Ranking the 5 most exciting weight divisions in the UFC in 2023
While it might be lacking the huge mainstream names of the past like Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey, there’s no denying that the UFC is a hot product right now.
Most notably, some of the UFC’s weight divisions are more stacked than they’ve ever been, with exciting fights seemingly every week – but which division is the most exciting?
Years ago, the answer to this question tended to be quite obvious. Now, it’s genuinely hard to say.
Here, then, are the five most exciting weight divisions in the UFC in 2023.
#5. UFC heavyweight division
While the UFC’s heavyweight division often produces terrible, sloppy fights that are inexplicably placed in main card showcase spots, it’s also a highly exciting weight class right now.
Defenders of the heavyweight division would usually suggest that because the big men pack so much power into their punches, brutal finishes are more likely when they meet in the octagon.
That isn’t always true, but it’s probably fair to suggest that the likes of Sergei Pavlovich, Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis tend to deliver the goods when they fight. Lewis, for instance, holds the UFC’s record for most knockouts, while Pavlovich has stopped his last five opponents in violent fashion.
HEAVY HANDS 
👊 HEAVY HANDS 👊
Sergei Pavlovich scores a MASSIVE win over Tai Tuivasa! 😳
#UFCOrlando https://t.co/cT1V4nU16v
What really makes heavyweight such an exciting division right now, though, is the presence of new champion Jon Jones.
Sure, ‘Bones’ didn’t beat the previous champion, Francis Ngannou, as ‘The Predator’ instead chose to depart the promotion after a contract dispute. However, Jones is undoubtedly an all-time great. More importantly, because he hasn’t fought at heavyweight before, every potential opponent for him – from Stipe Miocic to Curtis Blaydes – would be a fresh and intriguing fight.
Essentially, it’s the beginning of a new era for the octagon’s big men, and that makes the heavyweight division must-see again.
#4. UFC featherweight division
Unlike the UFC’s heavyweight division, it’s fair to suggest that the featherweight division definitely doesn’t have a fresh champion at the top.
Alexander Volkanovski has now held the featherweight title since December 2019. While that doesn’t feel like a long time, he’s already accomplished enough to be considered the greatest 145lber of all time.
‘Alexander the Great’ holds three wins over former champ Max Holloway and has also beaten Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ortega in title defenses.
#UFC276We just witnessed an absolute masterclass from @AlexVolkanovski 👑 #UFC276 https://t.co/LrnOa0yLBK
However, that doesn’t mean that featherweight isn’t a hugely exciting weight class right now.
Firstly, there are a number of fresh challengers on the horizon for Volkanovski. These range from interim champ Yair Rodriguez, who the Australian is set to face in the near future, to hot prospects like Arnold Allen, Ilia Topuria and Bryce Mitchell.
More to the point, it’s hard to recall a bad fight that involved one of the ranked fighters at 145 pounds. The likes of Holloway, Rodriguez and Dan Ige are widely recognised as some of the most exciting fighters to watch in the entire promotion.
Overall, while the featherweight division has a dominant champion, the amount of fun fights that the weight class produces makes it one of the most exciting to watch in the UFC right now.
#3. UFC welterweight division
The UFC’s welterweight division has always been an exciting one to watch, from the days when Georges St-Pierre ruled over it through to the wild title reign of ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler.
Nothing has really changed at 170 pounds to this day. Not only does the current welterweight crop feature some of the most popular stars in the promotion, but it also contains some of the most exciting to watch, too.
Nobody expected current champ Leon Edwards to dethrone Kamaru Usman for the title last year, nor did they expect him to defeat ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ in a rematch.
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LEON WINS THE TRILOGY ON THE SCORECARDS! 🏆
#UFC286 https://t.co/Yz57l0Ia7k
However, the UK-based fighter’s title reign has meant that popular fighters like Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns are now firmly back in contention, with both hunting for a shot at the gold this year.
Outside of them, 170 also has some red-hot prospects coming up, from ruthless finishers like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Jack Della Maddalena to brutal grapplers like Belal Muhammad.
That isn’t even mentioning one of the biggest stars out there – Khamzat Chimaev – who seemingly hasn’t decided whether his future lies at 170 or 185 pounds just yet.
In essence, the welterweight division has a fresh, new champion, tons of popular fighters to keep an eye on, and even more exciting ones coming up in the pipeline. That makes it one of the best weight classes to watch right now.
#2. UFC lightweight division
A few years ago, the idea of any weight class other than lightweight being considered the UFC’s most exciting would’ve been criminal. It’s probably fair to say that in most ways, that hasn’t changed.
Not only does the lightweight division act as home for some of the promotion’s biggest superstars and drawing cards, from Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier to Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje, but it also routinely produces classic fights, too.
Unlike in the world of boxing, the UFC’s top 155lbers never shy away from facing one another.
This year has already treated us to a war between Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, while next month will see former champ Charles Oliveira take on top-ranked Beneil Dariush.
Later in the year we’ll get to see McGregor face the ultra-exciting Michael Chandler, a fighter who has already had memorable wars with both Gaethje and Poirier.
Conor McGregor v Michael Chandler CONFIRMED! https://t.co/J4xNAAmoEG
Sure, current champion Makhachev does not currently have his next opponent booked. However, the division is so stacked with exciting talent that the promotion’s matchmakers could probably pick anyone and it’d instantly become a big deal.
Essentially, any division featuring fighters as exciting as the ones mentioned above would be considered one of the UFC’s best. Add in top prospects like Arman Tsarukya and Mateusz Gamrot, and it’s easy to see why the lightweight division is must-see.
#1. UFC bantamweight division
Right now, it feels like there’s no hotter weight class in the UFC than the bantamweight division. With a number of hugely exciting stars to watch, a champion who feels dominant yet still somewhat vulnerable, and the sense that anyone can beat anyone, any fight at 135 pounds seems to be must-see.
Thus far, some of 2023’s most memorable fights have taken place at bantamweight. We’ve been treated to five-round wars between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan, and Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Vera.
𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐌𝐀𝐍!
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Cory Sandhagen defeats Marlon Vera via split decision! 😤
#UFCSanAntonio https://t.co/9QPYbYMzo2
Rob Font turned back the challenge of hot prospect Adrian Yanez by knocking him out and Chris Gutierrez will face Pedro Munhoz this weekend in a huge bout.
May, meanwhile, will see a huge title fight between champion Aljamain Sterling and former titleholder Henry Cejudo, who never lost the gold in the octagon. Not only did all of these fights produce exciting action – or they’re expected to – but they’ve also added plenty of intrigue to the division too.
Sean O’Malley is likely to face the winner of Sterling vs. Cejudo thanks to his star power and his win over Petr Yan. However, ‘Sugar’ lost to Vera via TKO in 2020. Vera has since lost to Sandhagen, who would have a claim to a title shot were it not for his own loss to Yan. ‘No Mercy’, meanwhile, suffered a defeat to Dvalishvili, but the Georgian won’t face Sterling due to their friendship.
Add in wild cards like Gutierrez and Umar Nurmagomedov, and it’s safe to say that almost anyone in the top 15 at 135 pounds could end up fighting for the title – and any of them could win it, too. That makes bantamweight the UFC’s most exciting division right now.