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Winning a UFC title is the dream of most fighters who take up MMA. It is among the most memorable journeys that the more successful fighters embark on. However, defending one's title after capturing it is a badge of honor, and is often used as a testament to true championship status.
Thus, many newly minted champions brace themselves for a future teeming with title challengers chomping at the bit to dethrone them. Some go on to mount successful title defenses, with the rare few even authoring legacies as long-reigning champions. Alas, this is not a future meant for everyone.
Sometimes, fighters capture UFC gold but fail to successfully defend them, marking them as those who fell short of meeting the legendary Matt Hughes' criteria to be recognized as a true champion.
#5 Holly Holm, former UFC women's bantamweight champion
Few fighters have been given as many title shots as Holly Holm. At one point, she seemed primed for a memorable championship reign after dethroning the legendary Ronda Rousey in one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. Dismantling and knocking 'Rowdy' out at UFC 193 made Holm a star.
Holm emerged from the event as the undisputed women's bantamweight champion with an unbeaten record that mirrored the magic of Rousey's previous undefeated status. However, unlike Rousey, Holm never came close to matching her title reign, losing the 135-pound strap in a title fight with Miesha Tate.
Despite being in control of long stretches of the bout, she fell victim to a rear-naked choke in round five. With the chance to be a champion finally at her fingertips, Tate squeezed on the choke with every ounce of strength she had and Holm fell unconscious. Thereafter, she never again won the title.
#4 Glover Teixeira, former UFC light heavyweight champion
Glover Teixeira has thrice fought to win the UFC light heavyweight title. He first faced Jon Jones in a futile effort that saw the MMA GOAT deal him a violent beating. His second crack, however, came after a five-fight win streak. This time, he found success against then-reigning champion Jan Błachowicz.
Within two rounds, he exhausted the Polish star before submitting to enthrone himself as champion. Unfortunately, a long reign was never in Teixeira's future. As one of the oldest titleholders in promotional history, time worked against him and he dropped his title to Jiří Procházka in 2022's Fight of the Year.
However, a harrowing shoulder injury forced Procházka to vacate the belt, over which the Brazilian fought with Jamahal Hill. Alas, he lost the matchup, suffering a brutal beating before retiring from MMA.
#3 Alex Pereira, former UFC middleweight champion/reigning UFC light heavyweight champion
Alex Pereira has marked himself as one of the most fearsome power-punchers in the sport. With his historic kickboxing credentials, he rose to prominence in the middleweight division, where he dethroned career rival Israel Adesanya as champion with a come-from-behind TKO win.
But 185 pounds was never his to rule. He was knocked out devastatingly by Adesanya in an immediate rematch. Licking his wounds, 'Poatan' went on to capture light heavyweight gold, where he will now face Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in the event headliner.
With a win, he could score his first successful title defense in the promotion. A loss, however, would be a repeat of history; Pereira winning a championship only to fail in his defense of it.
#2 Sean Strickland, former UFC middleweight champion
At UFC 293, Sean Strickland stepped in on short notice to face then-reigning middleweight champion Israel Adesanya on behalf of an injured Dricus du Plessis. Written off by virtually everyone, 'Tarzan' stunned the MMA world by authoring the greatest upset in 185-pound history as he dominated Adesanya for five rounds.
In the end, there was no doubt that he was the better man inside the octagon that night. But despite the enormity of his win, he dropped the title in his very first championship defense. Ironically, he lost the title to the man for whom he stepped in on short-notice: Du Plessis.
Check out Dricus du Plessis beating Sean Strickland:
After a five-round war, the South African wrestled the title away from Strickland's hands with a controversial split-decision. Despite fan uproar, the verdict stood and Strickland joined the unenviable class of those who have won titles but couldn't keep them.
#1 Brandon Moreno, former UFC flyweight champion
Brandon Moreno is a two-time flyweight champion, having twice beaten Deiveson Figueiredo for the 125-pound strap. However, he has consistently failed to defend the title each time, dropping it in his first title defense. He relinquished the belt to Figueiredo in an immediate rematch for the first time.
The second time, he lost to Alexandre Pantoja in an action-packed rematch five years in the making. Now, he is set to take part in UFC Fight Night 237 in his native country of Mexico, where he squares off with Brandon Royval in the main event. A win would catapult Moreno right back into title contention.
Check out Alexandre Pantoja beating Brandon Moreno:
He has already proven that he can win belts. Now, he must prove that he can defend them. First, he must get past a game Royval.
