The UFC title picture is in a bit of a weird place these days with several champions sidelined or looking to move up a weight division (or two). How is the UFC reacting to all this chaos? On a case by case basis, according to CEO Dana White.
With UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall sidelined by eye injuries, it looks like an interim title could come into play for that division. That’s opened the door for former middleweight and current light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira to capture a historic third
belt, should the UFC grant him a shot at interim gold.
And then there’s Khamzat Chimaev, who captured the middleweight title from Dricus du Plessis in August 2025. Rather than defend that belt, Chimaev wants to move up as well and face whoever holds the 205 pound belt.
White was more enthused about one option than the other at the UFC Houston post-fight press conference.
“He’s one of those guys that always steps up, does whatever we need him to do,” White said of Pereira’s call for a heavyweight title shot. “Whatever that guy wants to do, we would work with him.”
As for Khamzat Chimaev, White would like to see him settle down at middleweight considering he’s only fought there three times over the past two and a half years.
“I’d like to see him defend his title at middleweight first,” he said. “Yeah, I’d like to see him defend his title before he talks about jumping around. You’re gonna keep going up in weight divisions without defending? Yeah. I’d rather see him defend.”
Despite what White said, he may not stand in the way of Chimaev moving up should UFC COO Hunter Campbell seal a deal with “Borz” to make it happen at UFC 327 in Miami. That’s a bout that is being discussed at the moment according to sources.
As crazy as it may sound to UFC fans, White recently confirmed that he’s no longer the man making many of these matchmaking decisions any more. For years, he stopped champs from jumping up weight classes without clearing out their divisions first. But Campbell seems much more open to doing whatever results in bigger fights for upcoming cards.
How does the shift in matchmaking ethos make you feel, Maniacs? Are you excited to see champs in two divisions shift up? Or does this just feel like another blow to the sport’s legitimacy as UFC chooses flashy fights over divisional stability?
