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The 10: UFC Bantamweight Title Fights
As We Prepare For UFC 280: Oliveira vs Makhachev, Look Back At Some Of The Best Bantamweight Title Fights In UFC History.
For a weight class that has yet to reach its teenage years as a part of the UFC, the bantamweight division sure has delivered a great deal of excitement and entertainment inside the Octagon.
Largely recognized as the most competitive and talent-rich division in the sport, the 135-pound ranks only truly came into the fold at the outset of 2011, with Dominick Cruz matriculating from the WEC as champion in the same fashion as Jose Aldo at featherweight and eventually Ronda Rousey at bantamweight after her successful run in Strikeforce.
With current champion Aljamain Sterling set to defend the bantamweight title against two-time former champ TJ Dillashaw later this month at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, why not take a stroll down memory lane and look at some of the best championship fights in the division’s history?
Dominick Cruz def. Urijah Faber (UFC 132)
The first bantamweight title fight held in the UFC Octagon was a continuation of a feud that started in the WEC and grew to be one of the biggest rivalries in the sport.
Faber had bested Cruz in a featherweight title fight more than four years earlier when he was in the midst of his run as one of the top pound-for-pound talents in the sport. Cruz dropped down a weight class, eventually won the WEC bantamweight title, and brought it with him when the company was folded into the UFC at the end of 2010.
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Pairing the two together again only made sense.
Faber had beaten Eddie Wineland in his promotional debut, and the build to the fight featured the kind of bickering and competitive banter that would come to define the “Cruz vs. Team Alpha Male” feud.
The fight served as the main event of UFC 132 and was as competitive as expected, with Cruz deploying his signature “stick-and-move, off-kilter” pattern of attacking, and Faber working to land heavy shots whenever he could find the constantly moving champion.
Cruz won a unanimous decision victory, but the differences in the scores — 50-45, 49-46, 48-47 — tell you how close the battle was and how difficult it was to score. This triumph brought Cruz level with Faber in their personal series, and the two rivals would eventually settle things at UFC 199, where Cruz won the rubber match by once again sweeping the scorecards.
Renan Barao def. Urijah Faber (UFC 169)
When Cruz was sidelined with a knee injury in the spring of 2012, Barao and Faber were paired off in an interim title fight at UFC 149 in Calgary, where the Brazilian earned a unanimous decision win.
He would successfully defend the interim title twice, defeating Wineland and Michael McDonald, and when it was announced that Cruz would be forced to extend his time on the sidelines due to additional injuries, Barao was promoted to undisputed champion at the start of 2014. In his first title defense, he faced Faber for a second time.
Faber had rebounded from his loss in their first meeting with four straight victories, including three submission finishes, continuing his streak of being unbeaten in non-title matchups. But Barao was unbeaten in his previous 32 appearances, amassing a 31-0 record with one no contest verdict since losing the first fight of his career.
Their first fight went the distance, with Barao winning a clear, but largely uneventful, decision to close out a challenging card in Calgary, but in the second meeting, he truly showed his dominance.
It took Barao less than a round to dispatch “The California Kid,” showing a clear speed advantage before dropping him just prior to the two-minute mark of the opening round. While Faber was able to work back to his feet, he got rocked again, and Barao never let off the attack.
TJ Dillashaw def. Renan Barao (UFC 173)
Barao’s dominance, coupled with Dillashaw’s relative inexperience, made this feel like a mismatch heading into the Octagon at UFC 173, as the champion was fresh off defeating the Team Alpha Male leader Faber, and Dillashaw had yet to beat a top-ranked opponent.
And that’s what made Dillashaw’s performance so memorable.
From the outset, the former Ultimate Fighter finalist was a step ahead, showcasing excellent footwork and movement, and a diverse striking attack crafted under Duane “Bang” Ludwig. To be frank, Barao was never really in the fight — that’s how good Dillashaw was from the opening minute until he closed things out midway through the fifth round.
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Because he’s gone on to have a successful career and Barao quickly fell from grace following this fight, the magnitude of this upset and sheer “Are you kidding me?” factor of this fight has waned over time, but this was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when it happened.
Eight-and-a-half years later, Dillashaw is still in the championship mix and looking to claim the bantamweight strap for a third time later this month.
Dominick Cruz def. TJ Dillashaw (UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz)
This isn’t the place to debate the scoring of this fight or the ultimate decision, which saw Cruz win a split decision to reclaim the title he had never lost in competition.
What it is, however, is a space to revel in what was an incredible clash between two elite competitors at the absolute top of their games, and to marvel at the improbable comeback effort turned in by Cruz.
More than four years after successfully defending the title against Demetrious Johnson and with just a single appearance in between, “The Dominator” waltzed into the Octagon and picked up right where he left off, looking like the same guy that initially ruled the division, and not a fighter returning from an extended hiatus and multiple knee surgeries.
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Dillashaw was right there with him every step, too, his style and approach looking and feeling like the more powerful evolution of Cruz’s in-and-out, figure-eight method that had served him well for years.
For 25 minutes, they battled for every inch, each countering the other whenever one would land, neither shying away from an exchange. To declare one man clearly, without question, got the better of the other would be to ignore the tight, competitive battle that just played out inside the Octagon.
When the scores were read aloud, Cruz emerged victorious, earning the split decision victory to become a two-time UFC bantamweight champion.
Cody Garbrandt def. Dominick Cruz (UFC 207)
This is still the most impressive championship performance I have seen in my time covering this sport, and I’m not sure if anything will ever top it.
Cruz had spent his career at bantamweight making people miss; keeping opponents off-balance with his footwork and movement, strikes from odd angles and off-beat timing. Garbrandt was the latest member of the Team Alpha Male squad to try to wrestle the strap away from the camp’s chief rival; an undefeated knockout artist who had yet to face a Top 5 talent.
Garbrandt didn’t just win the fight and the title — he styled on Cruz, dropping him multiple times while proving to be the quicker, sharper, superior talent at every step. He was the one ducking and dodging Cruz’ attack, making the champion swing and miss the way he had so many others.
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When he avoided a series of Cruz attacks with deft head movement and slips, he stepped back and did a “pop-and-lock” routine to show just how smooth he was. When he floored the champion, he paused to admire his handiwork, knowing he was in complete control and didn’t really need to chase him to the canvas.
In these 25 minutes, Garbrandt looked like the absolute best fighter on the planet, and someone destined to rule the division for a considerable amount of time.
TJ Dillashaw def. Cody Garbrandt (UFC 217)
The former teammates turned rivals were initially scheduled to face one another in the summer at UFC 213 after coaching opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter, but a back injury pushed the fight to UFC 217 in New York City.
Animosity about Dillashaw leaving Team Alpha Male fueled the fire leading up to their clash at Madison Square Garden, and in the waning seconds of a competitive first round, the champion clipped and floored the challenger. Dillashaw stumbled when he rose to his feet, and many believe if Garbrandt had another 15-20 seconds to work, he may have finished the fight.
But that’s not how things played out.
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Dillashaw regrouped in his corner between rounds, but Garbrandt remained full of confidence, only to be caught with a head kick 90 seconds into the frame. While he instantly got back to his feet, it was the opening Dillashaw needed to swing things in his favor.
After the shot landed, he stalked Garbrandt, and a minute later, when the two set their feet to exchange, Dillashaw landed a right hook that clipped the champion and sent him to the canvas. The challenger swarmed, rattling off a torrent of right hands that prompted the referee to step in and halt the contest.
Less than a year after dominating Cruz, Garbrandt was dethroned, and Dillashaw was back atop the bantamweight division.
Henry Cejudo def. Marlon Moraes (UFC 238)
Dillashaw would ultimately relinquish his title after testing positive for EPO following his failed attempt to capture the flyweight title at the start of 2019, resulting in an interim title bout being put together between flyweight champ Henry Cejudo and top contender Marlon Moraes.
Cejudo had made quick work of Dillashaw in January, catching him seconds into their flyweight championship clash and securing the finish, but now he was venturing up a division in search of a second title. Moraes entered on a four-fight winning streak, having posted consecutive stoppage wins over Aljamain Sterling, Jimmie Rivera, and Raphael Assuncao.
The Brazilian came out of the gates quickly and controlled the opening stanza, blasting Cejudo with kicks and stuffing the first takedown attempt of the former Olympic gold medalist. But Cejudo adjusted well between rounds, becoming the aggressor in the second, and started to really take control of the fight in the latter half of the frame, drawing the Brazilian into more of a brawl, forcing him to expend his energy, and hurting him with knees in the clinch.
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Cejudo continued to pressure in the third, and Moraes wilted. The flyweight champion recognized that his adversary was exhausted and took it to him, dragging him to the canvas, threatening with a D’arce choke, and pounding out the finish with a series of elbows and hammerfists as the final seconds of the round ticked off the clock.
With the victory, Cejudo became a two-weight champion in the UFC, dubbed himself “Triple C,” a nod to his Olympic medal and twin UFC titles, and cemented his place in the pantheon of all-time greats.
Henry Cejudo def. Dominick Cruz (UFC 249)
After a three-year layoff — and nearly nine years after facing Faber in the first UFC bantamweight title fight — Cruz tagged in for Jose Aldo to face Cejudo in the UFC 249 co-main event.
Cejudo came out sharp, attacking with heavy low kicks to limit or minimize the movement of Cruz, and he never really let off. The challenger did well to continue moving and look for spots to land, but he couldn’t get a rhythm going or really do much to keep Cejduo off of him for any real amount of time.
The second was closer than the first, and late in the round, Cejudo went to throw a kick and Cruz dipped into it, eating a knee to the temple that put him on the canvas. The champion pounced and unleashed a string of punches that prompted referee Keith Peterson to stop the fight just as it seemed like Cruz was clambering back to his feet.
Debate the stoppage all you like, but don’t let it take away from the effort Cejudo turned in — he looked outstanding throughout, which made his decision to announce his retirement following the contest so surprising.
“Triple C” walked away as a two-division champion riding a six-fight winning streak, sporting a 16-2 record overall. He’s teased a comeback, and if he does return, he’ll be right back into the championship mix.
Petr Yan def. Jose Aldo (UFC 251)
Following Cejudo’s unexpected departure, Yan and Aldo were tabbed to battle for the vacant bantamweight title at UFC 251 on Fight Island.
The Russian was a rising star in the division and the promotion — unbeaten in nine fights, having won his first six appearances inside the Octagon — while the former featherweight king Aldo had recently made the move to the 135-pound ranks, dropping a split decision to his countryman Moraes in his debut, but nonetheless being originally targeted to face Cejudo at UFC 249 before being forced out.
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Early in the fight, the two ran relatively level, each taking time to find their range, feel the other out, and get a sense of their timing, but as the fight progressed, Yan started to pull away more and more. It was a classic example of the younger fighter having just a little more than his veteran opponent, running level to start, but being able to turn up the pace and the output the deeper into the fight they got.
Yan secured the finish just after the three-minute mark of the final round, taking his place atop the division. Because he hadn’t fought any of the top names in the division, his ascendence felt like the start of something new and potentially special — a chance to see a number of compelling and competitive matchups with UFC gold hanging in the balance.
Aljamain Sterling def. Petr Yan (UFC 273)
Yan and Sterling met for the first time at UFC 259, with Yan dropping the title as a result of a disqualification.
Sterling had started quickly, but faded hard, and by the time the bout reached the fourth round, it felt like the champion was in complete control and cruising towards a victory. But late in the frame, with Sterling on his knees in the center of the Octagon following a failed takedown attempt, Yan blasted him in the forehead with an illegal knee, prompting the bout to be halted, the title to change hands, and a rivalry to be born.
Neck surgery kept Sterling on the sidelines for an extended period and prompted an interim title fight between Yan and Cory Sandhagen, which the Russian won by unanimous decision, setting up the rematchwith Sterling.
Bantamweight Breakdown With Aljamain Sterling | September 2022
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Bantamweight Breakdown With Aljamain Sterling | September 2022
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The first round was mostly a feeling out process, neither man landing anything of real great significance before Sterling dominated the second and third with his wrestling, keeping Yan pinned to the canvas and on the defensive for the majority of the frames. But the championship rounds were all Yan, as the interim titleholder and former undisputed champion found his range and controlled things on the feet, attacking a tiring Sterling.
Ultimately, the outcome came down to how the judges scored the opening stanza, with two of the three officials seeing the round in favor of Sterling. It was a close, competitive bout, but “The Funkmaster” did enough early to garner the victory, cementing his place as the top bantamweight in the world, and setting up his championship clash with Dillashaw later this month in Abu Dhabi.
UFC 280: Oliveira vs Makhachev took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 22, 2022. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
