Ranking the best UFC interim champions over the years
UFC interim champions are often overlooked, but the distinction has often been used to crown either future undisputed titleholders who go on to unify the titles or, at the very least, one of the best fighters in a particular division. However, this isn't the case with every interim champion.
Colby Covington, for example, is a former interim welterweight champion, yet has one of the most questionable records of anyone who is regarded as an elite top-five fighter. Others, however, immortalize themselves with repeated displays showcasing them as being a step above the rest.
Some have since tumbled down the rankings and are no longer the fighters they once were. Many remain at the top of their respective divisions, still hunting for undisputed gold.
#5. Dustin Poirier, former UFC interim lightweight champion
There is no lightweight fighter more synonymous with the status of 'perennial top contender' than Dustin Porieir. Back in 2016, 'The Diamond' embarked on a thrilling unbeaten streak, consisting of five wins and one no-contest. Along the way, Poirier defeated four former and future champions.
Among his conquered foes was Max Holloway, who beat for the UFC interim lightweight championship. After an action-packed war, Poirier had his hand raised in victory, crowning him the interim lightweight champion. Unfortunately, he failed to dethrone Khabib Nurmagomedov for the undisputed title.
Nevertheless, Poirier rebounded in impressive fashion, mounting yet another win streak. While losses came and went, 'The Diamond' has remained a staple at 155 pounds, still knocking out high-potential up-and-comers.
#4. Robert Whittaker, former UFC interim middleweight champion
After abandoning the UFC welterweight division, Robert Whittaker carved a new path for himself at middleweight. The Australian phenom authored a lengthy win streak of seven consecutive bouts, before facing Yoel Romero for the interim middleweight title in a battle for divisional pseudo-supremacy.
After 25 minutes of the evening's most entertaining fight, Whittaker captured the interim middleweight title, before being promoted to undisputed champion after Georges St-Pierre vacated the title. In what was initially 'The Reaper's' first title defense, he took on Romero in a rematch.
Unfortunately, it was relegated to a non-title bout after 'The Soldier of God' failed to make weight. Nevertheless, their rematch was another competitive slugfest, with Whittaker escaping with a razor-thin win. That, however, was the end of his reign, as he subsequently lost his undisputed crown to a rising Israel Adesanya.
#3. Conor McGregor, former UFC interim featherweight champion
Today, Conor McGregor is often dismissed as an over-the-hill fighter by fans, but in 2013, he was authoring one of the greatest runs in UFC featherweight history. His arrival against Marcus Brimage was emphatic, and before long, the Irishman was on a win streak, complete with knockouts and swaggering trash talk.
By 2015, he had five straight wins in his pocket, and took on two-time title challenger Chad Mendes for the division's interim strap. Despite a compromised knee, McGregor rallied after a poor first round to score a second-round TKO in the round's dying seconds, flattening Mendes against the fence.
He was crowned interim champion, and he went on to top by knocking out the legendary José Aldo in just 13 seconds to capture undisputed featherweight gold, the fastest-ever knockout in UFC championship history. Alas, he never defended his title and was eventually stripped.
#2. Max Holloway, former UFC interim featherweight champion
After a young Max Holloway was handed a humbling unanimous decision loss by Conor McGregor, he underwent a metamorphosis and spent the next five years completely undefeated. No one could touch him at featherweight, as he racked up win after win until he had nine straight to his name.
Holloway was undeniable and became the most notable Hawaiian MMA representative since B.J. Penn. For that, he earned an interim featherweight title fight against former lightweight kingpin Anthony Pettis, who missed weight for the contest, rendering him ineligible to win the strap.
Holloway handed him a lopsided beating, culminating a third-round TKO to capture interim gold. Afterward, he unified the titles in a three-round domination over José Aldo to become the undisputed featherweight champion. And for the next two years, he defended his title thrice. The best was indeed 'Blessed.'
#1. Israel Adesanya, former UFC interim middleweight champion
It is easy to forget that Israel Adesanya was once a UFC interim champion, given how synonymous he has become with the real thing at middleweight. Adesanya entered the UFC as a former kickboxing sensation determined to claim something that had escaped him in his prior sport: a world title.
Undefeated, 'The Last Stylebender' extended his perfect record with flashy performances, facing future contenders and even legends like Anderson Silva along the way. After conquering 'The Spider,' Adesanya put his 16-0 record on the line in an interim middleweight title fight against Kelvin Gastelum.
The two had a war for the ages, which Adesanya won through grit and heart. He followed up his interim title win by flattening then undisputed 185-pound champion Robert Whittaker with a second-round knockout before racking up five consecutive title defenses until someone finally beat him at middleweight.