At UFC 231, Max Holloway quieted the doubters. Unfazed by those who questioned his ability to make the cut to featherweight in the wake of three straight cancelled bouts and by public skepticism so intense that he became a rare case of a champion defending as an underdog, “Blessed” showed up, made weight easily and brutalized an incredibly resilient Brian Ortega into a doctor stoppage. As if to underscore his ability to make weight with physical gifts intact, Holloway broke the Ultimate Fighting Championship record for total strikes landed -- without even needing a fifth round.
Of course McGregor, as is his modus operandi, promptly left the division high and dry. In the chaos that ensued, Aldo landed three more title fights, but the man who rose to the top of the pack was Holloway. At only 27 years of age and with questions about his weight cut answered for the moment, it looks as if the Hawaiian will continue to bless the featherweight division.
This is the history of the UFC men’s featherweight title and the times it was won, lost or defended. Interim title fights are omitted with the exception of Aldo-Frankie Edgar 2, since the winner of that fight ended up being promoted to undisputed champ without a unification bout. It tells the story of a division stepping out of the shadow of one of the sport’s all-time greats and into a future bright with promise and rich with dynamic young contenders.
You can embed this infographic. Copy and paste the code below into your site: