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Since becoming an established weight class, the UFC's light heavyweight division has consistently been among the best in the sport. Many Hall of Famers and legends have competed at 205lbs and have held the light heavyweight championship.
Some of the promotion’s biggest pay-per-view draws have fought at light heavyweight and relied on to headline events. The fighters delivered for the promotion and even benefited through the number of pay-per-view buys generated from their events. The division has consistently had a lot of depth and plenty of big non-title fights, such as Rashad Evans vs. 'Rampage' Jackson.
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There was also an interesting time in the division as Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier were dominant during the 2010s. They set a high standard for what it took to be successful. They were also the most successful light heavyweight champions in the promotion’s history. This list will look at the five longest light heavyweight title reigns in the UFC.
#5. Frank Shamrock – UFC light heavyweight champion (1997 - 2000)
Frank Shamrock’s light heavyweight title reign is one of the most underrated in UFC history. He won the promotion’s inaugural light heavyweight championship on December 21, 1997, and held it for a total of 703 days.
The ‘Lion’s Den’ standout made four successful title defenses during his light heavyweight title reign. Some of his wins included Jeremy Horn and Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz. In fact, his win over Ortiz still holds up today. It was his fourth and final title defense and is regarded by many as one of the promotion’s greatest title fights. Shamrock defeated ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ by fourth-round submission after forcing him to tap due to strikes.
After retaining against Ortiz, Shamrock vacated the title and left the promotion. He would add more gold to his resume as he later won the WEC light heavyweight and Strikeforce middleweight championships.
#4. Chuck Liddell - UFC light heavyweight champion (2005 - 2007)
During his reign as light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell became a household name for the UFC. He defended the title four times during his 770-day reign and had a massive impact on the promotion’s revenue.
Liddell was must-see TV during his prime as the light heavyweight champion. His exciting fighting style and spectacular finishes made him the most popular fighter in the promotion. He defeated Renato Sobral and Tito Ortiz during his impressive reign and avenged losses to Jeremy Horn and Randy Couture.
‘The Iceman’s' rematch with ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ was one of the promotion’s most purchased pay-per-view events at the time. The event generated 929,000 buys and saw him retain by third-round TKO.
His title reign ended on May 26, 2007, when Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson knocked him out. It was a sign of things to come for ‘The Iceman’ as he went 1-4 in his next five bouts.
#3. Tito Ortiz – UFC light heavyweight champion (2000 - 2003)
Tito Ortiz’s reign as UFC light heavyweight champion solidified him as one of the most successful champions in the promotion’s history. He won the vacant light heavyweight championship after defeating Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision at Ultimate Japan 3. The reign lasted 1260 days and is one of the promotion’s longest title reigns.
‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ was a difficult fighter to beat during his prime in the sport. He had a wrestling background and was very durable, which made it tough for an opponent to finish him. Ortiz retained his title on five occasions from 2000 to 2002. His wins included Vladimir Matyushenko, former middleweight champion Evan Tanner, and Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock.
His title reign ended on June 3, 2003, when he lost to two-time heavyweight champion Randy Couture. It was an interesting time in the promotion’s history as Ortiz later reignited his rivalries with Liddell and Shamrock.
#2. Daniel Cormier - UFC light heavyweight champion (2015 - 2018)
Daniel Cormier’s UFC light heavyweight championship reign cemented his legacy as one of the greatest 205-pounders of all time. On May 23rd, 2015, he won the vacant title after then-champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones was stripped due to a hit-and-run incident. His reign lasted 1315 days and saw him achieve an important milestone in his career.
Cormier made three title defenses during his reign as light heavyweight champion. The wins included Alexander Gustafsson in a close split-decision, ‘Rumble’ Johnson via submission, and Volkan Oezdemir by second-round TKO. Initially, Cormier’s reign ended on July 27, 2017, after a knockout loss to Jones. But the fight was later ruled a no-contest when 'Bones' tested positive for a banned substance.
As a result, Cormier remained light heavyweight champion and eventually moved up to heavyweight for a super fight with champion Stipe Miocic. His reign officially ended on December 28, 2018, when he vacated the title in favor of a permanent move to heavyweight.
#1. Jon Jones – UFC light heavyweight champion (2011 – 2015)
There’s no denying that Jon Jones is the greatest light heavyweight of all time. His first title reign set him apart from past champions. At 23, he became the youngest champion in the promotion’s history after defeating Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua. The reign lasted 1501 days, which is still the longest reign in the division.
Jones successfully retained the title eight times against many legends of the sport. Out of the eight opponents, six were either former champions or ended up becoming champions in the future. His most memorable title defense occurred in 2013 when he defeated Gustafsson by unanimous decision. It was a spectacular main event and was later inducted into the Fight Wing of the Hall of Fame.
‘Bones’ title reign ended in 2015 when the promotion stripped him of the title after being involved in a hit-and-run. He regained the title in 2018 and held it until 2020 when he vacated it for a move to heavyweight.
