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Five UFC Champions Who Lost in Their First Title Defenses

To win a world mixed martial arts championship in a major company is one of the most difficult things a fighter can accomplish in their career. However, it is another thing entirely to achieve a world title in what many view as the most competitive organization in the business: the UFC.

Out of the thousands of athletes that have fought for the promotion, only 117 individuals have managed to be listed among UFC champions, not including UFC champions, BMF, or multi-time UFC champions. When taking into consideration the amount of divisional rulers that have defended said titles, that number of UFC champions gets even lower at 65.