Conor McGregor, Holly Holm, Luke Rockhold lead new era of UFC champions
Friday 22 January 2016 10:35, UK
The life of a UFC champion has never been more dangerous, with never-ending challenges in the shadows and awaiting around every corner.
The days of Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo sitting atop their divisions for years as unconquerable kings are over - nine of the 10 available championships have swapped hands in the last 13 months.
Sky Sports assess a new era of title-holders and take a look at the dangers that could lie ahead…
Demetrious Johnson
(23-2-1), flyweight champion since September 2012
The man they call 'Mighty Mouse' stands at just 5'3'' but towers above the entire roster as the UFC's premier champion. Once forced to fight bigger men at 135lbs he pioneered the 125lbs weight division and won its inaugural championship in 2012. Johnson is now considered among the elite handful of pound-for-pound competitors and has coasted through seven title defences in the past three years which makes him one of the most active, as well as dominant, title-holders. The challenge for Johnson is now where to find a viable opponent having dispatched every top contender in his division.
Robbie Lawler
(27-10-1), welterweight champion since December 2014
Lawler is the greatest profiteer of the mighty St-Pierre's sabbatical - since the Canadian master stepped out of the cage to relinquish a five-year title reign, the belt has been up for grabs. Johny Hendricks next claimed it by beating Lawler who then won the rematch and the title. He has twice defended in toe-to-toe slugfests with Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit but the challengers are coming thick and fast, with Hendricks readying his bid to set up a trilogy fight.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk
(11-0), women's strawweight champion since March 2015
The UFC's newest division is still finding its feet after arriving in December 2014 when Carla Esparza claimed the inaugural title. Jedrzejczyk, a Polish whirlwind of fists and kicks, made short work of that reign and has since defended successfully against Jessica Penne and Valerie Létourneau while a rematch with Claudio Gadelha is next.
Rafael dos Anjos
(25-7), lightweight champion since March 2015
The 155lbs division is perhaps the UFC's most action-packed, with the belt swapping hands frequently from Benson Henderson to Anthony Pettis and the current incumbent. Dos Anjos has lost five times in an eight-year UFC run but a convincing title defence against Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone proves he has finally hit a purple patch of form - he'll need it, because Conor McGregor is his next challenger for the title.
Daniel Cormier
(17-1), light-heavyweight champion since May 2015
The former Olympic wrestler's title dream was crushed in an unsuccessful challenge against pound-for-pound king Jon Jones a year ago. Jones, the champion for five years spanning eight defences, was then suspended for troubles with the law making the belt vacant. The 36-year-old Cormier snatched it by smothering Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson before winning a gruelling back-and-forth defence against Alexander Gustafsson. Cormier's ultimate test awaits, as bitter rival Jones readies his return.
Fabricio Werdum
(20-5-1), heavyweight champion since June 2015
In three years just four men have contested heavyweight title fights such is the demand placed on the creaking joints in the land of the giants. Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos fought a breathless trilogy, Antonio 'Bigfoot' Silva was quickly sent packing, but 38-year-old veteran Werdum captured the belt last summer. His submission win over an out-of-shape Velasquez was in the altitude of Mexico City but they will next rematch on American soil.
Holly Holm
(10-0), women's bantamweight champion since November 2015
Ronda Rousey ruled the 135lbs division and became the scowling face of the UFC after a near four-year reign which was abruptly ended by the most famous kick in MMA history. The undefeated Holm caused an all-time shock by bludgeoning Rousey whose rematch must wait while Miesha Tate receives the next opportunity at the new champ.
Luke Rockhold
(15-2), middleweight champion since December 2015
The latest champion represents a fresh generation that also included Chris Weidman, who Rockhold thrashed to win the belt last month. Weidman had ended the great Anderson Silva's seven-year ownership of the belt and defended it three times until losing to Rockhold in surprisingly one-sided fashion. The dominant stoppage victory has put Weidman on the shelf, and means Rockhold could defend against Silva or rematch England's Michael Bisping next.
Conor McGregor
(19-2), featherweight champion since December 2015
A 13-second destruction of Jose Aldo ushered in a brash, provocative new era led by the Irishman. Aldo was the inaugural featherweight title-holder having won the belt in 2009 before racking up nine defences in a 10-year undefeated streak, rarely even looking vulnerable. New king McGregor will next step up to fight for the lightweight belt but his first featherweight defence is likely to be against perennial contender Frankie Edgar.
Dominick Cruz
(21-1), bantamweight champion since January 2016
The newest UFC champion reclaimed the gold last weekend that he was never defeated for. A horrible four-year injured run meant Cruz was stripped of the belt that he won in 2010, and had been the only fighter to hold. Renan Barao, then TJ Dillashaw, appeared to be fearsome champions but Cruz, who has won his last six world title fights intermittently while dealing with injuries, returned last week to take back what was rightfully his.
