Who is the current UFC middleweight champion as of 2024?

As of 2024, Dricus du Plessis was the UFC middleweight champion. He won the title by defeating Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 297 on January 20, 2024, in Toronto, Canada.

Du Plessis entered the fight after a rapid rise through the division. Before joining the UFC, the South African had won championships in other promotions, including KSW. In the UFC, victories over contenders such as Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson established him as a title-level middleweight.

The timing matters because UFC champions change frequently. Du Plessis successfully defended the belt against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August 2024. Sean Strickland, Robert Whittaker, and Adesanya were prominent middleweights, but none held the championship at the point specified by the question.