UFC heavyweight title historical past: Cormier, Miocic, Aspinall, others

Mark Coleman

Date: Feb. 7, 1997Event: UFC 12Opponent: Dan SevernTotal reign: 170 daysTitle defenses: None

Maurice Smith, UFC 19

Date: July 27, 1997Event: UFC 14Opponent: Mark ColemanTotal reign: 147 daysTitle defenses: Tank Abbott

Randy Couture, UFC 15

Date: Dec. 21, 1997Event: UFC JapanOpponent: Maurice SmithTotal reign: N/ATitle defenses: NoneNotes: Couture was stripped of the title in January 1998 and left the promotion in a contract dispute.

Bas Rutten

Date: Might 7, 1999Event: UFC 20Opponent: Kevin RandlemanTotal reign: 34 daysTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Rutten received the title left vacant by Randy Couture. However he rapidly vacated the belt when he dropped to mild heavyweight, then retired.

Date: Nov. 19, 1999Event: UFC 23Opponent: Pete WilliamsTotal reign: 364 daysTitle defenses: Pedro Rizzo

Randy Couture

Date: Nov. 17, 2000Event: UFC 28Opponent: Kevin RandlemanTotal reign: 490 daysTitle defenses: Pedro Rizzo (twice)Notes: Couture returned to the promotion after a contract dispute and recaptured the title he held three years prior. He additionally went into the historical past books because the UFC’s first repeat heavyweight champion.

Josh Barnett

Date: March 22, 2002Event: UFC 36Opponent: Randy CoutureTotal reign: 126 daysTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Barnett was stripped of the title in July 2002 after he examined constructive for steroids.

Date: Sept. 27, 2002Event: UFC 39Opponent: Randy CoutureTotal reign: 154 daysTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Rodriguez received the belt vacated by Josh Barnett when he was stripped for a constructive steroid take a look at.

Date: Feb. 28, 2003Event: UFC 41Opponent: Ricco RodriguezTotal reign: 229 daysTitle defenses: Gan McGeeNotes: Sylvia was stripped of the title in October 2003 after he examined constructive for steroids.

Frank Mir

Date: June 19, 2004Event: UFC 48Opponent: Tim SylviaTotal reign: 419 daysTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Mir’s title win is known as a result of he broke Sylvia’s arm. However Mir was in a motorbike accident post-title and was on the shelf lengthy sufficient to have his belt stripped in August 2005.

Andrei Arlovski

Date: Feb. 5, 2005Event: UFC 51Opponent: Tim SylviaTotal reign: 246 daysTitle defenses: Justin Eilers, Paul BuentelloNotes: Arlovski beat Sylvia, who beforehand was stripped for steroids, for an interim belt whereas Frank Mir was out with accidents from a motorbike crash. After one protection as interim champ, Arlovski was promoted to undisputed titleholder.

Tim Sylvia

Date: April 15, 2006Event: UFC 59Opponent: Andrei ArlovskiTotal reign: 322 daysTitle defenses: Andrei Arlovski, Jeff MonsonNotes: Sylvia received the title for a second time when he beat Arlovski in a rematch. He beat him once more three months later to run his file to 2-1 of their trilogy.

Date: March 3, 2007Event: UFC 68Opponent: Tim SylviaTotal reign: 623 daysTitle defenses: Gabriel GonzagaNotes: In one of the crucial dramatic moments in UFC historical past, Couture began his third reign as champion and have become the primary fighter in UFC historical past to win titles in two weight lessons.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Date: Feb. 2, 2008Event: UFC 81Opponent: Tim SylviaTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Nogueira received an interim belt whereas Randy Couture was in a contract dispute with the UFC.

Dec 30, 2011; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Brock Lesnar after being defeated by Alistair Overeem (not pictured) throughout a heavyweight bout at UFC 141 on the MGM Grand Backyard occasion middle. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: Nov. 15, 2008Event: UFC 91Opponent: Randy CoutureTotal reign: 707 daysTitle defenses: Frank Mir, Shane CarwinNotes: Lesnar on the time grew to become the quicker fighter to a UFC title.

Date: Dec. 27, 2008Event: UFC 92Opponent: Antonio Rodrigo NogueiraTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Mir grew to become interim champ by beating an interim champ. Then he misplaced a unification combat to Brock Lesmar.

Shane Carwin

Date: March 27, 2010Event: UFC 111Opponent: Frank MirTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Carwin grew to become interim champ by beating an interim champ. Then he misplaced a unification combat to Brock Lesmar.

Dec 29, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Cain Velasquez throughout UFC 155 on the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: Oct. 13, 2010Event: UFC 121Opponent: Brock LesnarTotal reign: 385 daysTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Velasquez misplaced the belt in his first tried protection.

Mar 9, 2019; Wichita, KS, USA; Junior Dos Santos (blue gloves) defeats Derrick Lewis (purple gloves) throughout UFC Battle Evening at InTrust Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Kelly Ross-USA TODAY Sports activities Photographs

Date: Nov. 12, 2011Event: UFC on FOX 1Opponent: Cain VelasquezTotal reign: 413 daysTitle defenses: Frank MirNotes: JDS wanted simply 64 seconds to upset Velasquez to win the title.

Might 26, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Cain Velasquez throughout his combat towards Antonio Silva (not pictured) on the MGM Grand Backyard occasion middle. Necessary Credit score: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: Dec. 29, 2012Event: UFC 155Opponent: Junior Dos SantosTotal reign: 896 daysTitle defenses: Antonio Silva, Junior Dos SantosNotes: Velasquez grew to become a two-time champion and avenged his earlier loss to JDS.

Fabricio Werdum

Date: Nov. 15, 2014Event: UFC 180Opponent: Mark Hunt, Cain VelasquezTotal reign: 336 daysTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Werdum beat Hunt for an interim title whereas Velasquez was sidelined, then beat Velasquez to unify the belts at UFC 188.

Stipe Miocic

Date: Might 14, 2016Event: UFC 198Opponent: Fabricio WerdumTotal reign: 784 daysTitle defenses: Alistair Overeem, Junior Dos Santos, Francis NgannouNotes: Considered the best heavyweight of all time by advantage of extra successive UFC title defenses than anybody else.

Jul 7, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Daniel Cormier (blue gloves) celebrates beating Stipe Miocic (purple gloves) throughout UFC 226 at T-Cellular Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports activities

Date: July 7, 2018Event: UFC 226Opponent: Stipe MiocicTotal reign: 406 daysTitle defenses: Derrick LewisNotes: Mild heavyweight champ Cormier grew to become the second UFC fighter to carry two titles concurrently.

Stipe Miocic

Date: Aug. 17, 2019Event: UFC 241Opponent: Daniel CormierTotal reign: 588 daysTitle defenses: Daniel CormierNotes: Miocic recaptured the title from Cormier in a rematch, then beat him in a trilogy combat a yr later.

Francis Ngannou

Date: March 27, 2021Event: UFC 260Opponent: Stipe MiocicTotal reign: 659 daysTitle defenses: Ciryl GaneNotes: Ngannou grew to become the primary fighter from Africa to win a UFC heavyweight title. His win over Gane was a title unification bout. He was stripped of the title in January 2023 after a contract dispute.

Ciryl Gane

Date: Aug. 7, 2021Event: UFC 265Opponent: Derrick LewisTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Misplaced to Francis Ngannou in a title unification bout.

Jon Jones

Date: March 4, 2023Event: UFC 285Opponent: Ciryl GaneTotal reign: IncumbentTitle defenses: NoneNotes: Beat Gane for the title vacated when Ngannou left in a contract dispute.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 11: Tom Aspinall of England reacts after his knockout victory towards Sergei Pavlovich of Russia within the interim UFC heavyweight championship combat through the UFC 295 occasion at Madison Sq. Backyard on November 11, 2023 in New York Metropolis. (Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs)

Date: Nov. 11, 2023Event: UFC 295Opponent: Sergei PavlovichTotal reign: IncumbentTitle defenses: Curtis BlaydesNotes: Received an interim title after Jones went on the shelf with surgical procedure. In rarity, defended interim title towards Blaydes.