A history of Interim UFC Champions

[blingking]

Updated January 2018

Since we have another UFC Inteirm championship fight announced this is a brief history of the UFC interim titles for each weight class:

The following weight classes have not yet had an Inteirm title:

Women's SW, flyweight BW or Featherweight & Men's Flyweight


Bantamweight:

Champion Dominic Cruz pulls out of a fight vs Faber at UFC 148, Renan Barao beats Faber at UFC 149 (after the fight is moved following Aldo's withdrawal from UFC 149) for the Inteirm title. Renan defended the interim belt two additional times before being promoted to full champion following Cruz pulling out of UFC 169.

Of note is that Cruz did eventually win the Bantamweight title by deafeating then champion TJ Dillashaw without having lost between regaining the belt and being striped of it.

Featherweight:

Champion Jose Aldo pulls out of a fight against Conor Mcgregor at UFC 189. Conor Mcgregor subsequently faces and defeats Chad Mendez at UFC 189 for the interim title. At UFC 194 Mcgregor beat Aldo to unify the title.

For unknown reasons the UFC announced that at UFC 200 - Champion Conor McGregor would rematch Nate Diaz at 170 LB (later rescheduled for UFC 202) while Aldo would face Frankie Edgar for the Inteirm title on that same card (this fight remained on UFC 200). Aldo defeated Edgar to become the Inteirm champion.

In November following Daniel Cormier pulling out of a LHW title fight vs Rumble Johnson ahead of UFC 206, the UFC announced that Conor McGregor would vacate the Featherweight title, Aldo would be promoted to full Champion and that the scheduled fight between Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis would be for the Inteirm featherweight title. Holloway defeated Pettis at UFC 206 and would go onto defeat Aldo at UFC 212 to unify the belt.

Lightweight

*of note is that BJ Penn vs Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 was announced as being for the interim lightweight title during Champion Sean Sherk's suspension and appeal following a failed drug test. Following Sherk's appeal the UFC stripped Sherk and the Penn/Stevenson fight became for the undisputed lightweight title

After it became apparent the Conor Mcgregor would not be fighting in the UFC in 2017, the UFC announced a Inteirm title fight between Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee. At UFC 216 Tony Ferguson defeated Kevin Lee to become the inteirm champion. Subsequently it was announced that Ferguson would fight Khabib at UFC 223 for the undisputed title at which point Conor would be stripped of the belt. Ferguson pulled out of the fight a week out and Khabib ended up defeating Al Iaquinta for the undisputed title at which point Conor and Ferguson were stripped of their titles.

Welterweight

After Champion Matt Serra pulled out of a fight with Matt Hughes at UFC 79, the UFC announced a Inteirm title fight between Hughes and GSP at UFC 79. GSP subsequently won then unified the title by beating Serra at UFC 83.

After GSP pulled out a title fight with Nick Diaz at UFC 143, the UFC announced an interim title fight between Diaz and Condit. Condit beat Dias at UFC 143 but lost to GSP in the unification match at UFC 154.

Due to Tyron Woodley’s injuries, it was announced that at UFC 225 that Colby Covington would face RDA for the inteirm title. Colby won the bout, however he was stripped of the title a month later when it was determined that Woodley would be defending his belt at UFC 228 against Darren Till.

Middleweight

Due to Champion Michael Bisping's injury, the UFC announced a Inteirm title fight at UFC 213 between #1 contender Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker. Whittaker beat Romeo but did not get the next title fight.

Bisping defendant the belt vs GSP and lost the belt. Shortly after winning the MW title, GSP vacated the title which resulted in Whittaker being promoted to champion.

After Whittaker was forced to pull out of his first title Defense against Luke Rockhold at UFC 221, the UFC announced that Rockhold will be fighting for an Inteirm title against Yoel Romero at that event. Romero won the bout but failed to make weight, preventing the title from being won. Romero did face Whittaker and lost by split decision, however he failed to make weight thus this bout was not a title match either.

Light Heavyweight

Due to a contractual dispute with champion Tito Ortiz the UFC announced an Inteirm title fight between #1 contender Chuck Liddell and former HW champ Randy Couture. Randy defeated chuck and subsequently Beat Tito at UFC 44 to unify the titles.

Following Daniel Cormier pulling out from a title fight against Jon Jones at UFC 197, the UFC announced a Inteirm title fight between Jones and OSP. Jones beat OSP at UFC 197 but was subsequently stripped of the belt due to failing a pre fight drug test prior to facing Cormier in a unification match. Jones did subsequently defeat Cormier in his next match at UFC 214.

Heavyweight:

Following injuries sustained by champion Frank Mir in a car accident, the UFC announced an interim title fight between Tim Sylvia and Andrea Arlovski. Arlovski won the title and defended it once prior to being promoted to full champion due to Mir's inactivity.

As a result of a contract dispute between the UFC and champion Randy Couture, the UFC announced an Inteirm title fight between Sylvia and Big Nog. Big Nog defeated Sylvia and was already signed to face Mir at UFC 92 prior to the announcement that Couture was rejoining the UFC.

Couture lost his heavyweight title to Lesnar at UFC 91 and Nog lost his Inteirm title ot Mir at UFC 92. In the unification bout, Lesnar defeated Mir at UFC 100.

Lesnar's subsequent health issues resulted in an Inteirm title being contested at UFC 111 between Mir and Shane Carwin. Carwin defeated Mir but lost the unification bout to Lesnar at UFC 116.

Following champion Cain Velasquez pulling out of UFC 180 in a title fight vs Fabricio Werdum, the UFC announced an Inteirm title fight between Werdum and Mark Hunt. Werdum defeated Hunt and subsequently unified the belts defeated Velasquez at UFC 188.

 

[jsbx45]

Nice rundown. Thanks.

edit: Fix your title homie

 

[chefa]

The only two legitimate interim champions were Andrei Arlovski and Renan Barao they were the only two to treat it like they were really champions and move the division forward. Everyone else was just a glorified #1 contender because they either waited for the champion or the refused to defend until the champ got back/

 

[Taric]

The only two legitimate interim champions were Andrei Arlovski and Renan Barao they were the only two to treat it like they were really champions and move the division forward. Everyone else was just a glorified #1 contender because they either waited for the champion or the refused to defend until the champ got back/

Nog

 

[chefa]

Nog

I forgot about nog however he was a weird circumstance as the real champion was part of the semi tournament he was also involved in they just did not get paired together but I will admit he tried I forgot about him

 

[SavageAngel]

Nice rundown. Thanks.

edit: Fix your title homie

Just wanted to check if your rundown was the same as my rundown...

 

[jsbx45]

Just wanted to check if your rundown was the same as my rundown...

Couldn't say. It isn't my rundown...

 

[blingking]

Some fun facts:

Aldo is currently the only champion to have had an two separate Inteirm champions created during his title reigns (McGregor will be the second once the fight at UFC 216 occurs).

GSP is the only fighter to have fought in unification matches as both an Inteirm an Full champion.

GSP and Brock are the only fighters to have won two unification bouts.

Aldo is the only fighter to have lost two unification bouts.

The only champions to have an Inteirm belt created without having a title Defense during that title reign are: Mcgregor (soon to be X2), Aldo (most recent reign), Serra & Mir.

 

[HaulParris]

Did the WEC have any interim titles? I think there was sonething at LW, when Varner was injured, maybe between Cerrone and Bendo? Too lazy to look it up, going from memory.

 

[Taric]

Did the WEC have any interim titles? I think there was sonething at LW, when Varner was injured, maybe between Cerrone and Bendo? Too lazy to look it up, going from memory.

Yeah, Benson/Cowboy 1 was for the interim title.
Crazy fight.

 

[HaulParris]

Yeah, Benson/Cowboy 1 was for the interim title.
Crazy fight.

That went the distance, right? I remember Bendo just Gumbying his way out of sub attempts, but the rematch was a finish, correct?

 

[Taric]

That went the distance, right? I remember Bendo just Gumbying his way out of sub attempts, but the rematch was a finish, correct?

Yeah, the first fight decision was controversial because most of the fight Benson was fighting off submissions, but Benson as champion took out both Varner and Cerrone like they were nothing.

That was a great period for the WEC. Every card was nothing but amazing fight after amazing fight.

 

[mudrubble]

Next year, this history will be twice as long.

 

[blingking]

Next year, this history will be twice as long.

Shit is going up exponentially:

From UFC 1-100 there was only 4 Inteirm belts (WW, LHW, HW X2)

From UFC 101-188 there was 4 Inteirm belts (BW, WW, HW X2 )

From UFC 189-216 there will have been 5 Inteirm belts created (FW X3, MW, LHW)

That being said in the UFC 1-100 era the only questionable Inteirm belt was GSP/Hughes which people were ok with at the time to make their third fight a 5 rounder. The other 3 dealt with serious contract disputes (Randy/Tito) or a serious injury (Mir) and two of the four belts were defended.

I'd say that from UFC 101-188 the inteirm belts weren't significantly looked at well but made some sense. Lesnar, GSP, Cruz and Cain all had significant injuries and were out for an indefinite time after their initial injury (ironically it was Lesnar who had the life threatening illness who actually came back soonest of the group).

The UFC 189 came around and it became the 'we need to put a belt on the PPV excuse.

UFC 189 had Aldo pull out then McGregor got a Inteirm title shot even though Aldo was expected back within months and actually fought about 5 months later.

UFC 197 was basically the same story since Cormier was ready to fight within 3 months of his injury.

UFC 200 had an inexplicable inteirm title fight when the champion was scheduled that night.

UFC 206 had the most fucked up inteirm title fight where the LHW champion pulled out which resulted in them creating an inteirm belt for the FW title. As if that wasn't fucked up enough they stripped the FW champion of his belt promoted the current inteirm champion to full champion in the scenario where the only reason why the then 'full champion' wasn't fighting is because he was waiting on the then 'full champion' to unify the FW belt and McGregor had just fought the previous month.

UFC 213 had an Inteirm title created because the champion is a giant duck.

UFC 216 is the second attempt at creating a LW Inteirm champion when the full champion is boxing. Of course since McGregor is planning on fighting at year's end and UFC 216 is in October this means either the Inteirm champion will fight on back to back camps or McGregor will defend against someone who is not the inteirm champion.

 

[mudrubble]

Shit is going up exponentially:

From UFC 1-100 there was only 4 Inteirm belts (WW, LHW, HW X2)

From UFC 101-188 there was 4 Inteirm belts (BW, WW, HW X2 )

From UFC 189-216 there will have been 5 Inteirm belts created (FW X3, MW, LHW)

That being said in the UFC 1-100 era the only questionable Inteirm belt was GSP/Hughes which people were ok with at the time to make their third fight a 5 rounder. The other 3 dealt with serious contract disputes (Randy/Tito) or a serious injury (Mir) and two of the four belts were defended.

I'd say that from UFC 101-188 the inteirm belts weren't significantly looked at well but made some sense. Lesnar, GSP, Cruz and Cain all had significant injuries and were out for an indefinite time after their initial injury (ironically it was Lesnar who had the life threatening illness who actually came back soonest of the group).

The UFC 189 came around and it became the 'we need to put a belt on the PPV excuse.

UFC 189 had Aldo pull out then McGregor got a Inteirm title shot even though Aldo was expected back within months and actually fought about 5 months later.

UFC 197 was basically the same story since Cormier was ready to fight within 3 months of his injury.

UFC 200 had an inexplicable inteirm title fight when the champion was scheduled that night.

UFC 206 had the most fucked up inteirm title fight where the LHW champion pulled out which resulted in them creating an inteirm belt for the FW title. As if that wasn't fucked up enough they stripped the FW champion of his belt promoted the current inteirm champion to full champion in the scenario where the only reason why the then 'full champion' wasn't fighting is because he was waiting on the then 'full champion' to unify the FW belt and McGregor had just fought the previous month.

UFC 213 had an Inteirm title created because the champion is a giant duck.

UFC 216 is the second attempt at creating a LW Inteirm champion when the full champion is boxing. Of course since McGregor is planning on fighting at year's end and UFC 216 is in October this means either the Inteirm champion will fight on back to back camps or McGregor will defend against someone who is not the inteirm champion.

I'm waiting for the day a champ criticizes the UFC only to find out the next day that they've scheduled an interim match in his weight class as a punishment.

They're getting bold and transparent enough to do this. Oh wait, Tyron.....

 

[blingking]

Bump for updates since the original August post:

Ferguson won, Whittaker got promoted to champ, had an interim title created during his reign.

 

[blingking]

Bump after 6 months to add the results of the MW inteirm title fight, the fate of Ferguson’s title. The creation and subsequent stripping of the WW inteirm title.

 

[LLD2008]

Interim titles suck

 

[hot carl]

Interim titles are weird. They had some value, for instance, champ was in an accident or couldn’t defend for whatever reason, but in the last few years, it feels like the interim belts have been fabricated to sell ppvs.

When it’s necessary, it’s not a bad option, but the value and legitimacy has been diluted.

 

[tenniswhiz]

Was Ken Shamrock ever an interim champ?

Because he never beat Royce Gracie, who was the true undefeated champ of that era.
Yet Ken put on a pretense of being UFC champ.