For the first time in UFC history, the organization has stripped a Light Heavyweight Champion of their title. Jon Jones is only the latest in a hefty line of UFC talent to be stripped of his status.
Here’s a look at UFC’s history of Bogarting the Belt, this timeline doesn’t include vacated titles.
In 1998 Heavyweight icon Randy Couture was the first UFC Champion to be stripped of his belt. This coming after Couture and Ultimate Fighting Championship couldn’t come to terms on a new contract for the Natural.
In March 2002 at UFC 36 Josh Barnett crushed Couture in two rounds to win the Heavyweight Title, the following July, Barnett was stripped of his title after it was found he’d tested positive for anabolic steroids after his title victory.
In October 2002, UFC Middleweight Champion Brazilian icon Murilo Bustamante was stripped of his title after Bustamante signed a contract with Japanese promotion Pride FC.
Tim Sylvia was stripped of his Heavyweight title in October 2003 after testing positive for steroids after a successful title defense against Gan McGee.
In 2004, BJ Penn defeated Matt Hughes via rear-naked choke to win the UFC Welterweight title. Five months later BJ Penn announced plans to fight for Japanese fight promotion K-1 and was promptly stripped of his Welterweight belt.
Following a life threatening motorcycle accident September 2004, Frank Mir was left out of competition for months. Not able to wait longer for the champ to recuperate, the UFC stripped Mir of his title for inactivity the following year.
In 2007, after Sean Sherk’s title defence against Hermes Franca at UFC 73, both men tested positive for banned substance. Sherk was stripped of his title shortly after.
April 28, 2015 the UFC announces Jon Jones is no longer UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and is suspended indefinitely after the star was involved in a hit and run accident.
Couture and Sylvia are the only two fighters that were ever able to recapture gold in the division they’d lost the title in. We’ll see if Jones could add his name to this short list after he’s taken some time off from fighting.
Read more on Jon Jones here.
Read Edson’s latest Today in MMA History post.
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