We’ve had some improbable champs through the history of the sport, I’ll list five in no particular order that stand out to me.
-. Michael Bisping (Middleweight Champion) After winning The Ultimate Fighter 3, Bisping spent a full decade in the UFC as a tough, consistent contender and frequent gatekeeper. He was widely seen as a high-level veteran who would never quite break through to the title. At 37, he stepped in on short notice (17 days’ notice) against Luke Rockhold and scored a shocking second-round knockout to win the belt in 2016—one of the most unlikely title wins in UFC history.
-2. Jan Błachowicz (Light Heavyweight Champion) Błachowicz entered the UFC with a strong regional record but quickly looked like a journeyman after going 2-4 in his first six Octagon bouts. He was written off by many as a mid-tier striker. He then steadily improved, put together a strong late run, and at age 37 knocked out Dominick Reyes to claim the vacant light-heavyweight title in 2020.
-3. Charles Oliveira (Lightweight Champion) Oliveira holds the record for the longest UFC journey to a title: nearly 11 years and 28 Octagon fights. He debuted young, bounced between featherweight and lightweight, endured early losses and weight-cut issues, and was never regarded as a top contender for most of his career. He was a highly skilled submission artist and bonus machine, but still viewed as a solid veteran rather than championship material—until a late-career surge culminated in him stopping Michael Chandler for the vacant lightweight title in 2021.
4- . Glover Teixeira (Light Heavyweight Champion) Teixeira had a long, respected career as a tough Brazilian power-wrestler and contender. He earned an early title shot (losing to Jon Jones), then spent years as a high-level gatekeeper and veteran. He finally broke through at age 42 (two days after his birthday), submitting Jan Błachowicz to win the light-heavyweight title in 2021—the oldest first-time UFC champion in history at the time.
-5. Robbie Lawler (Welterweight Champion) Lawler debuted in the UFC as a young, explosive prospect in 2002, but after early ups and downs (including a move up in weight and eventual release), he spent years competing in other promotions (PRIDE, Icon, EliteXC, etc.) as a durable, fan-friendly veteran. He returned to the UFC years later, rebuilt, and finally captured the welterweight title against Johny Hendricks in 2014—more than 12 years after his Octagon debut.
So what’s your thoughts Maniacs? From a fan standpoint, the Oliveira and Lawler runs to the title were a pure joy to watch. Those are my top two for this list.
