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The UFC interim title is, under ideal circumstances, only used to crown a champion when a division's resident titleholder is forced into a prolonged absence, usually due to injury. A weight class cannot do without a champion, and the promotion needs a title fight to headline most of its cards.
Thus, interim champions are generally regarded as provisional titleholders: lesser champions who must prove their mettle by unifying the belts in a future bout with the undisputed champion of their division. However, doing so is easier said than done, and it isn't always a successful endeavor.
Some interim champions fail to unify their division's titles. Typically, this is due to their inability to defeat the reigning champion. However, in rarer cases, they're stripped of their titles and never get the chance to establish themselves by taking part in a title unification.
#5 Ciryl Gane, former UFC interim heavyweight champion
At one point in time, Ciryl Gane was regarded as the future of the promotion's heavyweight division. He was athletic, fast, and moved with a grace that belied his hulking size. Furthermore, he possessed, and still does, some of the cleanest striking ever seen in the 265-pound weight class.
Gane also had the mystique of an undefeated record. In 2021, he reached the peak of his career (so far) by defeating Derrick Lewis via third-round TKO to capture the UFC interim heavyweight title, setting up a blockbuster clash with former teammate and then-reigning undisputed champion Francis Ngannou.
The men locked horns at UFC 270. Gane held the advantage in the striking department, especially with Ngannou nursing an injured knee. However, 'The Predator' stunned the Frenchman by implementing a wrestling-heavy game plan to defeat him via unanimous decision.
#4 Colby Covington, former UFC interim welterweight champion
Controversial trash-talker Colby Covington marks one of the few instances of a fighter never being given the chance to unify the titles with the undisputed champion. In 2018, 'Chaos' achieved the greatest success of his career by capturing the interim welterweight title in a win over Rafael dos Anjos.
Back then, Tyron Woodley was the reigning champion, so a unification bout between the two was expected. Unfortunately, the promotion's plans were dashed when Covington revealed that he would be unable to meet the UFC's deadline for the proposed matchup as he had to undergo nasal surgery.
This caused the promotion to schedule a title fight between Tyron Woodley and Darren Till instead, stripping 'Chaos' of his interim belt after the bout took place. While Covington later fought for the title twice, he was no longer the interim champion and couldn't unify the belts.
#3 Tony Ferguson, former UFC interim bantamweight champion
Like Colby Covington, Tony Ferguson is a former interim champion who never had the chance to unify his title with his division's undisputed champion. Back in 2017, 'El Cucuy' was scheduled to face Khabib Nurmagomedov in one of the many failed instances of the promotion's attempts to book the two men to fight each other.
Their matchup was for the UFC interim lightweight title. Unfortunately, a botched weight cut forced Nurmagomedov out of the fight, so Ferguson was given another interim title fight, this time against Kevin Lee at a later date. 'El Cucuy' emerged victorious at UFC 216, and a unification bout was set.
At UFC 223, Ferguson was scheduled to face Nurmagomedov for the vacant undisputed title. However, 'El Cucuy' tore his LCL ahead of the bout after tripping on a cable at a media event to promote the fight. The injury was severe and forced him to withdraw from the bout before the promotion stripped him of his interim title.
#2 Dustin Poirier, former UFC interim lightweight champion
Dustin Poirier is one of the most accomplished 155-pounders on the roster. However, an undisputed title has always eluded him. 'The Diamond' faced then-featherweight kingpin Max Holloway in an interim lightweight championship bout at UFC 236. After a thrilling five-round contest, Poirier was crowned the interim champion. He was set for a unification fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Ahead of their clash, Poirier recognized the challenge ahead of him but promised everyone that he was primed to shock the world. Unfortunately, when the two men finally locked horns, Poirier's prediction did not come to pass.
Their unification bout ended in a decisive win for 'The Eagle,' although 'The Diamond' did have one notable moment during their bout when he briefly caught his opponent in a tight guillotine.
#1 Petr Yan, former UFC interim bantamweight champion
Petr Yan is a curious case in the promotion's history. He has been both an undisputed and interim bantamweight champion but did not unify the belts as an interim titleholder to capture undisputed gold. Instead, he lost his undisputed title in controversial fashion to Aljamain Sterling after getting disqualified.
Yan subsequently faced Cory Sandhagen for the interim title, defeating 'The Sandman' in an exciting fight to book his rematch with 'Funk Master.' When the two crossed swords again, Sterling was better prepared, and the pair had a closely contested affair.
Unfortunately, Yan failed to defeat Sterling, losing via split decision and never managing to unify the belts against a foe he was expected to dominate.
