Following the name of the champion(s): Indicates the number of times the competitor has held that title at that point.
[...]
Indicates a gap in the listing where title changes are not known.
<
Title was held or changed hands no later than this. In these cases, it is known that a competitor held the title at a certain time but not when he/she won it.
@
Order uncertain. Different titleholders may be known for the same year, for example, but it is not known who held the title before whom.
#
Unofficial or disputable claims. These are usually matches that certainly took place, but where there is doubt that the competitor shown should be recognized as a true title holder. These listings are also italicized.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
World Welterweight Title [170lb/77kg limit] (as of 2025-09-16)
* Lightweight Title until 2001-05.
* Bolded letters in the competitor's name, if any, indicate the surname/family name.
Pat Miletich
1998-10-16
São Paulo, BRA
Defeats Mikey Burnett to become the UFC Lightweight champion.
Carlos Newton
2001-05-04
Atlantic City, NJ
Becomes the World Welterweight Title according to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts established in 00.
Matt Hughes
2001-11-02
Las Vegas, NV
B.J. Penn
2004-01-31
Las Vegas, NV
Stripped on 04-05-17 after signing with K-1.
Matt Hughes [2]
2004-10-22
Atlantic City, NJ
Defeats Georges St. Pierre.
Georges St. Pierre
2006-11-18
Sacramento, CA
Matt Serra
2007-04-07
Houston, TX
Suffers a herniated disc in his lower back; Georges St. Pierre defeats Matt Hughes on 07-12-29 in Las Vegas, NV for interim title.
Georges St. Pierre [2]
2008-04-19
Montreal, QC, CAN
Defeats Serra to become the undisputed champion; Carlos Condit defeats Nick Diaz on 12-02-04 in Las Vegas, NV for interim title; St. Pierre defeats Condit on 12-11-17 in Montreal, QC to become the undisputed champion; vacates the title on 13-12-13 for taking time off from the competition.
Johny Hendricks
2014-03-15
Dallas, TX
Defeats Robbie Lawler.
Robbie Lawler
2014-12-06
Las Vegas, NV
Tyron Woodley
2016-07-30
Atlanta, GA
Colby Covington defeats Rafael dos Anjos for interim title on 18-06-09 in Chicago, IL but is stripped of it due to injury on 18-09-08.
