Is the Welterweight Division the Deepest in the UFC?
A championship contender was born at UFC London, as the 32-year-old Sean Brady completely dominated former Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards. Brady outlanded the England native 221 to 23 en route to a fourth-round submission victory. Even though the American was the slight favorite coming into the fight, few expected the outcome to be so one-sided. Usually, a performance like the one Brady had against a former champion would be enough to earn him a title shot. However, given the depth of the welterweight division, Sean Brady might have more work to do.
UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad will defend his title against number four-ranked Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. This fight comes after the champion was scheduled to fight the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, but after Muhammad suffered a toe infection, the fight was off. Della Maddalena was granted the title shot after Rakhmonov sustained a serious knee injury that will have him sidelined for some time. Whether Belal Muhammad can retain his championship at UFC 315, or Jack Della Madalena pulls off the upset, the winner will likely defend their championship against Shavkat Rakhmonov next. However, the welterweight division is the most stacked it has been for years, and is possibly the deepest division in the UFC. Welterweight Championship contenders include:
Shavkat Rakhmonov
As of the writing of this article, Rakhmonov is the number two-ranked welterweight contender. However, after the number one-ranked contender Leon Edwards' loss against Sean Brady, Rakhmonov will likely take the top spot. The ‘Nomad’ is coming from a win against Ian Machado Garry. Rakhmonov’s performance was unlike what we have come to expect from him, with this win ending his perfect 100% finish rate. Rakhmonov did come into this fight with a serious knee injury, however, which is something to consider. Right now, there is no better candidate to be fighting for the belt than Shavkat Rakhmonov. Boasting an outstanding 19-0 record with 18 finishes, Rakhmonov will most likely be next in line for the title shot.
Sean Brady
As previously mentioned, Sean Brady just dominated and finished former champion Leon Edwards. Brady is 18-1, with his only loss coming to current champion Belal Muhammad. That loss occurred back in 2022. Since then, Brady has been on a three-fight win streak. With wins over Leon Edwards, Gilbert Burns, and Kelvin Gastelum, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Brady gets his first opportunity at a title shot.
Joaquin Buckley
Joaquin Buckley is in the midst of one of the biggest career turnarounds in UFC history. After only winning five of his nine fights in the UFC middleweight division, Buckley decided to move down to welterweight. Since he changed weight class, Buckley has been unbeatable. At UFC 307, Buckley passed his first true test in the welterweight division with flying colors when he scored a vicious knockout against longtime contender Stephen Thompson. Buckley then followed up his impressive win with the biggest win of his career. In Joaquin Buckley’s last fight, he defeated one of the greatest fighters in welterweight history, Colby Covington. Buckley was superior to Covington in every aspect of the fight, resulting in a doctor's stoppage that gave Buckley the win. This fight cemented Buckley as a legit contender for the welterweight championship.
Ian Machado Garry
After it was announced that Jack Della Maddalena was getting the championship shot, Ian Machado Garry made sure the world knew how he felt. Garry is one of the biggest names in the welterweight division. The Irishman took offense to the fact that Della Maddalena was handed the opportunity, and he wasn’t. Ian Garry is 15-1. His only loss came in his last fight, where he fell short against Shavkat Rakhmonov. Despite the loss, Garry fared better than most expected him to. Ian Garry holds wins over Michael Page, Geoff Neal, and Neil Magny. After showing that he could hang with the top of the division against Rakhmonov, Garry is in a position to be a serious player in the welterweight division for years to come.
The welterweight division is possibly in the best state it has ever been in. With serious contenders like the ones I've mentioned, to veterans trying to climb their way back to a title shot. Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, and Colby Covington are all on losing streaks but are not to be counted out. In an era of the UFC where divisions have limited challengers or a lack of prospects, the welterweight division has become the deepest and most intriguing in the UFC.
