When Devin Haney defeated George Kambosos Jr. to become the undisputed Lightweight Champion, he cemented his place in boxing history. He defended those belts against Vasiliy Lomachenko before moving up in weight, where he beat Regis Prograis to claim the WBC super-lightweight title. Haney’s momentum only grew from there. Wins over José Ramírez and Brian Norman Jr. carried him into the welterweight division, where he captured yet another world title and established himself as one of the sport’s elite, multi-division champions.

After a long, bruising run in the UFC, Ben Rothwell crossed over to bare-knuckle fighting and somehow became even more dangerous. Now the BKFC Heavyweight Champion and the division’s #1 ranked fighter, he burst onto the scene with a 36-second knockout at KnuckleMania and hasn’t slowed down since. His violent, walk-forward style has turned every fight into a viral moment, and every challenger into a question mark. In 2026, he enters the year with a heavyweight title to defend and an undefeated BKFC record to protect.

As the first fighter to hold titles in five major promotions (UFC, Strikeforce, Invicta, Bellator, and PFL) Cris Cyborg is a certified legend. Widely considered one of the greatest female fighters of all time, she’s spent two decades redefining dominance across every organization she’s touched. Today, she still carries the Bellator Featherweight World Title. Even with a lighter fight schedule, Cyborg’s presence looms large.

In 2026, she enters the year with a belt, a legacy still in motion, and a strong case for being the GOAT.

Just five years into her professional career, Linn Sandstrom has already captured her first major title. The Swedish flyweight secured the WBA Gold Flyweight belt with a win over Maribel Ramirez, a victory that marked a defining step forward in her rise through the division. A model and former competitive table tennis player, Sandstrom brings speed, discipline, and adaptability into the ring. 

In 2026, she enters the year as a reigning champion with momentum on her side and plenty left to prove.

Valentina Shevchenko stands as one of the most dominant champions in UFC history. Holding the record for the most successful title defenses in the women’s flyweight division, she has built a legacy defined by precision, longevity, and consistency at the highest level of the sport. After reclaiming the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship, Shevchenko added to her record with back-to-back title defenses. 

In 2026, she enters the year once again as the standard-bearer of the division, with a championship to defend and a legacy to expand. 

Kaye Scott’s persistence paid off on the biggest stage. After two previous meetings with Olivia Curry, including a widely praised draw, the Australian middleweight returned for a decisive third bout with championship stakes on the line. This time, Scott delivered over ten rounds to secure a decision victory and unify the WBA and WBC World Middleweight titles.

The win capped a defining run and closed 2025 with Scott firmly established as one of the division’s elite champions. 

Caroline Veyre captured her first WBC Silver Featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Licia Boudersa in July 2025. As her momentum continued to build, the French-Canadian fighter positioned herself for another major opportunity heading into the new year. In January 2026, Veyre is scheduled to compete for the vacant WBC Super-Featherweight title, a win that would add a second belt to her resume in a short span of time.

Carrying a 10–1 record and unbeaten since 2024, Veyre enters 2026 with her profile rising and championship stakes firmly in front of her. 

Merab Dvalishvili’s UFC career may have started with two setbacks, but everything after that proved why they call him “The Machine.” He tore through the bantamweight division with wins over Casey Kenney, John Dodson, and Marlon Moraes, and his 2023 victory over Petr Yan confirmed him as a true title threat. Merab went on to capture the UFC bantamweight championship and earned marquee defenses against Sean O’Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov before eventually losing the belt.

Now entering 2026, Merab is fighting from a different position. The title is no longer around his waist, but the drive to reclaim it is stronger than ever. His comeback arc is officially underway.

Shakur Stevenson has been a standout talent since his amateur days, where he earned Olympic silver and established himself as one of boxing’s most technically gifted fighters. He went on to win titles at featherweight, super featherweight, and lightweight, including a run as the WBC Lightweight Champion after defeating Edwin De Los Santos.

Although he no longer holds the belt, Stevenson remains one of the most skilled defensive fighters in the sport and a major draw whenever he steps into the ring. With his speed, precision, and championship pedigree, he enters 2026 positioned for a resurgence and another run at lightweight gold.

Chantelle Cameron’s championship legacy extends beyond the ring. During her reign as WBC Super Lightweight Champion, the British boxer made headlines by vacating her title in protest of regulations mandating two-minute rounds for women. Cameron publicly argued that the rule limited fighters’ earning potential, conditioning standards, and ability to fully showcase their skills. By stepping away from the belt, she took a rare and principled stand for equality in the sport, advocating for women to compete under the same three-minute round format as men.

Her decision positioned Cameron not only as a world-class athlete, but as a leading voice in the ongoing push for change in women’s boxing.