This market will resolve according to the official UFC Middleweight division champion on December 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET. Only official UFC division champions will count. Interim champions will not count. If the relevant belt is vacant at this market’s check time, or there is otherwise no champion in the specified division, this market will resolve to “Other”. The primary resolution source for this market will be official information from the UFC (https://www.ufc.com/athletes).
Sean Strickland holds the middleweight title after reclaiming it with a split-decision victory over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 in May 2026, establishing him as the consensus leader entering the final months of the year. Imavov sits second in implied probability thanks to a five-fight win streak that includes victories over established contenders like Israel Adesanya and Caio Borralho, keeping him in prime position for a title opportunity. Chimaev’s first career loss to Strickland has cooled expectations for an immediate rematch or quick return to the top, while Dricus Du Plessis remains a long shot despite a recent win over Kamaru Usman. The rest of the division shows limited momentum, with most other names hampered by recent defeats or extended layoffs that reduce their realistic paths to the belt by December.