Sherdog’s Top 10: UFC Middleweight Title Fights

The Ultimate Fighting Championship crowned its first middleweight titleholder at UFC 33 on Sept. 28, 2001. In its 16-year existence, eight men have captured MMA’s crown jewel at 185 pounds: Dave Menne, Murilo Bustamante, Evan Tanner, Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman, Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping. Their respective reigns have resulted in some of the most noteworthy fights in UFC history.

However, no one in the middleweight division can hold a candle to Silva. After he laid claim to the throne in October 2006, he successfully defended it a record 10 times. Silva’s championship run was marked by jaw-dropping knockouts of Franklin, Nate Marquardt, Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami,…