The UFC BMF title was never supposed to become a normal championship.
Nate Diaz came up with the idea after beating Anthony Pettis in 2019, Jorge Masvidal became the first man to wear the belt a few months later and, for a while, that looked like the end of it.
It wasn’t. Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira have all held the BMF belt since, and Oliveira will defend it against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December.
There is no BMF division. There are no official BMF rankings either. It sits somewhere between a championship and a special attraction, usually reserved for fighters who have already built reputations for taking difficult fights and producing memorable ones.
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What Does BMF Mean in the UFC?
BMF stands for Baddest Motherfer*.
The name sounds like something invented in a pub rather than a corporate meeting, which is basically why it worked.
Diaz had just beaten Anthony Pettis at UFC 241 when he called out Masvidal. Rather than talking about rankings or title eliminators, he framed it as a fight between two men who had built their careers around being difficult to break. The UFC ran with it.
Masvidal vs Diaz was booked for UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden and the promotion created an actual belt for the occasion. That could easily have been a one-off.
Instead, the title eventually returned and has slowly developed its own little history.
Is the BMF Belt a Real UFC Championship?
It is real in the sense that the UFC recognises the holder and officially promotes BMF title fights.
It just does not carry the same sporting status as a divisional championship.
If somebody wins the lightweight title, they become the champion of the 155lb division.
Win the BMF belt and nothing changes in the rankings.
There is no No.1 BMF contender waiting underneath you and nobody earns a title shot by winning a formal eliminator.
The UFC simply decides when a matchup feels right for it.
That makes the belt unusual, but it also stops it becoming another championship tied up in mandatory contenders and rankings arguments.
What Weight Is a BMF Fight?
There is no fixed BMF weight class. Masvidal and Diaz fought at welterweight.
Poirier vs Gaethje 2 took place at lightweight, as did the BMF fights involving Holloway and Oliveira.
That recent run at 155lb has made the belt look like an unofficial lightweight prize, but technically it is not.
The UFC could attach it to another division if the right two fighters came along.
For the actual divisional limits used across the promotion, our UFC weight classes guide breaks them all down.
Are the Rules Different?
No. A BMF fight still follows the normal Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts.
The same fouls apply. The same judging system is used. Fights can finish by knockout, submission, decision or the usual recognised methods.
Nobody gets extra points for standing in the centre and swinging.
The main difference is that BMF title fights are scheduled for five rounds, even when they are not the main event.
Holloway vs Gaethje at UFC 300 is probably the best example. It sat underneath the two main championship fights but still received five rounds because the BMF belt was at stake.
Our UFC rules page covers the standard rules in more detail.
Who Has Won the UFC BMF Title?
Four fighters have held it so far:
- Jorge Masvidal
- Justin Gaethje
- Max Holloway
- Charles Oliveira
The belt has only changed hands a handful of times, which is probably a good thing.
If the UFC put it on three cards a year, it would lose most of what makes it interesting.
Masvidal vs Diaz Started Everything
Masvidal and Diaz met at UFC 244 in November 2019. The matchup made sense before anybody mentioned a belt.
Both had spent years building reputations around tough fights, trash talk and being extremely difficult to finish.
Masvidal was having the best year of his career after beating Darren Till and producing the five-second flying knee against Ben Askren.
Diaz had just returned by beating Pettis.
Their fight ended after three rounds when the ringside doctor stopped Diaz from continuing because of damage around his eye.
Masvidal became the first BMF champion. Then the belt disappeared for almost four years.
Gaethje Brought It Back
The UFC revived the title for Dustin Poirier vs Justin Gaethje 2 at UFC 291.
Their first fight had been exactly the sort of violent contest you would associate with the BMF label, so bringing the belt back for the rematch actually felt fairly natural.
Gaethje ended it with a head kick in round two. That made him the second champion. His reign did not last long.
Holloway Made the Belt Famous
If there is one moment that explains the BMF title better than anything else, it is the final ten seconds of Holloway vs Gaethje.
Holloway was already winning.
He could have stayed out of trouble, heard the final horn and collected the belt.
Instead, he pointed at the floor and told Gaethje to meet him in the middle.
They started swinging. Holloway knocked him out with one second remaining.
It was completely unnecessary. That was also the point.
Holloway later defended the belt against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318, winning by unanimous decision and becoming the first BMF champion to successfully retain it.
How Did Charles Oliveira Win the BMF Belt?
Oliveira challenged Holloway at UFC 326 in March 2026.
The two had fought more than a decade earlier, but that first meeting ended quickly after Oliveira suffered an injury.
The rematch went the full five rounds.
Oliveira used his grappling and control to take a clear decision, becoming the fourth BMF champion.
It was a different type of BMF performance. There was no last-second knockout and no wild brawl.
Oliveira simply fought intelligently and beat Holloway over 25 minutes.
Considering how chaotic most of Oliveira’s career has been, that almost made it more interesting.
Our most UFC wins page shows where Oliveira now sits among the promotion’s most successful fighters.
Who Is the BMF Champion Now?
Charles Oliveira currently holds the belt.
His first defence comes against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 on 12 December 2026.
Lopes is moving up from featherweight, so he could win the BMF title in his first UFC fight at lightweight.
Normally that would sound ridiculous. With this belt, it makes more sense. There is no ranking system he needs to climb first.
The UFC clearly believes Lopes fits the type of fight it wants attached to the BMF championship.
And stylistically, it is difficult to argue. Neither Lopes nor Oliveira spends much time trying to produce safe fights.
Our UFC 335: Oliveira vs Lopes preview has the full card, UK start times and latest fight information.
How Do You Get a BMF Title Shot?
There is no proper route. That is probably the simplest answer. You do not become No.1 contender for the BMF belt.
There is no ranking panel deciding who deserves the next shot.
The UFC looks at the fighters available and chooses a matchup it thinks fits the idea. Reputation matters. Style matters.
Having a history of good fights definitely helps.
That is why names such as Masvidal, Diaz, Poirier, Gaethje, Holloway and Oliveira have all ended up involved.
It is less about who has won three fights in a row and more about whether fans immediately understand why those two people are fighting for that particular belt.
Does the UFC BMF Title Matter?
It depends what you mean by matter. It is not more important than becoming a real divisional champion.
Oliveira would almost certainly rather regain the undisputed lightweight title than spend the rest of his career defending the BMF belt.
But calling it completely meaningless goes too far the other way. The UFC has managed to keep the title fairly selective.
Only four men have held it since 2019 and most of the fights attached to it have produced something memorable.
That is probably the sweet spot. Keep it occasional and it feels different.
Start handing it out constantly and nobody will care. Oliveira vs Lopes is the next test of that in December.
For recent winners and scorecards, visit our UFC results 2026 page. For everything still ahead this year, check the UFC schedule 2026.
For more UFC features and fight previews, head to the BetVictor UFC and MMA News hub.
