The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is one of the most demanding pro sports leagues in the world. Brutal on both a physical and mental level, fighters are routinely subject to kicks, punches, and takedowns that can leave them seriously bloodied – even seriously injured.
Training for UFC fights can occupy 8-12 weeks of a fighter’s life out of training camp, but up to 20-30 hours when training is at its peak.
Given the intense physical nature of this combat sport, fighters competing at the UFC level are some of the most in-shape athletes in the world. While their weights differ significantly depending on weight class, there is no height requirement to compete.
Height certainly has its advantages in UFC, as taller fighters generally will be able to land better strikes on their opponents. However, it’s not the be-all-end-all. Even the shortest of competitors have found success at the UFC level.
Here are the shortest UFC fighters of all time – broken down by weight class.
Who Is The Shortest UFC Fighter?
At 4 feet 9 inches, Puja Tomar is the shortest fighter in the entire UFC. Nicknamed “The Cyclone”, she won her debut fight at UFC on ESPN 57 in June of 2024.
With her victory, she became the first fighter from India to secure a win inside the UFC Octagon.
Tomar is a full 22 inches shorter than the UFC’s tallest fighter, 6’7″ Alexander Volkov. That’s almost a full 2 feet!
The Shortest UFC Fighters By Weight Class
Hector Sandoval – 5’2″ – Flyweight
Hector Sandoval is the shortest male UFC fighter of all time.
Nicknamed “Kid Alex”, Sandoval has had a very impressive UFC career. He has amassed 15 wins and four losses, with 60% of his victories coming by a judge’s decision.
Jessica Andrade – 5’1″ – Women’s Flyweight
In the second smallest women’s weight class, Andrade has achieved great success despite her small stature. She has amassed 24 victories; nine by KO/TKO and eight by submission.
Antonio Banuelos – 5’3″ – Bantamweight
Antonio Banuelos is the shortest men’s bantamweight fighter ever, standing at a height of 5’3″.
Of his 20 career wins, seven came by TO/TKO and one by submission. The former Division 1 wrestler last fought professionally in 2014.
Rin Nakai – 5’1″ – Women’s Bantamweight
Despite just a 61-inch reach, Nakai has been practically unbeatable in the octagon.
In 28 fights, she has only lost twice. Meanwhile, her wins have come by nine KOs/TKOs and 11 submissions.
Montserrat Ruiz – 5’0″ – Women’s Strawweight
Montserrat Ruiz is the second shortest UFC fighter at 5’0″ tall. Hailing from Mexico, Ruiz competes in the strawweight division, which is the smallest weight class for female fighters (115 pounds).
She has won 10 fights, with three coming by KO/TKO and two by way of submission.
Daniel Teymur – 5’5″ – Featherweight
Teymur has racked up seven professional wins in his UFC career.
The man nicknamed “Kid Dynamite” may be short in stature at just 5’5″, but has nonetheless collected three submission victories in the octagon.
Josiane Nunes – 5’2″ – Women’s Featherweight
Nunes is another fighter with barely a blemish on her professional fighting record. She’s lost just one career fight and has knocked out opponents on seven different occasions.
The Brazilian featherweight has dominated despite being shorter than every UFC opponent she’s faced.
Dennis Bermudez – 5’5″ – Lightweight
Bermudez is the shortest UFC fighter in the history of the lightweight division.
Dennis “The Menace” had four victories by KO/TKO and three by submission, with 17 total wins in his mixed martial arts career. The Bloomsburg University alum won his final fight in 2019 and retired afterward, leaving his gloves in the octagon.
Michel Prazeres – 5’6″ – Welterweight
Growing up, Prazeres was inspired by Bruce Lee – a legendary martial artist who stood just 5’8″ – and started training MMA at 12 years old.
The Brazilian welterweight had an incredibly successful UFC career, with 27 wins and just four losses. Of those 27 victories, 11 came by submission, with a single win by KO/TKO.
Dalcha Lungiambula – 5’8″ – Middleweight
Lungiambula is known as “Champion” for good reason. He’s racked up 11 victories in UFC, including five by KO/TKO and one by submission.
Ilir Latifi – 5’10” – Light Heavyweight
“The Sledgehammer” has enjoyed a great deal of success in UFC, despite ticking in at just under the six-foot mark.
His 16 victories are made up of six KOs/TKOs and four submissions.
Chris Barnett – 5’9″ – Heavyweight
Competing in the top weight class of UFC, Barnett has not let height deter him from taking down his opponents. Of his 23 victories, an incredible 18 have been by way of knockout for the 5’9″ heavyweight.
Check out more shortest-player breakdowns from every pro sports league:
