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
Fighter Timeline: Anderson Silva
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Chris Weidman – defeats Silva at UFC 162 (7/6/13) to win the title. Successfully defends the title against Silva, Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort.
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 LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Anderson Silva; Chris Weidman
Luke Rockhold – defeats Weidman at UFC 194 (12/12/15) to win the title.
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 LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Michael Bisping – defeats Rockhold at UFC 199 (6/4/16) to win the title. Defends title against Dan Henderson
'The Count' Becomes The First Class Of 2019 Inductee
Michael Bisping: UFC Hall Of Fame 2019 Inductee
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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
GEORGES ST-PIERRE NAMED TO UFC HALL OF FAME
GEORGES ST-PIERRE NAMED TO UFC HALL OF FAME
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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)
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 Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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)
