5 UFC fighters who were fast-tracked to title fights

#4. Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen is a curious case in UFC history. His in-cage performances were not memorable with the exception of his dominant last-minute loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 117.

As an NCAA Division I standout, Sonnen predominantly relied on wrestling in his MMA career. His low finishing rate didn't excite fans nor did it endear him to the UFC brass. His silver tongue, however, did. Using his sharp wit and instinct for trash talking, Chael Sonnen became a star capable of earning title fights with little competitive effort.

After losing his rematch against Anderson Silva, the American found himself at a crossroads in his career. He'd been a longtime middleweight, but with two losses to the then-reigning champion, his title aspirations were all but dashed.

Immediately after his second title fight loss, 'The American Gangster' moved to the light heavyweight division, challenging Jon Jones for the light heavyweight championship while, again, having zero wins since his last title fight.

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#3. UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka

The reigning light heavyweight kingpin Jiří Procházka is the first champion from the Czech Republic in the promotion.

The speedy, power-punching martial artist is a unique fighter who possesses a dynamic skill-set. A former Muay Thai national champion, Procházka's striking has been his key to success in the octagon. Yet, the Czech sensation does not fight like a traditional Thai kickboxer.

Instead, the current light heavyweight kingpin employs quick stance-switching and unusual movement while throwing his punches at chest-level, rendering them more difficult to anticipate while also exposing him to counter-punches.

It worked to great success as Procházka challenged Glover Teixeira for the light heavyweight title in only his third UFC bout, capturing the belt to become the reigning champion after forcing Teixeira to submit to a rear-naked choke in a Fight of the Year contender.