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UFC middleweight title history: Anderson Silva, Dricus Du Plessis, Rich Franklin and more

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Dricus Du Plessis picked up the first defense of his middleweight title reign at UFC 305 against former champ Israel Adesanya.

Take a look at a chronological history of the UFC middleweight belt.

Dave Menne

Date: Sept. 28, 2001

Event: UFC 33

Opponent: Gil Castillo

Total reign: 105 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Trivia question as the first middleweight champion in UFC history.

Murilo Bustamante

Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante

Date: Jan. 11, 2002

Event: UFC 35

Opponent: Dave Menne

Total reign: 267 days

Title defenses: Matt Lindland (UFC 37)

Notes: Stripped of the title in October 2002 when he left for PRIDE.

Evan Tanner

Evan Tanner
Evan Tanner

Date: Feb. 5, 2005

Event: UFC 51

Opponent: David Terrell

Total reign: 119 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Tanner's win over Terrell was for the belt vacated by Murilo Bustamante. The fight was the first UFC middleweight title bout in more than three years.

Rich Franklin

Rich Franklin
Rich Franklin

Date: June 4, 2005

Event: UFC 53

Opponent: Evan Tanner

Total reign: 497 days

Title defenses: Nate Quarry (UFC 56), David Loiseau (UFC 58)

Notes: Franklin was the first fighter with multiple title defenses at 185 pounds, though his record quickly was surpassed by his successor.

Anderson Silva

Rich Franklin and Anderson Silva, UFC 77
Rich Franklin and Anderson Silva, UFC 77

Date: Oct. 14, 2006

Event: UFC 64

Opponent: Rich Franklin

Total reign: 2,457 days

Title defenses: Nate Marquardt (UFC 73), Rich Franklin (UFC 77), Dan Henderson (UFC 82), Patrick Cote (UFC 90), Thales Leites (UFC 97), Demian Maia (UFC 112), Chael Sonnen (UFC 117), Vitor Belfort (UFC 126), Yushin Okami (UFC 134), Chael Sonnen (UFC 148)

Notes: Set a middleweight standard that will be hard to surpass. The UFC Hall of Famer (once in the Pioneer Wing and again in the Fight Wing) still holds the longest title reign in UFC history and many other records surround his run as champion.

Gallery

Photos: Anderson Silva through the years

List

Twitter reacts to Anderson Silva's TKO loss to Uriah Hall in farewell fight at UFC on ESPN+ 39

Chris Weidman

Jul 6, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chris Weidman, blue shorts, defeated Anderson Silva (yellow shorts) in their Middleweight Chamionship Bout in the second round with a TKO at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-131490 ORIG FILE ID: 20130706_lbm_aj4_363.JPG
Jul 6, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chris Weidman, blue shorts, defeated Anderson Silva (yellow shorts) in their Middleweight Chamionship Bout in the second round with a TKO at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-131490 ORIG FILE ID: 20130706_lbm_aj4_363.JPG

Date: July 6, 2013

Event: UFC 162

Opponent: Anderson Silva

Total reign: 889 days

Title defenses: Anderson Silva (UFC 168), Lyoto Machida (UFC 175), Vitor Belfort (UFC 187)

Notes: His win over Silva was a monumental upset in UFC history, but his win in the rematch was when Silva snapped his leg with one of the most brutal injuries ever.

Gallery

Photos: Chris Weidman through the years

Luke Rockhold

December 12, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Luke Rockhold lands punches against Chris Weidman during UFC 194 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
December 12, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Luke Rockhold lands punches against Chris Weidman during UFC 194 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Date: Dec. 12, 2015

Event: UFC 162

Opponent: Chris Weidman

Total reign: 175 days

Title defenses: None

Gallery

Luke Rockhold def. Chris Weidman at UFC 194: Best photos

Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping

Date: June 4, 2016

Event: UFC 199

Opponent: Luke Rockhold

Total reign: 518 days

Title defenses: Dan Henderson (UFC 204)

Notes: Bisping's win over Rockhold to capture the title was on short notice and avenged a prior loss.

Gallery

Photos: Michael Bisping through the years

Robert Whittaker (interim)

Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Date: July 8, 2017

Event: UFC 213

Opponent: Yoel Romero

Title defenses: None

Notes: Whittaker beat Romero for an interim belt while Bisping was sidelined ahead of his title fight with Georges St-Pierre. Whittaker eventually was promoted to undisputed champion.

Gallery

Robert Whittaker def. Yoel Romero at UFC 213: Best photos

Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217. (USA TODAY Sports)
Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217. (USA TODAY Sports)

Date: Nov. 4, 2017

Event: UFC 217

Opponent: Michael Bisping

Total reign: 33 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: St-Pierre accomplished his goal of holding titles in two UFC weight classes. Citing health issues, he relinquished the title about a month after he won it and interim champion Robert Whittaker was promoted.

Gallery

Georges St-Pierre def. Michael Bisping at UFC 217: Best photos

Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Date: Dec. 7, 2017

Total reign: 660 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Whittaker was made full champion after St-Pierre vacated.

Gallery

Robert Whittaker def. Yoel Romero at UFC 225: Best photos

Israel Adesanya (interim)

UFC 236: Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum
UFC 236: Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Date: April 13, 2019

Event: UFC 236

Opponent: Kelvin Gastelum

Notes: Adesanya won an interim belt while Whittaker was sidelined.

Gallery

Israel Adesanya def. Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236: Best photos

Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

Date: Oct. 6, 2019

Event: UFC 243

Opponent: Robert Whittaker

Total reign: 1,134 days

Title defenses: Yoel Romero (UFC 248), Paulo Costa (UFC 253), Marvin Vettori (UFC 263), Robert Whittaker (UFC 271), Jared Cannonier (UFC 276)

Notes: Adesanya looked like the next coming of Anderson Silva until an old kickboxing nemesis derailed him.

Gallery

Israel Adesanya def. Robert Whittaker at UFC 243: Best photos

Alex Pereira

Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira

Date: Nov. 12, 2022

Event: UFC 281

Opponent: Israel Adesanya

Total reign: 147 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Pereira, who had two kickboxing wins over Adesanya, beat him in MMA, too, though he lost the belt back to him in the rematch.

Gallery

Alex Pereira def. Israel Adesanya at UFC 281: Best photos

List

Twitter reacts to Alex Pereira's stunning title-winning TKO of Israel Adesanya at UFC 281

Israel Adesanya

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 08: Israel Adesanya of Nigeria celebrates after knocking uot Alex Pereira of Brazil during their Middleweight fight at Kaseya Center on April 08, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 08: Israel Adesanya of Nigeria celebrates after knocking uot Alex Pereira of Brazil during their Middleweight fight at Kaseya Center on April 08, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Date: April 8, 2023

Event: UFC 287

Opponent: Alex Pereira

Total reign: 155 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Adesanya didn't log a successful title defense in his second reign as champion.

Gallery

Israel Adesanya def. Alex Pereira at UFC 287: Best photos

List

Twitter reacts to Israel Adesanya's insane KO of Alex Pereira to regain title at UFC 287

Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland

Date: Sept. 10, 2023

Event: UFC 293

Opponent: Israel Adesanya

Total reign: 132 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Strickland went into enemy territory and beat Adesanya in Australia by outboxing him for 25 minutes.

Gallery

Sean Strickland def. Israel Adesanya at UFC 293: Best photos

List

Twitter reacts to Sean Strickland's upset of Israel Adesanya to win title at UFC 293

Dricus Du Plessis

Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Sean Strickland (red glove) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Sean Strickland (red glove) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Date: Jan. 20, 2024

Event: UFC 297

Opponent: Sean Strickland

Total reign: Incumbent

Title defenses: Israel Adesanya

Notes: Du Plessis beat Strickland to set up a highly anticipated grudge match between him and two-time former champion Adesanya. At UFC 305 in Perth, he submitted Adesanya in the fourth round for his first defense.

Gallery

Dricus Du Plessis def. Sean Strickland at UFC 297: Best photos

List

Social media reacts to Dricus Du Plessis' bloody title win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC middleweight title history: Anderson Silva, Dricus Du Plessis, Rich Franklin and more