List of UFC champions

The UFC heavyweight championship belt

This is a list of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions at each weight class.[1]

At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, the sport of mixed martial arts was unsanctioned in the United States, and it did not include weight classes. Instead of the traditional championship model, tournaments were held with the winner receiving a permanent appellation.[2] In response to criticism from Senator John McCain that saw the loss of its television deal and the banning of the sport in thirty-six states, the UFC increased its cooperation with state athletic commissions and introduced weight classes in 1997.[3]

The original codification for weight classes introduced only two divisions: heavyweight, which grouped competitors above 200 pounds (91 kg), and lightweight, which encompassed all other competitors. The UFC would later rename its lightweight division to middleweight and add lightweight 170 pounds (77 kg) and bantamweight 155 pounds (70 kg) divisions. In 2000, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board completely took over regulation in its home state, and its rules and weight classes became the de facto rule set for mixed martial arts.[4] The UFC realigned their weight classes to comply with the new regulations in 2001.[5]

Contents

Current title histories

Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lbs (93 to 120 kg)
No. Name Date Location Defenses
1 United States Mark Coleman
(def. Dan Severn)		 February 7, 1997
(UFC 12)		 Dothan, Alabama, US
2 United States Maurice Smith July 27, 1997
(UFC 14)		 Birmingham, Alabama, US
  • def. David Abbott on October 17, 1997 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, US (UFC 15)
3 United States Randy Couture December 21, 1997
(UFC Japan)		 Yokohama, Japan
Couture was stripped of the title and left the UFC in January 1998 due to a contract dispute.[1]
4 Netherlands Bas Rutten
(def. Kevin Randleman)		 May 7, 1999
(UFC 20)		 Birmingham, Alabama, US
The title was vacated in June 1999 when Rutten retired due to training injuries.[6]
5 United States Kevin Randleman
(def. Pete Williams)		 November 19, 1999
(UFC 23)		 Tokyo, Japan
6 United States Randy Couture (2) November 17, 2000
(UFC 28)		 Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
  • def. Pedro Rizzo on May 4, 2001 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US (UFC 31)
  • def. Pedro Rizzo on November 2, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 34)
7 United States Josh Barnett March 22, 2002
(UFC 36)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Barnett was stripped of the title on July 26, 2002 after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test.[7]
8 United States Ricco Rodriguez
(def. Randy Couture)		 September 27, 2002
(UFC 39)		 Uncasville, Connecticut, US
9 United States Tim Sylvia February 28, 2003
(UFC 41)		 Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
  • def. Gan McGee on September 26, 2003 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 44)
Sylvia relinquished his title in September 2003 after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test.[8]
10 United States Frank Mir
(def. Tim Sylvia)		 June 19, 2004
(UFC 48)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Belarus Andrei Arlovski
(def. Tim Sylvia for interim title)		 February 5, 2005
(UFC 51)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Justin Eilers on June 4, 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US (UFC 53)
Mir was stripped of the title in August 2005 after being unable to defend due to an injury.[9]
11 Belarus Andrei Arlovski
(promoted to undisputed champion)		 August 12, 2005
  • def. Paul Buentello on October 7, 2005 in Uncasville, Connecticut, US (UFC 55)
12 United States Tim Sylvia (2) April 15, 2006
(UFC 59)		 Anaheim, California, US
  • def. Andrei Arlovski on July 8, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 61)
  • def. Jeff Monson on November 18, 2006 in Sacramento, California, US (UFC 65)
13 United States Randy Couture (3) March 3, 2007
(UFC 68)		 Columbus, Ohio, US
  • def. Gabriel Gonzaga on August 25, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 74)
Brazil Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira
(def. Tim Sylvia for interim title)		 February 2, 2008
(UFC 81)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
14 United States Brock Lesnar
(def. Randy Couture)		 November 15, 2008
(UFC 91)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
United States Frank Mir
(def. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira for interim title)		 December 27, 2008
(UFC 92)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
14 United States Brock Lesnar
(def. Frank Mir for undisputed title)		 July 11, 2009
(UFC 100)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
United States Shane Carwin
(def. Frank Mir for interim title)		 March 27, 2010
(UFC 111)		 Newark, New Jersey, US  
14 United States Brock Lesnar
(def. Shane Carwin for undisputed title)		 July 3, 2010
(UFC 116)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  

Light Heavyweight Championship

186 to 205 lbs (84 to 93 kg)
The Light Heavyweight title was known as the Middleweight title prior to UFC 31 (May 4, 2001).
Quinton Jackson defeated Dan Henderson at UFC 75 to unify the UFC Light Heavyweight title with the Pride Middleweight (204.6 lb) title.
No. Name Date Location Defenses
1 United States Frank Shamrock
(def. Kevin Jackson)		 December 21, 1997
(UFC Japan)		 Yokohama, Japan
  • def. Igor Zinoviev on March 13, 1998 in New Orleans, Louisiana, US (UFC 16)
  • def. Jeremy Horn on May 15, 1998 in Mobile, Alabama, US (UFC 17)
  • def. John Lober on October 16, 1998 in São Paulo, Brazil (UFC Brazil)
  • def. Tito Ortiz on September 24, 1999 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, US (UFC 22)
The title was vacated in November 1999 when Shamrock retired, citing a lack of competition, and left the UFC.[1]
2 United States Tito Ortiz
(def. Wanderlei Silva)		 April 14, 2000
(UFC 25)		 Tokyo, Japan
  • def. Yuki Kondo on December 16, 2000 in Tokyo, Japan (UFC 29)
  • def. Evan Tanner on February 23, 2001 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US (UFC 30)
  • def. Elvis Sinosic on June 29, 2001 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US (UFC 32)
  • def. Vladimir Matyushenko on September 28, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 33)
  • def. Ken Shamrock on November 22, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 40)
United States Randy Couture
(def. Chuck Liddell for interim title)		 June 6, 2003
(UFC 43)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
3 United States Randy Couture
(def. Tito Ortiz for undisputed title)		 September 26, 2003
(UFC 44)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
4 Brazil Vitor Belfort January 31, 2004
(UFC 46)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
5 United States Randy Couture (2) August 21, 2004
(UFC 49)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
6 United States Chuck Liddell April 16, 2005
(UFC 52)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Jeremy Horn on August 20, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 54)
  • def. Randy Couture on February 4, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 57)
  • def. Renato Sobral on August 26, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 62)
  • def. Tito Ortiz on December 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 66)
7 United States Quinton Jackson May 26, 2007
(UFC 71)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Dan Henderson on September 8, 2007 in London, England (UFC 75)
8 United States Forrest Griffin July 5, 2008
(UFC 86)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
9 United States Rashad Evans December 27, 2008
(UFC 92)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
10 Brazil Lyoto Machida May 23, 2009
(UFC 98)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Mauricio Rua on October 24, 2009 in Los Angeles, California, US (UFC 104)
11 Brazil Mauricio Rua May 8, 2010
(UFC 113)		 Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Middleweight Championship

171 to 185 lbs (77 to 84 kg)
Anderson Silva defeated Dan Henderson at UFC 82 to unify the UFC Middleweight title with the Pride Welterweight (183 lb) title.
No. Name Date Location Defenses
1 United States Dave Menne
(def. Gil Castillo)		 September 28, 2001
(UFC 33)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
2 Brazil Murilo Bustamante January 11, 2002
(UFC 35)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Matt Lindland on May 10, 2002 in Bossier City, Louisiana, US (UFC 37)
Bustamante was stripped of the title on October 5, 2002 after signing with Pride.[1]
3 United States Evan Tanner
(def. David Terrell)		 February 5, 2005
(UFC 51)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
4 United States Rich Franklin
 June 4, 2005
(UFC 53)		 Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
  • def. Nathan Quarry on November 19, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 56)
  • def. David Loiseau on March 4, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 58)
5 Brazil Anderson Silva October 14, 2006
(UFC 64)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Nate Marquardt on July 7, 2007 in Sacramento, California, US (UFC 73)
  • def. Rich Franklin on October 20, 2007 in Cincinnati, Ohio, US (UFC 77)
  • def. Dan Henderson on March 1, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio, US (UFC 82)
  • def. Patrick Côté on October 25, 2008 in Rosemont, Illinois, US (UFC 90)
  • def. Thales Leites on April 18, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, (UFC 97)
  • def. Demian Maia on April 10, 2010 in Abu Dhabi, UAE (UFC 112)
  • def. Chael Sonnen on August 7, 2010 in Oakland, California (UFC 117)

Welterweight Championship

156 to 170 lbs (70 to 77 kg)
The Welterweight title was known as the Lightweight title prior to UFC 31 (May 4, 2001).
No. Name Date Location Defenses
1 United States Pat Miletich
(def. Mikey Burnett)		 October 16, 1998
(UFC Brazil)		 São Paulo, Brazil
  • def. Jorge Patino on January 8, 1999 in New Orleans, Louisiana, US (UFC 18)
  • def. Andre Pederneiras on July 16, 1999 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US (UFC 21)
  • def. John Alessio on June 9, 2000 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, US (UFC 26)
  • def. Kenichi Yamamoto on December 16, 2000 in Tokyo, Japan (UFC 29)
2 Canada Carlos Newton May 4, 2001
(UFC 31)		 Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
3 United States Matt Hughes November 2, 2001
(UFC 34)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Hayato Sakurai on March 22, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 36)
  • def. Carlos Newton on July 13, 2002 in London, England (UFC 38)
  • def. Gil Castillo on November 22, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 40)
  • def. Sean Sherk on April 25, 2003 in Miami, Florida, US (UFC 42)
  • def. Frank Trigg on November 21, 2003 in Uncasville, Connecticut, US (UFC 45)
4 United States B.J. Penn January 31, 2004
(UFC 46)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Penn was stripped of the title on May 17, 2004 after signing with K-1.[10]
5 United States Matt Hughes (2)
(def. Georges St. Pierre)		 October 22, 2004
(UFC 50)		 Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
  • def. Frank Trigg on April 16, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 52)
  • def. B.J. Penn on September 23, 2006 in Anaheim, California, US (UFC 63)
6 Canada Georges St. Pierre November 18, 2006
(UFC 65)		 Sacramento, California, US
7 United States Matt Serra April 7, 2007
(UFC 69)		 Houston, Texas, US
Canada Georges St. Pierre
(def. Matt Hughes for interim title)		 December 29, 2007
(UFC 79)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US  
8 Canada Georges St. Pierre (2)
(def. Matt Serra for undisputed title)		 April 19, 2008
(UFC 83)		 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • def. Jon Fitch on August 9, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US (UFC 87)
  • def. B.J. Penn on January 31, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 94)
  • def. Thiago Alves on July 11, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 100)
  • def. Dan Hardy on March 27, 2010 in Newark, New Jersey, US (UFC 111)

Lightweight Championship

146 to 155 lbs (66 to 70 kg)
The Lightweight title was known as the Bantamweight title prior to UFC 31 (May 4, 2001).
No. Name Date Location Defenses
1 United States Jens Pulver
(def. Caol Uno)		 February 23, 2001
(UFC 30)		 Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
  • def. Dennis Hallman on September 28, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 33)
  • def. B.J. Penn on January 11, 2002 in Uncasville, Connecticut, US (UFC 35)
Pulver was stripped of the title and left the UFC in March 2002 due to a contract dispute.[1]
B.J. Penn and Caol Uno fought to a draw on February 28, 2003 in Atlantic City, NJ (UFC 41) in the finals of a 4-man tournament for the vacant Lightweight championship.[1]
2 United States Sean Sherk
(def. Kenny Florian)		 October 14, 2006
(UFC 64)		 Las Vegas, Nevada, US
  • def. Hermes Franca on July 7, 2007 in Sacramento, California, US (UFC 73)
Sherk was stripped of the title December 8, 2007 after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test.[11]
3 United States B. J. Penn
(def. Joe Stevenson)		 January 19, 2008
(UFC 80)		 Newcastle upon Tyne, England
  • def. Sean Sherk on May 24, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US (UFC 84)
  • def. Kenny Florian on August 8, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US (UFC 101)
  • def. Diego Sanchez on December 12, 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee, US (UFC 107)
4 United States Frankie Edgar April 10, 2010
(UFC 112)		 Abu Dhabi, UAE

Superfight Championship

Openweight fights featuring previous tournament fighters.
No. Name Date Location Defenses
Ken Shamrock drew with Royce Gracie on April 7, 1995 in Charlotte, NC (UFC 5) in a title fight for the vacant superfight championship.[1]
1 United States Ken Shamrock
(def. Dan Severn)		 July 14, 1995
(UFC 6)		 Casper, Wyoming, US
  • drew with Oleg Taktarov on September 8, 1995 in Buffalo, New York, US (UFC 7)
  • def. Kimo Leopoldo on February 16, 1996 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, US (UFC 8)
2 United States Dan Severn May 17, 1996
(UFC 9)		 Detroit, Michigan, US
The Superfight championship was unified with Mark Coleman's Heavyweight championship on February 7, 1997 in Dothan, AL (UFC 12) when Coleman defeated Severn.

UFC Tournaments

Event Weight class Winner Runner-up Date
UFC 1 None Brazil Royce Gracie Netherlands Gerard Gordeau November 12, 1993
UFC 2 None Brazil Royce Gracie United States Patrick Smith March 11, 1994
UFC 3 None United States Steve Jennum Canada Harold Howard September 9, 1994
UFC 4 None Brazil Royce Gracie United States Dan Severn December 16, 1994
UFC 5 None United States Dan Severn Canada Dave Beneteau February 16, 1995
UFC 6 None Russia Oleg Taktarov United States David Abbott July 14, 1995
UFC 7 None Brazil Marco Ruas United States Paul Varelans September 8, 1995
The Ultimate Ultimate None United States Dan Severn Russia Oleg Taktarov December 16, 1995
UFC 8 None United States Don Frye Canada Gary Goodridge February 16, 1996
UFC 10 None United States Mark Coleman United States Don Frye July 12, 1996
UFC 11 None United States Mark Coleman United States Scott Ferrozzo September 20, 1996
The Ultimate Ultimate 2 None United States Don Frye United States David Abbott December 7, 1996
UFC 12 Heavyweight Brazil Vitor Belfort United States Scott Ferrozzo February 7, 1997
Lightweight United States Jerry Bohlander United States Nick Sanzo
UFC 13 Heavyweight United States Randy Couture United States Steven Graham May 30, 1997
Lightweight United States Guy Mezger United States Tito Ortiz
UFC 14 Heavyweight United States Mark Kerr United States Dan Bobish July 27, 1997
Middleweight United States Kevin Jackson United States Tony Fryklund
UFC 15 Heavyweight United States Mark Kerr United States Dwayne Cason October 17, 1997
Ultimate Japan Heavyweight Japan Kazushi Sakuraba Brazil Marcus Silveira December 21, 1997
UFC 16 Lightweight United States Pat Miletich United States Chris Brennan March 13, 1998
UFC 17 Middleweight United States Dan Henderson Canada Carlos Newton May 15, 1998
Ultimate Japan 2 Middleweight Japan Kenichi Yamamoto Japan Katsuhisa Fujii November 14, 1999
UFC 39
UFC 41		 Lightweight B.J. Penn drew with Caol Uno in the final match of the 4-man lightweight tournament. February 28, 2003

The Ultimate Fighter

Event Weight class Winner Runner-up Date
The Ultimate Fighter 1 Light Heavyweight United States Forrest Griffin United States Stephan Bonnar April 9, 2005
Middleweight United States Diego Sanchez United States Kenny Florian
The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight United States Rashad Evans United States Brad Imes November 5, 2005
Welterweight United States Joe Stevenson United States Luke Cummo
The Ultimate Fighter 3 Middleweight United States Kendall Grove United States Ed Herman June 24, 2006
Light Heavyweight United Kingdom Michael Bisping United States Josh Haynes
The Ultimate Fighter 4 Middleweight United States Travis Lutter Canada Patrick Côté November 11, 2006
Welterweight United States Matt Serra United States Chris Lytle
The Ultimate Fighter 5 Lightweight United States Nate Diaz Armenia Manvel Gamburyan June 23, 2007
The Ultimate Fighter 6 Welterweight United States Mac Danzig United States Tommy Speer December 8, 2007
The Ultimate Fighter 7 Middleweight United States Amir Sadollah United States C.B. Dollaway June 21, 2008
The Ultimate Fighter 8 Light Heavyweight United States Ryan Bader Brazil Vinicius Magalhães December 13, 2008
Lightweight Mexico Efrain Escudero United States Phillipe Nover
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Lightweight United Kingdom Ross Pearson United Kingdom Andre Winner June 20, 2009
Welterweight United Kingdom James Wilks United States DaMarques Johnson
The Ultimate Fighter 10 Heavyweight United States Roy Nelson United States Brendan Schaub December 5, 2009
The Ultimate Fighter 11 Middleweight United States Court McGee United States Kris McCray June 19, 2010
The Ultimate Fighter 12 Lightweight December 4, 2010

By nationality

The following include championship title holders, or UFC tournament and Ultimate Fighter tournament winners.

Country Titles
 United States 62
 Brazil 10
 Canada 3
 United Kingdom 3
 Japan 2
 Belarus 1
 Mexico 1
 Netherlands 1
 Russia 1

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "UFC Championship Lineage". The Orange County Register. July 2, 2007. http://www.ocregister.com/sports/ufc-def-title-1751549-round-heavyweight. Retrieved September 14, 2007. 
  2. ↑ Plotz, David (November 7, 1999). "Fight Clubbed". Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/46344. Retrieved March 21, 2007. 
  3. ↑ Gentry III, Clyde (2003). No Holds Barred: Ultimate Fighting and the Martial Arts Revolution (Paperback Edition ed.). Milo Books. pp. 106, 123. ISBN ISBN 0-903854-90-X. 
  4. ↑ "Mixed Martial Arts Unified Rules of Conduct". New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. 2000. http://www.state.nj.us/lps/sacb/docs/martial.html. Retrieved September 8, 2007. 
  5. ↑ Trembow, Ivan (2000). "New Jersey Commission Corrects Mainstream UFC Stories" (Reprint). MMAWeekly.com. http://www.ivansblog.com/2006/07/mixed-martial-arts-new-jersey.html. Retrieved September 8, 2007. 
  6. ↑ Rutten, Bas. "Bas Rutten Biography". http://basrutten.tv/biography.html. Retrieved September 12, 2007. 
  7. ↑ Iole, Kevin (August 14, 2004). "UFC fighter flunks drug test". Reviewjournal.com: the Las Vegas Review-Journal website. http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Aug-14-Sat-2004/sports/24534514.html. Retrieved September 12, 2007. 
  8. ↑ Fitzgerald, Tom (November 26, 2006). "Fighting outside the box". SFgate.com: the San Francisco Chronicle website. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/26/SPG19MJT8O1.DTL. Retrieved September 12, 2007. 
  9. ↑ "UFC Strips Mir of Heavyweight Belt, Arlovski New Champion". Sherdog.com. August 13, 2005. http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=3249. Retrieved September 12, 2007. 
  10. ↑ "B.J. Penn Stripped of Title". MMARingReport.com. May 17, 2004. http://www.mmaringreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=476&Itemid=37. Retrieved December 9, 2007. 
  11. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (December 9, 2007). "Sherk stripped of lightweight title". Yahoo! Sports. http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/mma_experts/post/Sherk-stripped-of-lightweight-title?urn=mma,56811. Retrieved December 10, 2007. 

External links