5 UFC champions who won their titles in controversial circumstances
For any MMA fighter, winning a title in the UFC’s octagon tends to represent the pinnacle of their career. Any fighter claiming gold in the promotion almost instantly becomes a legend.
While most UFC champions win their titles in impressive fashion, many fighters over the years have claimed octagon gold in controversial circumstances.
Not the way I ever want to win a fight. It was close, competitive and filled with action. I felt the knee was intentional, especially after the ref announced I was a downed opponent, so I didn’t expect to be hit.
Yan is a bad dude! WE WILL DO IT AGAIN!
#UFC259
Do the circumstances mean these champions should be looked down upon? In many ways, it’s debatable, but at the end of the day, the record books are what matters – and the record books show their names as champions.
On that note, here are five UFC champions who won their titles in controversial circumstances:
#5. Vitor Belfort – UFC light heavyweight title (2004)
Vitor Belfort is undoubtedly a true legend of the octagon. ‘The Phenom’ debuted in the octagon way back in the sport’s early years, winning the heavyweight tournament at UFC 12 in 1997. His multiple runs with the promotion dated from that point all the way through to 2018.
Belfort is recognised as a former light heavyweight champion. However, it's fair to say that his title win came in hugely controversial circumstances, in what turned out to be one of the most disappointing headline bouts in promotion history.
He faced Randy Couture for the light heavyweight title owned by ‘The Natural’ in the first show of 2004. Despite Belfort's dangerous skills, most fans rooted for the champ to retain the gold. After all, Couture had thoroughly dominated ‘The Phenom’ en route to a TKO victory in 1997, handing the Brazilian his first defeat in MMA in the process.
However, the rematch did not go the way anyone would have expected. In the first exchange of the fight, Belfort missed with a left hook, but the stitching of his glove caught Couture’s left eye, leaving the champion wincing.
As the two men clinched up, it was immediately clear Couture’s eye was a mess, and in fact, his eyelid was practically hanging off. The referee immediately called time. When the doctor ruled that ‘The Natural’ couldn’t continue, Belfort was declared the new champion.
Jan31.2004
Vitor Belfort def. Randy Couture by TKO,
to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion https://t.co/LIAVOg805a
The right decision had been made, but that didn’t stop fans from believing that the Brazilian won his title on a technicality. That perception only became stronger when Couture easily destroyed him in a rematch to reclaim his crown.
Nearly two decades on, Belfort’s title win remains one of the most controversial in MMA history, even if no other call could’ve logically been made on that night.