6 Greatest UFC Champions
The word “champion” evokes images of almost superhuman, practically unbeatable fighters with a shiny belt around their waist a whole division at their feet.
And while some of the UFC’s champions have fallen short of that resemblance with time, managing no title defences once they've reached the summit of their division, there are few fighters who ruled their weight category with an iron fist for prolonged periods of time.
Here, we take a look at the pantheon of UFC champions and see who have been the best in the promotion's history.
#6 Ronda Rousey
Although many will remember Ronda Rousey for the crash and burn nature of her MMA career, we mustn’t forget how dominant “Rowdy” was during her time as the UFC Women’s bantamweight champion.
After convincing UFC boss and good friend, Dana White - the man who once remarked that women would never fight under the organisation’s banner - to change his mind over the matter, Rousey defeated Liz Carmouche to become the first female champion in the promotion’s history.
Once she’d captured the belt, the Olympic medalist used her excellent Judo and patented arm-bar to mow through all comers in the division for two and a half years, notching an impressive six title defences, which remains a UFC record for female fighters.
Her tenure as the 135lbs champion came to a grizzly end following a vicious head-kick from Holly Holm, however, Rousey will forever be remembered as the trailblazer who brought women’s’ MMA to the top table of the sport.