It is one thing to win a world championship and quite another to hang on to one. As the old saying goes, in order to become a true champion, a fighter must not only capture a title but successfully defend it. Many mixed martial artists have done so over the years, but only a select few have stayed on top for extended periods of time.

The latest installment in the Sherdog Top 10 series examines the longest uninterrupted title reigns -- in days -- within the major organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Pride Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, Bellator MMA, the World Series of Fighting and World Extreme Cagefighting. Remaining a champion for more than two years is an impressive feat, and everyone on this list surpassed that mark, some by quite a bit.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS: Ronda Rousey (UFC women’s bantamweight, 1,074 days); Hector Lombard (Bellator middleweight, 1,040 days); Pat Miletich (UFC welterweight, 931 days); Eduardo Dantas (Bellator bantamweight, 911 days); Cain Velasquez (UFC heavyweight, 896 days)

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Number 10 » Dominick Cruz