“She is the 23rd fighter to fight for a UFC belt in their UFC debut”

[AJ Garcia]

Ariel said this about Yana and it got me wondering about that list. I’m sure a lot of them happened back when a lot of top guys were in different orgs and got signed by the ufc but I can’t think of 23.

Also, I’m guessing most of them happened when the ufc bought some of the orgs like the wec and strikeforce. Aldo vs hominick, Cruz vs faber, Ronda vs carmouche.

Who else is on this list?

 

[Sonny Qc]

Damn, that much?

too lazy to do look it up tho...

 

[youngsteinel]

Hayato "Mach" Sakurai is the first that comes to my mind.

 

[mirellale]

Joe Soto fought for the belt in his UFC debut against TJ if i remember correctly

 

[executionermma]

Cruz, Rousey and Aldo were defending champions at their first fight so IMO they shouldn't be there.

Maurice Smith HW
Frank Shamrock LHW
Igor Zinoviev LHW
Jeremy Horn LHW
John Lober LHW
Gil Castillo MW
Jorge Patino WW
André Pederneiras WW
John Alessio WW
Hayato Sakurai WW
Frank Trigg WW
Caol Uno LW
Gilbert Melendez LW
Jose Aldo FW
Dominick Cruz BW
Joe Soto BW
Yana Kunitskaya W FW
Tonya Evinger W FW
Ronda Rousey W BW
Liz Carmouche W BW
Nicco Montano W FlyW
Carla Esparza W SW
Rose Namajunas W SW

The winners:

Maurice Smith HW - against Mark Coleman
Frank Shamrock LHW - against Kevin Jackson
Jose Aldo FW - came as WEC champ, defended against Mark Hominick
Dominick Cruz BW - came as WEC champ, defended against Urijah Faber
Ronda Rousey W BW - came as SF champ, defended against Liz Carmouche
Nicco Montano W FlyW - against Roxanne Modafferi
Carla Esparza W SW - against Rose Namajunas

 

[Irishwhiskey119]

In every situation it was due to the divisions being thin and not established or it was just an unearned title shot.

 

[AJ Garcia]

Cruz, Rousey and Aldo were defending champions at their first fight so IMO they shouldn't be there.

Smith HW
Shamrock LHW
Zinoviev LHW
Horn LHW
Lober LHW
Castillo MW
Patino WW
Pederneiras WW
Alesso WW
Sakurai WW
Trigg WW
Caol Uno LW
Melendez LW
Aldo FW
Cruz BW
Soto BW
Yana W FW
Evinger W FW
Rousey W BW
Carmouche W BW
Montano W FlyW
Esparza W SW
Namjuanas W SW

The winners:

Smith HW - against Mark Coleman
Shamrock LHW - against Kevin Jackson
Aldo FW - came as WEC champ, defended against Mark Hominick
Cruz BW - came as WEC champ, defended against Urijah Faber
Rousey W BW - came as SF champ, defended against Carmouche
Montano W FlyW - against Roxanne Modafferi
Esparza W SW - against Rose Namajunas

Well that was quick. Thanks for answering and killing my thread at the same time lol

 

[mcf4]

Cruz, Rousey and Aldo were defending champions at their first fight so IMO they shouldn't be there.

Smith HW
Shamrock LHW
Zinoviev LHW
Horn LHW
Lober LHW
Castillo MW
Patino WW
Pederneiras WW
Alesso WW
Sakurai WW
Trigg WW
Caol Uno LW
Melendez LW
Aldo FW
Cruz BW
Soto BW
Yana W FW
Evinger W FW
Rousey W BW
Carmouche W BW
Montano W FlyW
Esparza W SW
Namjuanas W SW

The winners:

Smith HW - against Mark Coleman
Shamrock LHW - against Kevin Jackson
Aldo FW - came as WEC champ, defended against Mark Hominick
Cruz BW - came as WEC champ, defended against Urijah Faber
Rousey W BW - came as SF champ, defended against Carmouche
Montano W FlyW - against Roxanne Modafferi
Esparza W SW - against Rose Namajunas

Deserves all the likes

 

[Marianne]

She is the 2nd fighter to fight for the featherweight title in her debut, in the third title fight for the current champion.

What a division.