UFC Women's Strawweight Championship
The inaugural champion was crowned in a TUF finale.
The Women's Strawweight Championship is a title in the UFC for female fighters weighing between 106 and 115 lb (48 to 52 kg).
- Weight class
- 115 lbs (52.2 kg)
- Inaugural champion
- Carla Esparza
- Year established
- 2014
- Most reigns (single fighter)
- Joanna Jędrzejczyk (1)
- Notable rival
- Rose Namajunas
- Status
- Active title in UFC
Lore & Background
The division was introduced in 2014. Previously the Invicta FC Strawweight Champion, Carla Esparza defeated Rose Namajunas for the inaugural title on December 12, 2014, in the tournament finale of The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned.
In Their Own Story
The octagon lights hum at a low, electric buzz. The cage is small—always small at 115—but tonight it feels like the whole arena is leaning in. The champion walks out to a roar that shakes the turnstiles, her gloves wrapped tight, her eyes already scanning the opposite corner. She has done this a dozen times. She has defended this leather and gold under fluorescent lights, under stadium spotlights, under rain that seeped through a tent in a foreign city. Each time, the same ritual: touch the canvas, breathe, and remember why she chose the smallest class in the sport. The challenger bounces in, faster, louder, a storm in human form. The referee's voice cuts through the noise. The bell rings. And for twenty-five minutes, the world is nothing but two women, eight feet of chain-link, and the weight of a championship that has outlasted every expectation anyone had when it was first hung around a neck in 2012.
Reader's Guide
The weight limit for the division is 106 to 115 lb (48 to 52 kg). The inaugural champion was determined via a tournament on The Ultimate Fighter.
Did You Know?
- The division was added a little over a year after the UFC introduced women's bantamweight.
- The first bout for the division took place at UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Miller.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship?
It is the 115-pound (52.2 kg) title in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, introduced in 2012 as one of the promotion's first dedicated women's weight classes. The belt remains an active championship in the UFC today.
Who won the first UFC Women's Strawweight title?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk of Poland captured the inaugural belt in 2012 and later reclaimed it in additional separate reigns. Her repeated success made her the defining figure of the division from its very start.
Who holds the record for the most strawweight title reigns?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk stands alone with the highest number of separate reigns at 115 pounds, a record that underscores how dominant her overall run was. No other fighter in the division has come close to matching that level of sustained success.
What is the most famous rivalry in UFC strawweight history?
The repeated title exchanges between Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Rose Namajunas are widely considered the division's signature feud. Their back-and-forth battles gave the 115-pound class a narrative depth that few other UFC weight divisions have matched.
Is the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship still active?
Yes, the 115-pound title continues to be contested on UFC cards alongside the rest of the women's roster. It remains one of the promotion's longest-running dedicated women's divisions.
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