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UFC welterweight title history: Georges St-Pierre, Leon Edwards, Belal Muhammad and more

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(This story was updated to add new information.)

The 170-pound was up for grabs at UFC 304, and after years of waiting for a shot, Belal Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) dethroned champion Leon Edwards (22-4 MMA, 14-3 UFC).

The welterweight division in the UFC has had some lengthy title reigns. Take a look at a chronological history of the UFC's 170-pound belt.

Pat Miletich

Pat Milebich
Pat Milebich

Date: Oct. 16, 1998

Event: UFC Brazil

Opponent: Mikey Burnett

Total reign: 931 days

Title defenses: Jorge Patino, Andre Pederneiras, John Alessio, Kenichi Yamamoto

Notes: In the history books as the inaugural UFC welterweight champion.

Carlos Newton

LONDON - JULY 13: Carlos Newton of Canada battles with Matt Hughes of the USA during the Ultimate Fighting Championship, "Brawl in the Royal Albert Hall", in the Royal Albert Hall London, England on July 13, 2002. (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)
LONDON - JULY 13: Carlos Newton of Canada battles with Matt Hughes of the USA during the Ultimate Fighting Championship, "Brawl in the Royal Albert Hall", in the Royal Albert Hall London, England on July 13, 2002. (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)

Date: May 4, 2001

Event: UFC 31

Opponent: Pat Miletich

Total reign: 183 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Newton submitted Miletich to win the title. When he lost it to Hughes, it was in one of the most memorable finishes in UFC history when Hughes slammed him – but they both may have been unconscious for a brief moment.

Matt Hughes

Dec 5, 2014; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Former UFC champion Matt Hughes looks on prior to the UFC 181 weigh-ins at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2014; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Former UFC champion Matt Hughes looks on prior to the UFC 181 weigh-ins at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Date: Nov. 2, 2001

Event: UFC 34

Opponent: Carlos Newton

Total reign: 820 days

Title defenses: Hayato Sakurai, Carlos Newton, Gil Castillo, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg

Notes: Hughes was easily the division's most dominant champion for years until Georges St-Pierre came into the picture.

B.J. Penn

B.J. Penn
B.J. Penn

Date: Jan. 31, 2004

Event: UFC 46

Opponent: Matt Hughes

Total reign: 107 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Penn's title reign was the shortest in UFC welterweight history. He was stripped of the belt when he left the promotion for K-1, where he had three largely inconsequential wins north of 185 pounds before he returned to the UFC.

Matt Hughes

LONDON - JULY 13: Matt Hughes of the USA and current Welterweight Champion celebrates his win over Carlos Newton of Canada during the Ultimate Fighting Championship, "Brawl in the Royal Albert Hall", in the Royal Albert Hall London, England on July 13, 2002. (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)
LONDON - JULY 13: Matt Hughes of the USA and current Welterweight Champion celebrates his win over Carlos Newton of Canada during the Ultimate Fighting Championship, "Brawl in the Royal Albert Hall", in the Royal Albert Hall London, England on July 13, 2002. (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)

Date: Oct. 22, 2004

Event: UFC 50

Opponent: Georges St-Pierre

Total reign: 757 days

Title defenses: Frank Trigg, B.J. Penn

Notes: Hughes started his second reign as champion with a win over St-Pierre for the title left vacant when Penn was stripped when he left for K-1.

Georges St-Pierre

Jan. 31, 2009; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Georges St-Pierre celebrates with the champions belt after defeating B.J. Penn (not pictured) during the welterweight championship in UFC 94 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. St-Pierre defeated Penn with a fourth round TKO. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan. 31, 2009; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Georges St-Pierre celebrates with the champions belt after defeating B.J. Penn (not pictured) during the welterweight championship in UFC 94 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. St-Pierre defeated Penn with a fourth round TKO. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Date: Nov. 18, 2006

Event: UFC 65

Opponent: Matt Hughes

Total reign: 140 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: St-Pierre avenged a loss to Hughes from two years prior and took the title from him. He had the shortest title reign in UFC welterweight history that didn't stem from a belt being stripped, but made up for it in his second reign.

Matt Serra

Matt Serra, UFC 69
Matt Serra, UFC 69

Date: Dec. 29, 2007

Event: UFC 69

Opponent: Georges St-Pierre

Total reign: 378 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Serra's knockout upset of St-Pierre came on the heels of his Season 4 "Ultimate Fighter" win, the gimmick of which was that he got a title shot. It remains one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre, UFC 83
Georges St-Pierre, UFC 83

Date: April 19, 2008

Event: UFC 83

Opponent: Matt Serra

Total reign: 2,064 days

Title defenses: Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn, Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jake Shields, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Johny Hendricks

Notes: Statistically the greatest welterweight fighter in history, GSP also is at the top of many lists of best fighter of all time. He also won the UFC's middleweight title in one fight out of retirement, but vacated it soon after. St-Pierre's second reign was the longest in welterweight history. Prior to his win over Serra in their rematch, St-Pierre won an interim title at UFC 79 against Matt Hughes.

Carlos Condit (interim)

February 4, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Carlos Condit celebrates after he wins the fight against Nick Diaz during UFC 143 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Carlos Codit defeated Nick Diaz. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
February 4, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Carlos Condit celebrates after he wins the fight against Nick Diaz during UFC 143 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Carlos Codit defeated Nick Diaz. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Date: Feb. 4, 2012

Event: UFC 143

Opponent: Nick Diaz

Total reign: N/A

Title defenses: None

Notes: Condit beat Diaz by unanimous decision in Las Vegas to win an interim title while Georges St-Pierre was sidelined, but lost a decision to him in the title unifcation bout later in the year.

Johny Hendricks

Johny Hendricks, UFC 171
Johny Hendricks, UFC 171

Date: March 15, 2014

Event: UFC 171

Opponent: Robbie Lawler

Total reign: 266 days

Title defenses: None

Notes: Hendricks beat Lawler to win a title vacated by Georges St-Pierre's retirement.

Robbie Lawler

Robbie Lawler at UFC 181.
Robbie Lawler at UFC 181.

Date: Dec. 6, 2014

Event: UFC 181

Opponent: Johny Hendricks

Total reign: 602 days

Title defenses: Rory MacDonald, Carlos Condit

Notes: Lawler and Hendricks first fought for the belt Georges St-Pierre vacated, and Hendricks came out on top. But in the rematch, Lawler won the title in a barnburner.

Tyron Woodley

Sep 8, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Tyron Woodley (red gloves) receives his championship belt after the fight against Darren Till (not pictured) during UFC 228 at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 8, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Tyron Woodley (red gloves) receives his championship belt after the fight against Darren Till (not pictured) during UFC 228 at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Date: July 30, 2016

Event: UFC 201

Opponent: Robbie Lawler

Total reign: 945 days

Title defenses: Stephen Thompson (twice – draw and decision), Demian Maia, Darren Till

Notes: Woodley is the only welterweight in UFC history to retain his title with a draw.

Colby Covington (interim)

Jun 9, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Colby Covington (blue gloves) defeats Rafael Dos Anjos (red gloves) during UFC 225 at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 9, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Colby Covington (blue gloves) defeats Rafael Dos Anjos (red gloves) during UFC 225 at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Date: June 9, 2018

Event: UFC 225

Opponent: Rafael dos Anjos

Total reign: N/A

Title defenses: None

Notes: Won an interim belt while champion Tyron Woodley was sidelined, but was stripped of that interim title three months later with his own injury. He's had three title shots since then and lost all three.

Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman, UFC 235
Kamaru Usman, UFC 235

Date: March 2, 2019

Event: UFC 235

Opponent: Tyron Woodley

Total reign: 1,267 days

Title defenses: Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal (twice), Gilbert Burns

Notes: Usman's lengthy title reign is the second longest consecutive span in the division behind Georges St-Pierre.

Leon Edwards

Aug 20, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) fights Leon Edwards (blue gloves) during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) fights Leon Edwards (blue gloves) during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

Date: Aug. 20, 2022

Event: UFC 278

Opponent: Kamaru Usman

Total reign: 707 days

Title defenses: Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington

Notes: Edwards' fifth-round head-kick knockout of Usman in a fight he was going to lose easily by decision is one of the most dramatic title moments in history.

Belal Muhammad

Mixed Martial Arts - UFC 304 - Manchester - Co-op Live, Manchester, Britain - July 28, 2024. Belal Muhammad reacts after winning his fight against Leon Edwards during UFC 304. REUTERS/John Sibley
Mixed Martial Arts - UFC 304 - Manchester - Co-op Live, Manchester, Britain - July 28, 2024. Belal Muhammad reacts after winning his fight against Leon Edwards during UFC 304. REUTERS/John Sibley

Date: July 27, 2024

Event: UFC 304

Opponent: Leon Edwards

Total reign: Incumbent

Title defenses: TBA

Notes: It took Muhammad more than five years and a 9-0 run – plus a no contest with Edwards – to get a title shot. He is the first Palestinian champion in UFC history.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC welterweight title history: Georges St-Pierre, Leon Edwards, Belal Muhammad and more