All of these guys have made it to the pinnacle of the sport having all won and held onto their belts. Here’s how long each of the UFC’s champions have held gold. Who do you think will hold onto their belt the longest, and whose reign ends next? #ufc #seanstrickland #islammakhachev #justingaethje #joshuavan
Four of the UFC's reigning champions, Sean Strickland, Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje and Joshua Van, are the subject of a new look at how long each has held gold and whose reign might be the next to end. The comparison frames all four as fighters who reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning and then holding on to their belts.
The champions
Strickland, nicknamed Tarzan, is the middleweight champion at 31-7-0. The 35-year-old American trains out of Xtreme Couture and fights orthodox, standing six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. He is a volume striker, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy.
Makhachev, a 34-year-old from Russia, is listed as welterweight champion with a 29-1-0 record. He trains with Eagles MMA and fights southpaw at five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach. His grappling stands out: 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.9 submission attempts, alongside 58 percent striking accuracy.
Gaethje, known as The Highlight, holds the lightweight title at 28-5-0. The 37-year-old American fights out of Genesis Training Center and stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach. He lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy, one of the highest output rates among the group.
Van is the fourth champion in the discussion, though no further details on him are available here.
Why it matters
- Reign length is a measure of dominance. The longer a champion holds a belt, the more challengers they have turned away.
- The styles in the group vary widely, from Makhachev's takedown-heavy control game to the striking volume of Strickland and Gaethje.
- Age is part of the conversation. Gaethje is the oldest of the three profiled champions at 37, while Makhachev is 34 and Strickland is 35.
The piece leaves the question open to fans: who holds on the longest, and whose reign ends next.
