UFC Middleweight Title Lineage

Look At Every Middleweight To Become Champion

By THOMAS GERBASI, ON TWITTER: @TGERBASI • Aug. 30, 2021

Isreal Adesanya currently reigns supreme over one of the UFC's most historic divisions. Take a look at every UFC middleweight champion:

Dave Menne - defeats Gil Castillo at UFC 33 (9/28/01) to win the UFC Middleweight Championship.

Murilo Bustamante – defeats Menne at UFC 35 (1/11/02) to win the title. Bustamante defends the title against Matt Lindland and then vacates the title as he leaves the organization.

Evan Tanner – defeats David Terrell at UFC 51 (2/5/05) to win the vacant middleweight title.

Rich Franklin – defeats Tanner at UFC 53 (6/4/05) to win the title. Franklin defends the title against Nate Quarry and David Loiseau.

Rich Franklin defeats Evan Tanner to win the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 53 at the Boardwalk Hall on JUNE 04, 2005 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Anderson Silva – defeats Franklin at UFC 64 (10/14/06) to win the title. Silva defeats Travis Lutter in what should have been his first title defense, but Lutter came in overweight, rendering the bout a non-title affair. Silva successfully defended the belt against Nate Marquardt, Franklin, Henderson, Patrick Cote, Thales Leites, Demian Maia, Chael Sonnen (twice), Vitor Belfort, and Yushin Okami.

Fighter Timeline: Anderson Silva

Chris Weidman – defeats Silva at UFC 162 (7/6/13) to win the title. Successfully defends the title against Silva, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort.

View Weidman's Athlete Profile, Fight Results And Highlights

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 06: Chris Weidman reacts to his victory over Anderson Silva in their UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 162 event inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 6, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LL

Luke Rockhold – defeats Weidman at UFC 194 (12/12/15) to win the title.

View Rockhold's Athlete Profile, Fight Results And Highlights Here

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 12: Luke Rockhold reacts to his victory over Chris Weidman in their UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 194 event inside MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 12, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa

Michael Bisping – defeats Rockhold at UFC 199 (6/4/16) to win the title. Defends title against Dan Henderson

Keep Up To Date With Everything That Is Happening In The UFC Middleweight Division Here

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Georges St-Pierre – defeats Bisping at UFC 217 (11/4/17) to win title. Vacates title due to illness on 12/7/17

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Robert Whittaker – defeats Yoel Romero at UFC 213 (6/8/17) to win interim title. Promoted to undisputed champion after St-Pierre vacates title (12/7/17)

View Whittaker's Athlete Profile, Fight Results And Highlights Here

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 08: Robert Whittaker of New Zealand celebrates his victory over Yoel Romero of Cuba in their interim UFC middleweight championship bout during the UFC 213 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh

Israel Adesanya – defeats Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 (4/13/19) to win interim title. Defeats Whittaker at UFC 243 (10/6/19) to win undisputed title. Has defended title against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori

Israel Adesanya of Nigeria reacts after his victory over Marvin Vettori of Italy in their UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 263 event at Gila River Arena on June 12, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

View Adesanya's Athlete Profile, Fight Results And Highlights Here

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