Fight Island 2 | Askar Askarov | Loss (Decision) |
| December 21, 2019 | UFC Busan | Matt Schnell | Win (KO) |
| July 27, 2019 | UFC 240 | Deiveson Figueiredo | Loss (Decision) |
| April 13, 2019 | UFC 236 | Wilson Reis | Win (TKO) |
| November 17, 2018 | UFC Argentina | Ulka Sasaki | Win (Submission) |
| May 19, 2018 | UFC Fight Night 129 | Brandon Moreno | Win (Decision) |
| January 20, 2018 | UFC 220 | Dustin Ortiz | Loss (Decision) |
| July 16, 2017 | UFC Fight Night Glasgow | Neil Seery | Win (Submission) |
| January 28, 2017 | UFC on FOX 23 | Eric Shelton | Win (Decision) |
Read also: History of the UFC Flyweight Division