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All-time UFC lightweight champions

Islam Makhachev became lightweight champion at UFC 280 with a submission victory over Charles Oliveira. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

The champions are listed in reverse chronological order.

All-time champions by division:
Heavyweight | Light heavyweight
Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Men's featherweight
Men's bantamweight | Men's flyweight
Women's featherweight
Women's bantamweight
Women's flyweight
Strawweight

Current champion

Islam Makhachev
Won title: Oct. 22, 2022
Outcome: Sub2 over Charles Oliveira (UFC 280)
Defenses: 3

Past champions

Charles Oliveira
Won title: May 15, 2021
Outcome: TKO2 over Michael Chandler (UFC 262)
Defenses: 1

* -- Stripped of the title on May 7, 2022, for missing weight for a UFC 274 title defense


Khabib Nurmagomedov
Won title: April 7, 2018
Outcome: UD over Al Iaquinta (UFC 223)
Defenses: 3


Conor McGregor
Won title: Nov. 12, 2016
Outcome: KO2 over Eddie Alvarez (UFC 205)
Defenses: 0*

* -- Stripped of the title on April 7, 2018, for inactivity


Eddie Alvarez
Won title: July 7, 2016
Outcome: TKO1 over Rafael dos Anjos (UFC Fight Night)
Defenses: 0


Rafael dos Anjos
Won title: March 14, 2015
Outcome: UD5 over Anthony Pettis (UFC 185)
Defenses: 1


Anthony Pettis
Won title: Aug. 31, 2013
Outcome: SUB1 over Benson Henderson (UFC 164)
Defenses: 1


Benson Henderson
Won title: Feb. 26, 2012
Outcome: UD5 over Frankie Edgar (UFC 144)
Defenses: 3


Frankie Edgar
Won title: April 10, 2010
Outcome: UD5 over BJ Penn (UFC 112)
Defenses: 3


BJ Penn
Won title: Jan. 19, 2008
Outcome: SUB2 over Joe Stevenson (UFC 80)
Defenses: 3


Sean Sherk*
Won title: Oct. 14, 2006
Outcome: UD5 over Kenny Florian (UFC 64)
Defenses: 1

* -- Stripped of title after testing positive for an anabolic steroid


Jens Pulver
Won title: Feb. 23, 2001
Outcome: UD5 over Caol Uno (UFC 30)
Defenses: 2