The Rich Get Richer: Lack of Talent Parity in the UFC
August 29th, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
Written by Danny Varano
Following Khamzat Chimaev’s commanding unanimous decision victory (50-44) over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319, one provoking statistic has repeatedly circulated about the combat sports social media algorithm. According to ESPN MMA, Chimaev became the seventh new undisputed champion to claim a UFC title in the last eight months. By noting the frequent passing of belts, the fact indicates a strong sense of parity currently defines the sport. However, such a suggestion is misleading. In fact (no pun intended), the talent within the promotion is perhaps the most top-heavy it has been in recent memory.
Granting a bit of grace towards the tabloids sharing the intriguing headline, the statement is technically accurate. Yet, three of the “new champions” have previously held gold straps.
Former featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria, bulked up ten pounds to claim the lightweight title in June. Alexander Volkanovski, who held the featherweight belt for over four years prior to Topuria’s emergence, recovered his familiar prize after the Spaniard vacated the division. Lastly, English heavyweight, Tom Aspinall, was promoted from interim to undisputed champion after Jon Jones abruptly departed from the organization. Yet, Aspinall was already renowned by many pundits as the heavyweight champ due to Jones’s inactivity prior to retirement.
Rather than crowning new talent, the undisputed titles are more so shuffling around amongst a distinguished group. As each weight division currently stands, the gold will likely remain within the insulated circle of top performers.
The championship landscape for each of the eleven weight classes can be classified into three distinct designations: 1) those ruled by a preeminent king or queen, 2) those hosting title bouts between the same contenders, and 3) those with a current or looming double-champ.
Divisions With A Superior Champion
Weight classes comprising the first and largest grouping include men’s flyweight (Alexandre Pantoja), men’s bantamweight (Merab Dvalishvili), featherweight (Alexander Volkanovski), middleweight (Khamzat Chimaev), and women’s strawweight (Zhang Weili).The warriors dictating each of these divisions simply appear to be a level above their competition.
Nonetheless, a reasonable rebuttal is expected. Fellow fans of the fight may question how Khazmat Chimaev could be considered an eminent champion without a single title defense. Although such a refutation is valid, Chimaev utterly dominated Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 just two weeks ago. The lop-sided display is in the conversation for the greatest performance ever in a title fight. Additionally, surveying the lineup of future middleweight contenders, it is difficult to identify any potential kryptonite for the Chechen champ.
Club Underground critics, though none truly exists, would also point to Alexander Volkanovski as a black sheep in the herd of prevailing titleholders. Despite the loss to Topuira last year, his reign over the featherweight division in the years prior, and the impressive achievement of retaining the belt in April, warrants a nod to Volkanovski. Yet, admittedly, with wear on the tires at 36 years of age, the Australian is perhaps the most vulnerable of the champions in this highly acclaimed group.
Champ-Champ Divisions
Breaking news from Dana White on Thursday night officially informed fans that two double champ opportunities will be endowed at Madison Square Garden for UFC 322. As many anticipated, former lightweight royal, Islam Makhachev, will challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight strap in November. On the same night, strawweight champ Zhang Weili will leap up a weight division to face Valentina Shevchenko with the women’s flyweight gold as the victor’s spoils.
Regardless of whether Mackhachev or Weili join Ilia Topuria as fighters to transcend the champ-champ milestone in 2025, the titles will remain in the hands of those who have recently possessed belts. Although dual-weight championships are extremely captivating for the UFC fanbase, the accomplishment does slow the progression of the divisions involved. Young, up-and-coming welterweights and flyweights will be sidelined as Makhachev and Weili attempt to make history.
Same Contenders In Championship Fights
The back end of 2025 will host title fights at both heavyweight and light heavyweight. At UFC 321, Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane will battle for the heaviest crown in the sport. Although Gane is the last active heavyweight to challenge for the undisputed strap, the stagnation in the division can primarily be accredited to the inactivity of Jon Jones. Nonetheless, the headlining bout for UFC 321 consists of two fighters who have already competed for the sport’s ultimate prize.
Light heavyweights Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira will participate in a rematch at UFC 320, the promotion’s next numbered event. A redeeming win for Pereira could invoke a trilogy. Thus, all indications are the light heavyweight belt will remain with either Poatan or Big Ank in the near future.
For the sake of this categorization exercise, the most head-scratching division is women’s bantamweight. At UFC 316 in June, former two-time gold medalist Kayla Harrison laid claim to the undisputed title. The fate of the division rests upon whether a prospective bout between Harrison and future hall-of-famer Amanda Nunes does in fact occur. If the fight goes unrealized, Harrison is a heavy favorite over any alternate opponents.
Consequences of Top-Heavy Talent
In regards to the potential implications of an unbalanced talent distribution, a two-fold theory could be proposed. Competitors comprising the bubble of champions are positioned to grow into superstars. With familiar faces frequently headlining marquee events, casual viewers will recognize combatants, and die-hard fans will continue to become invested in their story.
Adversely, the lack of parity could negatively impact the UFC in the long-term. Perhaps it is best to call upon another professional league for this particular prediction.
For much of the 2010s decade, the same high-level talent hovered at the top of the NBA. The organization’s top-heavy nature bred megastars such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. However, in the past few years, as the most recognizable stars prepare to gracefully exit, the NBA has struggled to build up their younger athletes.
As the rich grow richer in the UFC, the promotion must juggle marketing household names and nurturing youthful prospects.
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