The UFC's middleweight division, once defined by dominant fighters like Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya, has seen a steep decline in competitiveness by 2025. Following Adesanya's temporary title reign, in which he lost to Sean Strickland, the combined record of top contenders shows a worrying 4-9. Fighters like Belal Muhammad and fans have begun to label the division as shallow, particularly after Du Plessis' lopsided victory over Strickland at UFC 312, highlighting a drastic shift in the division's landscape.
In 2025, the 185-pound division is almost unrecognizable compared to where it was in 2023, with fans on social media calling it shallow.
Belal Muhammad expressed doubts about the middleweight division's competitiveness, labeling it the easiest weight class aside from Khamzat Chimaev.
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