Conor McGregor, Charles Oliveira and more: 5 most disrespected champions in UFC history
Throughout UFC history, champions have represented the peak of achievement in the promotion. Capturing gold is the goal of nearly every fighter who signs on to compete under the promotion's banner. Those who manage to carve their own path en route to divisional supremacy are often highly regarded by fans and fighters alike.
Former middleweight champion Anderson Silva is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time due to the inimitable circumstances of his 16-fight win streak. The Brazilian was a human highlight reel, responsible for gems like his front-kick knockout win over former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.
However, not every champion has been afforded the same respect and reverence that 'The Spider' was given. Tyron Woodley is a popular example of a widely disliked champion, in large part due to his conduct outside the cage, which ultimately infuriated fans enough to turn them against him.
While champions can and have been celebrated, some are rejected and even scorned, whether its due to the manner in which they captured their titles or some other reason.
With that in mind, this list takes a look at five of the most disrespected UFC champions in the promotion's history.
#5. Charles Oliveira - Former UFC lightweight champion
Charles Oliveira is a former UFC lightweight champion. However, he is a rarity in that he didn't lose his title to any opponent in particular. Instead, a weigh-in mishap prior to his bout against Justin Gaethje this past May left the promotion with no choice but to strip 'Do Bronx' of the championship belt.
The Brazilian is scheduled to face Islam Makhachev in two weeks for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 280. During the buildup to the matchup, Charles Oliveira has had to endure the same slew of disrespect he's faced from every foe since capturing his title.
After the Brazilian claimed championship gold from Michael Chandler, he crossed swords with Dustin Poirier. Ahead of the bout, fans and fighters alike dismissed the Brazilian's chances by regarding 'The Diamond' as the uncrowned 155-pound champion. Poirier himself somewhat echoed those same sentiments.
However, even after 'Do Bronx' defeated him, he was treated similarly by future opponent Justin Gaethje, who repeatedly claimed that Charles Oliveira was a quitter.
'Once a coward, always a coward': Justin Gaethje takes shot at Charles Oliveira | themaclife.com/sports/mma/onc… https://t.co/rLbIvQyegM
Like he did against 'The Diamond', the Brazilian emerged victorious. Yet his doubters remained as strong as ever.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev's close friend and training partner, has promised everyone a dominant victory for his teammate, even claiming that his fellow countryman will ride Charles Oliveira like a horse.
Check out: List of current UFC Champions
#4. Conor McGregor - Former UFC lightweight & featherweight champion
No MMA star has ever been as big as Conor McGregor. The Irishman reached stratospheric heights in his meteoric rise to superstardom. It was a legendary journey that saw him earn the fastest knockout in the promotion's championship history en route to ending José Aldo's unbeaten run as the promotion's featherweight kingpin.
Despite his accomplishments in the sport, which include capturing featherweight and lightweight titles to become the first simultaneous two-division champion under the UFC banner, Conor McGregor is the recipient of constant disrespect.
The Irishman's legacy is often questioned, with many claiming that his 13-second knockout over José Aldo was simple luck.
Others undercut the strength of his legacy by pointing out that 'The Notorious' has never defended any of his titles. Furthermore, both fans and fighters often suggest that he is protected by Dana White and his colleagues and hasn't endured a true champion's journey.
When the Irishman challenged Eddie Alvarez for lightweight supremacy, 'The Underground King' scoffed at any threat he posed and even went as far as to describe 'The Notorious' as the easiest matchup in the division.
#3. Aljamain Sterling - UFC bantamweight champion
Aljamain Sterling is the most blatantly disrespected champion in recent UFC history. The NCAA Division II standout is the only champion under the promotion's banner to have ever won a title via disqualification.
At UFC 259, 'Funk Master' crossed swords with divisional rival Petr Yan. While Sterling fought valiantly, he ultimately exhausted himself with a high-octane, kick-heavy offense that his cardio was ill-equipped to sustain.
As the fight transpired, Yan outstruck him and even outwrestled him. Unfortunately, 'No Mercy' committed a grave mistake in the closing stages of the fourth round by illegally kneeing Sterling's head while he was grounded.
After a few minutes, 'Funk Master' was declared unable to compete and captured the bantamweight title via DQ. Many, however, were skeptical and questioned the severity of the blow. Accusations of pretending to be more hurt than he was became rampant, with a large portion of the MMA fanbase describing him as a fake champion.
The disrespect was heightened after the 135-pound kingpin opted for neck surgery instead of granting 'No Mercy' an immediate rematch. Fans and even Petr Yan himself accused Aljamain Sterling of ducking him.
During the buildup to their rematch at UFC 273, 'Funk Master' was on the receiving end of defeaning boos from American fans, who opted to support a Russian instead of another American.
#2. Matt Serra - Former UFC welterweight champion
It's curious that Matt Serra enjoys a fundamental connection to Aljamain Sterling, another champion who is widely disrespected.
The former welterweight champion is one of the bantamweight titleholder's coaches. However, the disrespect that he faced was different from the vitriol that 'Funk Master' is often subjected to.
Matt Serra is most well-known for being the driving force behind one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. At UFC 69, 'The Terror' faced all-time great mixed martial artist Georges St-Pierre for the 170-pound title. The New Yorker shocked the world by TKOing his Canadian foe when the odds were stacked against him.
GSP recalls his title fight loss to Matt Serra and the lesson he learned 🗣
(via @michaeleaves) https://t.co/4gPp2iMxKu
Unfortunately, 'The Terror' failed spectacularly in his first title defense against 'GSP'. Within two rounds, he was stopped and surrendered the title in a manner that led everyone to essentially dub him the Buster Douglas of the UFC. Matt Serra's entire legacy became that of an unlikely title winner, and a fluke.
He became the poster child for the championship flukes and for those who failed to defend their titles the first chance they got. Some fans on the internet even described Julianna Peña as the "female Matt Serra" to signal her perceived inferiority to Amanda Nunes.
#1. Nicco Montaño - Former UFC women's flyweight champion
No former champion has been more disrespected throughout the promotion's history than Nicco Montaño. Before the stretch of dominance that Valentina Shevchenko is enjoying, the Arizonan was the inaugural women's flyweight champion. However, very few people remember that. This is because no one ever mentions it.
The promotion makes no mention of Montaño and most casual fans assume that the 125-pound women's division in the promotion began with 'Bullet'. After capturing championship gold, Montaño was scheduled to face Shevchenko but was forced to withdraw from the bout due to health-related complications from a poor weight cut.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, she was stripped of her title, with many questioning her professionalism. The criticism only worsened after a positive PED test that earned her a six-month suspension from the sport. Upon her return, she faced Julianna Peña at bantamweight in a losing effort.
Despite the promotion trying to schedule 4 more fights for her afterwards, none of them took place due to recurring weight-cutting issues (at bantamweight for a former flyweight) and other undisclosed troubles. Questions about Montaño's professionalism intensified.
Nicco Montano's UFC career. https://t.co/udOaYs9BaG
Not only was she completely forgotten as a former champion, she was even dismissed as not being a UFC-caliber fighter, which eventually culminated in her release from the promotion.