First, a run-down of the particulars:
- Due to potential metric conversion issues and weight class changes, a limit of 172 pounds is observed for this list.
- Inception of the championship occured on 1/13/1990, the first fight between two top fighters that resulted in a clear #1.
- Sporadic periods of inactivity were observed throughout the first half of the lineage. Clear “top contender” matches took place to determine the next champion.
Your current lineal Welterweight champion is Leon Edwards.
The full history is below. Note, the colored backgrounds indicate a title change.
MMA Welterweight Lineal Championship History
| Date | Champion | Outcome | Challenger | Notes |
| 1990-01-13 | Yasuto Sekishima | W | Yoshimasa Ishikawa | The first top-contender match-up. |
| 1990-03-17 | Yasuto Sekishima | D | Kenji Kawaguchi | |
| 1990-05-12 | Yasuto Sekishima | W | Yoshimasa Ishikawa | |
| 1990-07-07 | Yasuto Sekishima | W | Naoki Sakurada | |
| 1990-11-28 | Yasuto Sekishima | D | Naoki Sakurada | |
| 1991-01-13 | Yasuto Sekishima | W | Manabu Yamada | |
| 1991-03-29 | Yasuto Sekishima | W | Takashi Tojo | |
| 1991-08-03 | Yoshimasa Ishikawa | W | Yasuto Sekishima | Ishikawa leaves division. |
| 1991-10-17 | Naoki Sakurada | W | Yasuto Sekishima | Vacant title. |
| 1991-12-23 | Naoki Sakurada | W | Kazuhiro Kusayanagi | |
| 1992-05-29 | Yuichi Watanabe | W | Naoki Sakurada | Watanabe retires. |
| 1992-09-25 | Naoki Sakurada | W | Kazuhiro Kusayanagi | Vacant title. |
| 1994-07-29 | Naoki Sakurada | D | Yasushi Warita | |
| 1995-01-21 | Naoki Sakurada | W | Maurice Roumimper | Sakurada leaves division. |
| 2001-11-02 | Matt Hughes | W | Carlos Newton | Vacant title. |
| 2002-03-22 | Matt Hughes | W | Hayato Sakurai | |
| 2002-07-13 | Matt Hughes | W | Carlos Newton | |
| 2002-11-22 | Matt Hughes | W | Gil Castillo | |
| 2003-04-25 | Matt Hughes | W | Sean Sherk | |
| 2003-11-21 | Matt Hughes | W | Frank Trigg | |
| 2004-01-31 | B.J. Penn | W | Matt Hughes | |
| 2004-05-22 | B.J. Penn | W | Duane Ludwig | |
| 2006-03-04 | Georges St. Pierre | W | B.J. Penn | |
| 2006-11-18 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Matt Hughes | |
| 2007-04-07 | Matt Serra | W | Georges St. Pierre | |
| 2008-04-19 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Matt Serra | |
| 2008-08-09 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Jon Fitch | |
| 2009-01-31 | Georges St. Pierre | W | B.J. Penn | |
| 2009-07-11 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Thiago Alves | |
| 2010-03-27 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Dan Hardy | |
| 2010-12-11 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Josh Koscheck | |
| 2011-04-30 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Jake Shields | |
| 2012-11-17 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Carlos Condit | |
| 2013-03-16 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Nick Diaz | |
| 2013-11-17 | Georges St. Pierre | W | Johny Hendricks | St. Pierre relinquishes UFC title and goes on hiatus. |
| 2014-12-06 | Robbie Lawler | W | Johny Hendricks | Vacant title |
| 2015-07-12 | Robbie Lawler | W | Rory MacDonald | |
| 2016-01-02 | Robbie Lawler | W | Carlos Condit | |
| 2016-07-30 | Tyron Woodley | W | Robbie Lawler | |
| 2016-11-12 | Tyron Woodley | D | Stephen Thompson | |
| 2017-03-04 | Tyron Woodley | W | Stephen Thompson | |
| 2017-07-29 | Tyron Woodley | W | Demian Maia | |
| 2018-09-08 | Tyron Woodley | W | Darren Till | |
| 2019-03-02 | Kamaru Usman | W | Tyron Woodley | |
| 2019-12-14 | Kamaru Usman | W | Colby Covington | |
| 2020-07-11 | Kamaru Usman | W | Jorge Masvidal | |
| 2021-02-13 | Kamaru Usman | W | Gilbert Burns | |
| 2021-04-24 | Kamaru Usman | W | Jorge Masvidal | |
| 2021-11-06 | Kamaru Usman | W | Colby Covington | |
| 2022-08-21 | Leon Edwards | W | Kamaru Usman | |
| 2023-03-18 | Leon Edwards | W | Kamaru Usman |
16 Comments
Keep in mind, lineal title is NOT THE SAME as the UFC belt. It just so happened in the past few years that all lineages converged to current UFC titles, because most of the top contenders are in the UFC.
Robbie Lawler is the current welterweight lineal champion now….not Johny Hendricks
Keep in mind, lineal title is NOT THE SAME as the UFC belt. It just so happened in the past few years that all lineages converged to current UFC titles, because most of the top contenders are in the UFC.
Check the generated historical rankings. Miletich wasn’t ranked #1 when he captured the UFC title or for most of his reign, and for the most part didn’t fight other top contenders. He also lost multiple fights outside of UFC during that period. If we include Miletich in the lineage, which fight would you even start with?
Hughes-Newton was the first “top contender ” fight in many years.
Check the generated historical rankings. Miletich wasn’t ranked #1 when he captured the UFC title or for most of his reign, and for the most part didn’t fight other top contenders. He also lost multiple fights outside of UFC during that period. If we include Miletich in the lineage, which fight would you even start with?
Hughes-Newton was the first “top contender ” fight in many years.
You can all add Carlos Newton to that as well.
So the title got vacated for 6 years… Between 1995 and 2001 what did Pat miletich do to piss you guys off. you know the guy who was UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner & UFC Welterweight Champion?
Considering this ranking system that you guys have set up it’s a complete joke with out having Pat miletich recognized as a champion.
You can all add Carlos Newton to that as well.
So the title got vacated for 6 years… Between 1995 and 2001 what did Pat miletich do to piss you guys off. you know the guy who was UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner & UFC Welterweight Champion?
Considering this ranking system that you guys have set up it’s a complete joke with out having Pat miletich recognized as a champion.
Updated, thanks.
2016-01-02 Robbie Lawler win Carlos Condit
Updated, thanks.
2016-01-02 Robbie Lawler win Carlos Condit
Thanks for the correction.
Robbie Lawler is the current welterweight lineal champion now….not Johny Hendricks
Thanks for the correction.