UFC 300 is less than one week away with fans getting ever more excited as the expectations keep growing towards this milestone of a PPV event. 12 former UFC Champions are competing on this fight card which makes this event so much more interesting to watch. Here are all of the former King and Queens of their divisions who will feature on the card and how they won and lost their titles.
This is way better than watching McG vs Chandler or some old out of prime fighters. The main event will be a banger till it lasts and has the potential to be a Classic. And then we have such killer fights in the main card. UFC 300 just Might be the best card of all time#UFC300 pic.twitter.com/tHJkWij24e
— Manikangkan Das (@YourstrulyMan) April 4, 2024
Alex pereira
Pereira became UFC Champion in just four fights with the promotion, defeating Sean Strickland by first-round knockout to earn a title shot at UFC 281. Poatan faced familiar foe, Israel Adesanya, in Madison Square Garden after previously beating The Last Stylebender twice in Kickboxing. The Sao Paulo fighter got the job done, coming back in the fifth round to earn a TKO victory and become UFC Middleweight Champion.
The Brazilian lost the title in the worst possible scenario when he faced Adesanya once more in a rematch at UFC 287. The New Zealander earned both revenge and redemption in Miami as he got his title back with a remarkable knockout win in the second round, proving to be one of the best knockouts in 2023.
Pereira is now the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion after he won the belt at UFC 295, defeating Jiri Prochazka by third-round TKO. He makes his first title defence in the 205-pound division and looks to avenge his trainer's title loss against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300.
Jamahal Hill
Hill earned himself a title shot in the Light Heavyweight division after earning three consecutive KO/TKO victories against the likes of Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker and Thiago Santos. Sweet Dreams would fight for the vacant title against Glover Teixeira in enemy territory, Brazil. In a phenomenal battle, Hill would defeat Glover Teixeira in the UFC 283 headliner by unanimous decision, becoming the new King of the Light Heavyweights.
The Chicago-born fighter had no choice but to relinquish the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship after an Achilles injury which would force him out of fighting for a long time. Many of the fighting community saw this as a respectful decision as it would mean that he would not hold up the division with no champion.
With Hill now fully recovered from his injury, he looks to get his title back that he never properly lost in the first place. The American defeated Alex Pereira's trainer at UFC 283, now he looks to defeat the current champion in the T-Mobile Arena.
Zhang weili
Weili made history at UFC Shenzhen when she became the first-ever Chinese Champion in UFC history. Magnum defeated Jessica Andrade in the first-round to get a fascinating win in front of her own country. The Handan-born fighter managed to defend her title once when she faced former UFC Strawweight Champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, by split decision as that bout would be known as the greatest fight in Women's MMA.
The Chinese mixed martial artist would lose the title in surprising fashion when she lost to Rose Namajunas in the first round after an extraordinary head kick at UFC 261. Weili would try to earn her belt back in a rematch at UFC 268 but would not succeed as she lost by split decision.
Weili did claim her title back at UFC 281 when she defeated Carla Esparza by second-round submission and successfully defended her title at UFC 292, defeating Amanda Lemos by unanimous decision. The UFC Strawweight Champion faces fellow Chinese fighter, Yan Xiaonan, in the Co-Main Event of UFC 300.
Justin gaethje
Gaethje became an easy fan-favourite in the UFC due to his entertaining fights and deadly knockouts. The Highlight earned an Interim title shot for Lightweight Gold after earning three consecutive knockout wins in the first round. In dominating and brutal fashion, Gaethje would defeat Tony Ferguson by fifth-round TKO and earn an opportunity for the undisputed belt in the near future.
The Arizona fighter was set to face undefeated and undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, at UFC 254. Gaethje would end up being unsuccessful to capture the undisputed Lightweight title as he lost by second-round submission. The knockout artist did get another shot for UFC Gold at UFC 274 but lost to Charles Oliveira by first-round submission despite knocking down the Brazilian twice.
Gaethje is now the BMF title holder after knocking out Dustin Poirier with an astonishing head kick to win the belt. The Tucson-born fighter defends the belt against another fan-favourite and entertaining fighter, Max Holloway.
Max Holloway
Holloway is recognised as one of the greatest Featherweights in UFC history due to his incredible fights and title wins. Blessed defeated former UFC Lightweight Champion, Anthony Pettis, to win the Interim UFC Featherweight Championship before facing Jose Aldo for the undisputed title at UFC 212. The Hawaiian would defeat Aldo in remarkable fashion, defeating him by third-round TKO and doing the same in the rematch at UFC 218.
The Waianae-born fighter looked unstoppable in the Featherweight division until he met Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245. In a close fight, Volkanovski would take the belt off Holloway as he would be victorious by unanimous decision. Holloway would face The Great two more times for the Featherweight title, losing the rematch by split decision at UFC 251 and the trilogy fight by unanimous decision at UFC 276.
Holloway steps up to the Lightweight division in order to become the new BMF of the UFC and become the fifth man to defeat Justin Gaethje. The last time Blessed fought at Lightweight, he lost by unanimous decision for the Interim UFC Lightweight belt against Dustin Poirier at UFC 236.
Charles Oliveira
Oliveira went on an incredible eight-fight winning streak before earning a title shot for the vacant UFC Lightweight title. Do Bronxs would face Michael Chandler who would compete in just his second fight with the promotion. After a concerning first round, the Brazilian would prevail in the second, coming back early in the round to defeat Chandler by TKO and win the championship.
The Guaruja-born fighter would be stripped from his belt after missing weight for his fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 274. He would still earn another shot for UFC Gold after submitting Gaethje as he would face Islam Makhachev for the vacant title at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately for Oliveira. he would lose the fight by second-round submission.
The #1 Lightweight contender was originally meant to face Makhachev in a rematch at UFC 294 but had to pull out due to injury. Oliveira now faces the #4 Lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan, in Nevada as bout looks to be treated as a title eliminator.
Jiri prochazka
Prochazka fought twice in the UFC before earning a title when he knocked out former Light Heavyweight title challengers, Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes. BJP would headline the UFC 275 card alongside the 205-pound champion, Glover Teixeira. In one of the greatest fights of 2022, Prochazka defeated Teixeira in the nick of time as he submitted the Brazilian with 30 seconds left of the fifth round.
Unfortunately, the Czech fighter was unable to defend his title due to injury and would vacate the belt. Prochazka would next fight at UFC 295 where he would face Alex Pereira for the vacant UFC Heavyweight title, but he would not be successful as he lost by third-round TKO.
The Hosteradice-born mixed martial artist looks to get back in the win column as he faces the #5 Light Heavyweight contender, Aleksandar Rakic, in Las Vegas which could put Prochazka back in title contention.
Aljamain sterling
After a knockout loss against Marlon Moraes in December 2017, Sterling went on a five-fight winning streak which would give him the opportunity to win UFC Gold as he would face Petr Yan at UFC 259. In bizarre fashion, the Funk Master won the title bout by disqualification after Yan hit an illegal knee. To prove that Sterling was worthy as the King of the Bantamweights, he would face Yan in a rematch and edge a split decision win at UFC 273.
The Uniondale-born fighter earned four title wins in the UFC before his next championship fight against Sean O'Malley at UFC 292. Sterling would not reach a 10-fight winning streak as O'Malley would defeat the Jamaican by second-round TKO.
Sterling looks to step up to a new challenge as he moves up a weight class and contend in the Featherweight division. Funk Master faces the #8 contender, Calvin Kattar, for an opportunity to enter the Featherweight rankings.
Holly holm
Holm only fought twice in the UFC before earning a title shot against the undefeated UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, Ronda Rousey. At UFC 193, the Preacher's Daughter would earn a huge upset victory when she knocked out Rousey in the second round with an extraordinary head kick as Holm would stay undefeated in her MMA career.
The New Mexico fighter would make her first title defence four months after her iconic title triumph as Holm would face Miesha Tate at UFC 196. Despite winning the fight, Tate would comeback in the fifth round with a terrific submission victory as she would dethrone Holm and become the first fighter to defeat her in MMA
The Albuquerque-born fighter is still high up on the Women's Bantamweight rankings as she look to maintain her #5 contender's spot and welcomes Kayla Harrison into the UFC.
Jessica andrade
Andrade has fought in multiple weight classes in the UFC, but the most success she had was in the Strawweight division. Bate Estaca earned herself a title shot after rising up the rankings on a three-fight winning streak. Andrade would face Rose Namajunas at UFC 237 in her home country in Brazil and would not disappoint, defeating Thug Rose with an emphatic slam knockout.
The Umuarama-born fighter would not last long with the UFC Strawweight title as three months after becoming the new Queen of the division, she would lose her throne Zhang Weili in enemy territory of China. Andrade would lose the fight by first-round TKO.
The Brazilian fought five times in 2023 as she would not turn down any fight that was offered. Andrade looks to keep her #4 ranking in the Strawweight division as she faces the #6 contender, Marina Rodriguez.
deiveson figueiredo
Figueiredo first earned an opportunity to for title glory at UFC Norfolk as he would face Joseph Benavidez for the vacant Flyweight title. Unfortunately, Deus da Guerra missed the weight limit by 2.5 pounds and was ineligible to win the belt before beating Benavidez by second-round TKO. However, the Brazilian got his rematch later in 2020 as he would make weight with a second opportunity to become King of the Flyweights. Figueiredo would succeed and win by first-round submission to clinch the title.
The Soure-born fighter would fight in front of a crowd for the first time as champion at UFC 263, defending his title against Brandon Moreno in a rematch after the first bout ended by a majority draw at UFC 256. Moreno would get the better of Figueiredo, winning by third-round submission and taking the title away from the Brazilian. Despite winning back the Flyweight Championship at UFC 270, Figueiredo would lose UFC Gold once again to Moreno at UFC 283 by a doctor stoppage.
Deus da Guerra set himself to face a new challenge by trying to conquer another weight class. At UFC Austin, Figueiredo defeated Rob Font to enter the Bantamweight rankings at #8. He now defends his contender's spot against a well-experienced veteran of the division.
cody garbrandt
Garbrandt was undefeated with 10 wins heading into his first title shot in the UFC. No Love would face two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion, Dominick Cruz, in the co-main event of UFC 207. Despite being a consistent knockout artist in his MMA career, No Love would defeat Cruz by unanimous decision and be on top of the Bantamweight division.
The Ohio fighter would make his first title defence at Madison Square Garden, facing former Team Alpha Male teammate, TJ Dillashaw. Garbrandt would knockdown Dillashaw in the first round but it would not be enough to win the fight as he would lose by second-round TKO after suffering two knockdowns at UFC 217. Garbrandt would face Dillashaw in a rematch at UFC 227 but would once again be unsuccessful, losing by first-round TKO.
No Love would have a slight downfall in his career after his title losses, losing three of his next four bouts. Garbrandt did redeem himself in 2023 as he defeated Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher to give himself an opportunity to return to the Bantamweight rankings.
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