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All-time UFC welterweight champions

Belal Muhammad earned the UFC welterweight title with a win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

The champions are listed in reverse chronological order.

Click here for the list of current UFC champions in each division and here for the champions in each MMA promotion.

All-time UFC 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

Belal Muhammad
Won title: July 27, 2024
Outcome: UD over Leon Edwards (UFC 304)
Defenses: 0

Past champions

Leon Edwards
Won title: Aug. 20, 2022
Outcome: KO5 over Kamaru Usman (UFC 278)
Defenses: 2


Kamaru Usman
Won title: March 2, 2019
Outcome: UD over Tyron Woodley (UFC 235)
Defenses: 5


Tyron Woodley
Won title: July 30, 2016
Outcome: KO1 over Robbie Lawler (UFC 201)
Defenses: 4


Robbie Lawler
Won title: Dec. 6, 2014
Outcome: SD5 over Johny Hendricks (UFC 181)
Defenses: 2


Johny Hendricks
Won title: March 15, 2014
Outcome: UD5 over Robbie Lawler (UFC 171)
Defenses: 0


Georges St-Pierre
Won title: April 19, 2008
Outcome: TKO2 over Matt Serra (UFC 83)
Defenses: 9*

* -- Vacated title on Dec. 13, 2013, to take time off from the sport


Matt Serra
Won title: April 7, 2007
Outcome: KO1 over Georges St-Pierre (UFC 69)
Defenses: 0


Georges St-Pierre
Won title: Nov. 18, 2006
Outcome: TKO2 over Matt Hughes (UFC 65)
Defenses: 0


Matt Hughes
Won title: Oct. 22, 2004
Outcome: SUB1 over Georges St-Pierre (UFC 50)
Defenses: 2


BJ Penn
Won title: Jan. 31, 2004
Outcome: SUB1 over Matt Hughes (UFC 46)
Defenses: 0*

* -- Stripped of title on May 17, 2004, when he left UFC for K-1


Matt Hughes
Won title: Nov. 2, 2001
Outcome: KO2 over Carlos Newton (UFC 34)
Defenses: 5


Carlos Newton
Won title: May 4, 2001
Outcome: SUB3 over Pat Miletich (UFC 31)
Defenses: 0


Pat Miletich
Won title: Oct. 16, 1998
Outcome: Decision over Mikey Burnett (UFC Brazil)
Defenses: 4