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All-time UFC light heavyweight champions

Alex Pereira celebrates winning the title with his mentor, former champion Glover Teixeira, at UFC 295. Sarah Stier/Getty Images

The champions are listed in reverse chronological order.

Click here for the list of current UFC champions in each division and here for the champions in each MMA promotion.

All-time UFC champions by division:
Heavyweight | Light heavyweight
Middleweight | Welterweight
Lightweight | Men's featherweight
Men's bantamweight | Men's flyweight
Women's featherweight
Women's bantamweight
Women's flyweight
Strawweight

Current champion

Alex Pereira
Won title: Nov. 11, 2023
Outcome: TKO2 over Jirí Procházka (UFC 295)
Defenses: 2

Past champions

Jamahal Hill
Won title: Jan. 21, 2023
Outcome: UD over Glover Teixeira (UFC 283)
Defenses: 0*

* -- Vacated title on July 14, 2023, after suffering an Achilles injury with a long recovery time


Jiri Prochazka
Won title: June 11, 2022
Outcome: Sub5 over Glover Teixeira (UFC 275)
Defenses: 0*

* -- Vacated title on Nov. 23, 2022, after suffering a shoulder injury with a long recovery time


Glover Teixeira
Won title: Oct. 30, 2021
Outcome: Sub2 over Jan Blachowicz (UFC 267)
Defenses: 0


Jan Blachowicz
Won title: Sept. 26, 2020
Outcome: TKO2 over Dominick Reyes (UFC 253)
Defenses: 1


Jon Jones
Won title: Dec. 29, 2018
Outcome: TKO3 over Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 232)
Defenses: 3*

* -- Vacated title on Aug. 17, 2020, amid contentious contract negotiations with the UFC


Daniel Cormier
Won title: May 23, 2015
Outcome: SUB3 over Anthony Johnson (UFC 187)
Defenses: 2*

* -- Vacated title on Dec. 28, 2018, after opting to defend only his heavyweight belt


Jon Jones
Won title: March 19, 2011
Outcome: TKO3 over Mauricio Rua (UFC 128)
Defenses: 8*

* -- Stripped of title on April 28, 2015, for violating UFC's Athlete Code of Conduct policy


Mauricio Rua
Won title: May 8, 2010
Outcome: KO1 over Lyoto Machida (UFC 113)
Defenses: 0


Lyoto Machida
Won title: May 23, 2009
Outcome: TKO2 over Rashad Evans (UFC 98)
Defenses: 1


Rashad Evans
Won title: Dec. 27, 2008
Outcome: KO3 over Forrest Griffin (UFC 92)
Defenses: 0


Forrest Griffin
Won title: July 5, 2008
Outcome: UD5 over Quinton Jackson (UFC 86)
Defenses: 0


Quinton Jackson
Won title: May 26, 2007
Outcome: KO1 over Chuck Liddell (UFC 71)
Defenses: 1


Chuck Liddell
Won title: April 16, 2005
Outcome: KO1 over Randy Couture (UFC 52)
Defenses: 4


Randy Couture
Won title: Aug. 21, 2004
Outcome: KO3 over Vitor Belfort
Defenses: 0


Vitor Belfort
Won title: Jan. 31, 2004
Outcome: KO1 over Randy Couture (UFC 46)
Defenses: 0


Randy Couture
Won title: Sept. 26, 2003
Outcome: UD5 over Tito Ortiz (UFC 44)
Defenses: 0


Tito Ortiz
Won title: April 14, 2000
Outcome: UD5 over Wanderlei Silva (UFC 25)
Defenses: 5


Frank Shamrock
Won title: Sept. 21, 1997
Outcome: SUB1 over Kevin Jackson (UFC Japan)
Defenses: 4*

* -- Vacated title on Nov. 24, 1999, when he retired from the UFC