- Joined
- May 17, 2009
- Messages
- 12,057
- Reaction score
- 7,099
I was wondering what the longest UFC reign without a title defense being booked before a fighter was stripped. To be clear I am meaning booking a title defense and not losing the belt in your first attempt and having zero successful defenses.
Randy Couture won the HW belt on Dec 21 1997 and was stripped some time during Jan 1998 without defending the belt
Bas Rutten won the HW belt May 1999. Rutten vacated the title in June 1999 in order to drop down to Light heavyweight. He retired soon after due to training injuries
Barnett won the HW belt Mar 22 2002 reign for 126 days. Barnett was stripped of the title on July 26, 2002, after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test
Mir was stripped of the title on August 12, 2005, for inactivity resulting from injuries he sustained in a road accident. 419 days until he was stripped.
BJ Penn won the WW title Jan 31 2004. Penn was stripped of the title on May 17, 2004, when he left the UFC for K1 Reign 107 days
Conor McGregor is at 254 days since he was FW champion.
These seem to be the only title reigns in the UFC without a single defense of the belt. Will McGregor actually defend the FW belt or will he decide to move to LW permanently? If he does abandon FW will he break Mir's record of 419 days before the UFC strip him or he vacates?
Randy Couture won the HW belt on Dec 21 1997 and was stripped some time during Jan 1998 without defending the belt
Bas Rutten won the HW belt May 1999. Rutten vacated the title in June 1999 in order to drop down to Light heavyweight. He retired soon after due to training injuries
Barnett won the HW belt Mar 22 2002 reign for 126 days. Barnett was stripped of the title on July 26, 2002, after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test
Mir was stripped of the title on August 12, 2005, for inactivity resulting from injuries he sustained in a road accident. 419 days until he was stripped.
BJ Penn won the WW title Jan 31 2004. Penn was stripped of the title on May 17, 2004, when he left the UFC for K1 Reign 107 days
Conor McGregor is at 254 days since he was FW champion.
These seem to be the only title reigns in the UFC without a single defense of the belt. Will McGregor actually defend the FW belt or will he decide to move to LW permanently? If he does abandon FW will he break Mir's record of 419 days before the UFC strip him or he vacates?