Who was the most legitimate interim champ in UFC history?

[mb23100]

I mean there has to be one. Lots of belts being handed out nowadays. Was there ever a time where interim champ meant something?

 

[Deleted member 549255]

Renan Barao. He even defended the interim BW belt multiple times.

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Carlos

 

[rjmbrd]

Ferguson beating Lee to win his interim belt was pretty solid.

As previous post mentioned, Barao was the legit champion for a very long time.

 

[ritchest_eva]

Whittaker vs Romero 1 was for the real belt and we all know that

 

[blaseblah]

Renan Barao. He even defended the interim BW belt multiple times.

This is the only answer. He defended the interim title twice while the reigning champ was legitimately out for a long time with an injury.

 

[binny]

Any time an interim champ unified the title succesfully. Can't be more legit than that.

Edit- Looks like that makes Werdum, Randy, GSP and Holloway the most worthy IC's in UFC history.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Barao easily

McGregor (won interim against Mendes and unified against Aldo)

 

[Vegeta12]

Barao, easily. He defended the thing twice.

 

[Nelly]

Barao was the interim champ for 1.5 years with two title defenses. He is the most legit.

 

[applesbananas]

Barao even though he was clearly on that Pre USADA stuff.

 

[mb23100]

Carlos

Diaz 1,2,5

 

[MMAProfessional]

Renan Barao. He even defended the interim BW belt multiple times.

I forgot about that. Hilarious that back then they let Cruz hold on to it for two years while the interim Barao was smashing people in defenses. Now if you don't show up for one fight they take that shit from you.

 

[Lawrence]

This is the only answer. He (Barao) defended the interim title twice while the reigning champ was legitimately out for a long time with an injury.

Agreed

Honorable mention to Carlos Condit.

 

[Deleted member 510653]

Yeah Barao. Defended the interim title twice and then promoted to real champion and defended that once. He gets my vote.

 

[dawzz]

GSP , Werdum , Colby , Holloway

 

[faustian]

Nog. Should've never been an interim belt in the first place, as Randy had vacated but UFC was using his designation as champ as strategy in the contract dispute. Then when Randy came back Nog promptly besmirched him

 

[Vegeta]

For me, Tony is the champ

 

[Philtard]

Randy by far. Tito ducked that guy something chronic and chuck.. But chuck was never interim

 

[Philtard]

Barao was the interim champ for 1.5 years with two title defenses. He is the most legit.

I dunno man. It's not like bantam weight was legit at that point.