The flyweight division (125 lbs) — the lightest men’s weight class in the UFC — is built on pure speed, movement, and technique, though it often lacks the one-punch power of heavier divisions.

Before 2012, bantamweight (135 lbs) was the lightest men’s class in the UFC. Smaller fighters had to compete there, often giving up size and strength. But everything changed when the UFC decided to give these “tiny guys” their own home — and that’s how the flyweight division was born.

The first UFC flyweight title fight took place in 2012, marking the start of a brand-new era. For years, this division flew under the radar — fewer champions, fewer stars, and far less attention compared to other divisions.

Now, more than a decade later, flyweight finally has the respect it deserves. Let’s look at how this division evolved — and the champions who built its legacy.

🐁 Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (2012–2018)

The first ever UFC flyweight champion.
“Mighty Mouse” defeated Joseph Benavidez via split decision at UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort, and what followed was one of the most dominant title reigns in UFC history.

11 consecutive title defenses:

• John Dodson — UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Dodson
• John Moraga — UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Moraga
• Joseph Benavidez (rematch) — UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Benavidez 2
• Ali Bagautinov — UFC 174
• Chris Cariaso — UFC 178
• Kyoji Horiguchi — UFC 186
• John Dodson (rematch) — UFC 191
• Henry Cejudo — UFC 197
• Tim Elliott — TUF: Tournament of Champions Finale
• Wilson Reis — UFC on FOX: Johnson vs. Reis
• Ray Borg — UFC 216

Dominant, technical, and consistent — Demetrious Johnson’s run is widely considered the GOAT of flyweight and UFC history. No debate.

🏅🏅🏅 Henry “Triple C” Cejudo (2018–2020)

The Olympic gold medalist shocked the world by defeating Demetrious Johnson in a razor-close decision to become the second flyweight champion.
Cejudo then defended the belt in spectacular fashion, finishing TJ Dillashaw at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw.

He later vacated the title in 2020 to move up and pursue double-champ status at bantamweight.
Short reign, but unforgettable — the birth of the Triple C era.

⚔️ Deiveson “Deus da Guerra” Figueiredo (2020–2021)

“The God of War” (translated from “Deus da Guerra”) captured the vacant flyweight title by defeating Joseph Benavidez and quickly became one of the most exciting fighters in the division’s history.

Defenses:

• Alex Perez — UFC 255
• Brandon Moreno — UFC 256 (majority draw, kept the title)

Figueiredo’s power and aggression gave new life to the division.

🥷🏻 Brandon “The Assassin Baby” Moreno (2021–2022)

From being cut by the UFC to becoming world champion — Brandon Moreno’s story is pure inspiration.
He defeated Figueiredo at UFC 263: Adesanya vs Vettori 2 to claim the title, ending Mighty Mouse’s successor’s run.

Moreno’s reign wasn’t long, but his rivalry with Figueiredo became the first quadrilogy in UFC history — a storyline that defined the division for years.

⚔️ Deiveson Figueiredo (2022)

Figueiredo recaptured the title in their third fight at UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane, making him a two-time flyweight champion — proof of how closely matched he and Moreno were.

🥷🏻 Brandon Moreno (2022–2023)

Moreno came back again, winning the interim title against Kai Kara-France at UFC 277: Peña vs Nunes 2, then unified it by defeating Figueiredo for the final time of their cycle at UFC 283: Teixeira vs Hill.

He couldn’t hold the belt for long — but his name remains forever tied to one of the greatest rivalries in flyweight history.

🩸 Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja (2023–2025)

Pantoja defeated Brandon Moreno at UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez to become the new flyweight king.
Since then, he’s looked unstoppable — combining aggression, durability, and elite grappling.

Title defenses so far:

• Brandon Royval — UFC 296: Edwards vs Covington
• Steve Erceg — UFC 301: Pantoja vs Erceg
• Kai Asakura — UFC 310: Pantoja vs Asakura
• Kai Kara-France — UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira

Most people considering Pantoja as a new GOAT of flyweight, it does make sense at the moment, since he is the second champ that could extended his title defense streak more than 2 times. However, the weight class still fresh, it’s the matter of time that we’ll have more and more young talents and future GOAT in the debate wars.

🪖 Joshua “The Fearless” Van (2025-Present)

In an exchange where Van tried to trip Pantoja to the ground, Pantoja reached out to frame for balance — but instead, his arm snapped, everything happened within the first 30 seconds. The fight was immediately stopped due to injury.

And just like that, Joshua Van became the first 2000s-born fighter to win a UFC title, taking the flyweight belt in one of the strangest championship endings we’ve seen. So we did have a guy who earned the belt from illegal strike by the formed champion, and now we have another guy who earned the belt by the champion got injured during the match.

Weird way to win? Yes.
Illegal? No.

So Joshua Van still earned that victory — the belt is his. Next up should be the rematch to Pantoja, clearly no one happy with the result, even himself, I believe.

🧠 Closing

From Mighty Mouse’s unmatched legacy to Cejudo’s Olympic gold, from Figueiredo’s power to Moreno’s heart, and now Pantoja’s reign, the flyweight division went from forgotten to respected — a place where speed meets mastery, and size means nothing compared to skill.

Related posts:

No-Holds-Barred: The MMA Before 2000s is not the Same Thing as We Used to See Today How the UFC Bantamweight Division Built Its Legacy: History and Champions Era The Evolution of UFC Heavyweight Champions: A Glimpse into the Big League UFC November 2025 Recap: Two New Chapters, One Historic Month