5 legendary UFC title reigns that started with a vacant title win
This weekend, Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz will face off for the vacant UFC light-heavyweight title. The winner will almost certainly be vying for a legendary reign as champion.
Over the years in the UFC, legendary title reigns that started with the champion capturing a vacant title have been few and far between, but a few examples do come to mind.
Naturally, it’s always a little harder for a fighter to establish themselves as the new titleholder if they haven’t defeated the previous champion. However, these five stars managed to do it in style.
Here are five legendary UFC title reigns that started with a vacant title win.
#5. Matt Hughes – UFC welterweight title (2004)
Matt Hughes is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished champions in UFC history. He held the welterweight title on two occasions, and produced a total of seven successful defenses.
While five of those seven defenses came during his first reign as champion (which began when he defeated Carlos Newton), it’s arguable that his second reign was more memorable.
That reign began with Hughes claiming the title in a clash with a young Georges St-Pierre after BJ Penn – who had dethroned him nine months beforehand – vacated to move to K-1.
Six months later, Hughes defended his crown in one of the greatest fights of all time, coming back from a horrendous position to choke out Frank Trigg in the first round. The fight is still cited by Dana White as one of his favorites.
While Hughes only defended his title successfully once more, avenging his loss to Penn, he did defeat two more opponents. His win over Joe Riggs should’ve been a successful defense had ‘Diesel’ made weight. His victory over Royce Gracie essentially turned him into a legend in his own right.
Matt Hughes beats the legend Royce Gracie by first round TKO! (UFC 60) @matthughes9x http://t.co/NQJsL4fPBh
Put simply, while Hughes produced more title defenses in his first reign, his second really saw him become a major star. It should be considered one of the few legendary reigns to begin with a vacant title win.
#4. BJ Penn – UFC lightweight title (2008)
Still remembered as one of the greatest lightweights in UFC history, BJ Penn fell short in his first attempt to claim 155lbs gold when he lost a decision to then-champion Jens Pulver in 2002.
When he returned to the lightweight division in 2007, ‘The Prodigy’ instantly set his sights on champion Sean Sherk. Before a fight between the two could be made, though, disaster struck.
Sherk tested positive for a banned substance, and so the title was vacated. That didn’t stop Penn from claiming it, as he destroyed Joe Stevenson to become the new champion in early 2008.
From there, the Hawaiian went onto produce probably the most successful reign in the division’s history until the arrival of Khabib Nurmagomedov. He ended his feud with Sherk by stopping him with strikes, and then defeated Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez, too.
"Sean Sherk — you're dead!!!" twitter.com/MMA_Rewind/sta…
Could Penn have done more had he not been distracted somewhat by a failed attempt to become welterweight champion? Perhaps, but the fact is that he remains a hugely accomplished champion. His reign – which started with him winning a vacant title – should be considered legendary.
#3. Valentina Shevchenko – UFC flyweight title (2018)
When the UFC introduced the women’s flyweight division in 2017 and crowned the inaugural champion via The Ultimate Fighter, it always felt like the reign of winner Nicco Montano would be a brief one.
That was because it was well-known by the end of the year that Valentina Shevchenko (who had come inches away from claiming the bantamweight title earlier that year) was looking to drop down immediately.
Sure enough, ‘The Bullet’ moved to 125lbs in early 2018 and easily defeated Priscila Cachoeira in her divisional debut. Unfortunately, when it came to making a fight between Shevchenko and Montano, things proved to be trickier than anyone could’ve imagined.
Montano simply couldn’t make the 125lbs flyweight limit for the bout, and was promptly stripped of her title. Shevchenko had to wait an extra three months. Eventually, she fought Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the vacant title, and Shevchenko came out on top.
Four years down the line, ‘The Bullet’ still holds the title. In that period of time she’s made a total of seven successful defenses. Only Taila Santos – who took her to split decision – even came close to testing her.
🗣 AND STILL!!!
@BulletValentina survives the biggest test of her reign to retain the belt! #UFC275 https://t.co/snxJR1dAG1
It’s safe to say that her reign as champion has been the very definition of legendary – and few would bet against her going onto beating Demetrious Johnson’s record of eleven title defenses.
#2. Tito Ortiz – UFC light-heavyweight title (2000)
There have been a numerous examples in UFC history of a fighter coming close to dethroning a legendary champion, only to fall slightly short. On a couple of occasions, the champion has then vacated the title, and their once-challenger has been able to claim the title in their stead.
One such example of this was Tito Ortiz, who claimed the light-heavyweight title vacated by Frank Shamrock. The two rivals had gone to war in an instant classic in 1999. Despite winning the early rounds, Ortiz eventually succumbed to his more experienced foe in the fourth.
Frank Shamrock (c) vs. Tito Ortiz
Sep 24, 1999 twitter.com/streetfitebnch…
After the fight, though, Shamrock decided to hang up his gloves. That left the title vacant, and unsurprisingly, ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ was the fighter who claimed it. He defeated fellow legend Wanderlei Silva in early 2000.
Remarkably, Ortiz actually surpassed Shamrock’s accomplishments as champion. 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' delivered five successful title defenses to his predecessor’s four – setting a UFC record in the process.
When you also add in the fact that he was considered the promotion’s poster-boy and biggest star at the time, it’s safe to say that his reign became truly legendary. This in spite of actually defeating the champion for the title.
#1. Khabib Nurmagomedov – UFC lightweight title (2018)
It’s easy to forget that Khabib Nurmagomedov’s title reign hardly began in the most ideal circumstances. Especially given that he walked away from the UFC in late 2020 with an unbeaten record of 29-0 and a legendary reign as lightweight champion under his belt
Not only did he have to claim a title vacated by Conor McGregor under semi-controversial circumstances, but he didn’t even beat a fellow top contender for it.
Initially pegged to face Tony Ferguson for the gold, ‘El Cucuy’ blew out his knee. Khabib was forced instead to beat Al Iaquinta – who wasn’t ranked in the top five – to become a champion instead.
Thankfully, ‘The Eagle’ then embarked on a reign as champion that was nothing short of legendary, etching his name in UFC history in the process.
Firstly, he defeated McGregor comprehensively upon the Irishman’s return to action, proving once and for all who the real champion in the division was. From there, while he did spent lengthy periods on the shelf, he also defeated two of the toughest possible contenders in Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje before stepping away from competition with his gaudy record intact.
An emotional Khabib has announced his retirement from UFC at 29-0, saying he can't continue to fight without his father who died in July. What a legacy he leaves behind 👑
(via @espnmma) https://t.co/udat3PrDcg
While there’s an argument that he walked away too soon, nobody can argue against his legendary status – and the winner of Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev could do worse than follow his example after this weekend.