Top 5 most followed UFC champions on Instagram

UFC Influencers. Photo via USA Today Sports and Instagram

To be a popular UFC champion you need to be more than the best fighter in the world.

A selling personality and a strong following on social media is getting more and more important every year – whether you like it or not.

Former UFC champions like Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Israel Adesanya broke social media ground, and now a new wave of champions are taking over.

Let’s take a closer look at the five most influential UFC champions on Instagram right now!

5. Alexander Volkanovski

Alexander Volkanovski. Photo via Twitter (UFC)

• Instagram followers: 1.9 million
• Weight class: Featherweight
• Nationality: Australian
• Age: 35

Australian MMA fighter Alexander Volkanovski has been the king of the featherweight division since December 2019. During his career he beat the likes of Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, Jose Aldo, Yair Rodriguez and Korean Zombie.

However, his best performances came against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in February 2023. After standing toe-to-toe with Makachev for five intense rounds, he eventually lost via unanimous decision.

Besides his fighting skills, the popular champ is known for being a good cook and a fishing enthusiast, which is shown on his Instagram account.

4. Alex Pereira

Photo via Instagram (@ufc)

• Instagram followers: 2.1 million
• Weight class: Light heavyweight
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Age: 36

Brazilian former kickboxing champion Alex ”Poatan” Pereira has one of the unique UFC careers of all time. And that show’s on his 2.1 million following on Instagram. Memes with Pereira’s stoneface have become popular even outside the world of combat sports.

Famous for being Israel Adesanya’s kickboxing foe, Pereira made his UFC debut in November 2021, with a 3-1 record. 12 months later, the Brazilian striker won the middleweight title after knocking out Adesanya at Madison Square Garden.

After losing his title in the rematch six months later, ”Poatan” defeated Jiri Prochazka at light heavyweight to become a two-division champion in his seventh (!) UFC bout.

3. Sean O’Malley

UFC 292 results. Photo via Twitter (UFC)

• Instagram followers: 3.9 million
• Weight class: Bantamweight
• Nationality: American
• Age: 29

“Sugar” Sean O’Malley is currently one of the most popular UFC stars and one of the fastest-rising fighters in the game. After winning the bantamweight title with a highlight-reel first-round KO against Aljamain Sterling, O’Malley’s stock went up even more.

Besides fighting at the highest level, ”Sugar” also runs a YouTube channel about gaming and is a co-host of his own podcast named ’The Timbo Sugarshow’, together with his friend and head coach, Tim Welch.

2. Islam Makhachev

UFC 294 Islam Makhachev. Photo via Twitter (UFC)

• Instagram followers: 8 million
• Weightclass: Lightweight
• Nationality: Russian
• Age: 32

Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev might not have the most interesting personality but with 8 million followers on Instagram, he’s definitely one of the most influential fighters out there.

After defending his title twice against Alexander Volkanovski in 2023, it will be interesting to see who he will face next.

1. Jon Jones

Jon Jones. Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA TODAY Sports

• Instagram Followers: 8.1 million
• Weight class: Heavyweight
• Nationality: American
• Age: 36

The controversial UFC veteran Jon Jones is a two-division champion and currently sits on the heavyweight throne after returning from a two-year hiatus.

Jones enormous popularity comes due to being widely considered to be the best MMA fighter to ever enter the cage and also famous for being a bad guy, with a list of controversies including a hit-and-run conviction, domestic violence arrest and failed drug tests.

With a 27-1-1 record, his only blemishes being a NC against Daniel Cormier and a DQ (illegal elbows) against Matt Hamill.

Read more: The 10 most stacked UFC cards of all time

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