Jeremy Stephens has spent 6.5 hours inside UFC octagon - fifth highest in the promotion's history
Despite his UFC career coming to a close, Jeremy Stephens holds a number of records. These include ranking in the top five for the most decision wins, knockdowns, and Fight of the Night bonuses.
Stephens is also one of the longest-tenured fighters in UFC history. He has a total of 34 appearances that ranks as the fourth-highest among all fighters. During these outings, Jeremy Stephens spent more than six hours in the octagon.
A Twitter post by Titanium Mac (@daileymma) shows how the 35-year-old compares to other UFC veterans with regard to the total time spent inside the cage.
With news of Jeremy Stephens parting from the UFC, lets take some time to honor the 6 AND A HALF HOURS of service this man spent in the octagon over the years. https://t.co/2maCsdJwRg
As seen in the image, Jeremy Stephens holds the number five spot on the list, having spent nearly 6.5 hours inside the octagon. Leading the list is Stephens' former rival Frankie Edgar, who is not far from crossing eight hours inside the cage.
Stephens made his promotional debut in 2007 at UFC 71. During his time with the UFC, 'Lil Heathen' competed in the organization's featherweight and lightweight divisions. Some of his most notable victories in the octagon came against Josh Emmett, Gilbert Melendez, Renan Barao, Rafael dos Anjos, Cole Miller, and Darren Elkins.
Before his UFC departure, Stephens was on a six-fight winless run, which included a no-contest. However, his defeats came against some of the top talents in the promotion, such as Jose Aldo, Calvin Kattar, Zabit Magomedsharipov, and Yair Rodriguez.
What's next for Jeremy Stephens?
Jeremy Stephens last competed in the UFC in July 2021 against Mateusz Gamrot, suffering an opening-round defeat via submission. This was the final fight on his UFC contract. Stephens did not re-sign with the UFC and is officially a free agent.
The MMA veteran is yet to comment on his departure from the UFC or discuss his plans as a competitor. However, Stephens appears to have plenty of fights left in him. At this point, it seems likely that he will be pursued by both Bellator MMA and Khabib Nurmagomedov-owned Eagle FC.
As of today, there is no confirmation on his signing with any fighting promotion.
Hardcore fight fans may remember Jeremy Stephens as one of the most durable and consistently exciting fighters in the sport. However, others may remember him as the person who was famously mocked by Conor McGregor at the UFC 205 pre-fight press conference.
While Stephens may be largely remembered for falling victim to McGregor's infamous jibe, he was always a ton of fun to watch and unfailingly kept the fans on the edge of their seats.