Sherdog’s Top 10: Longest Major MMA Title Reigns

7. Tito Ortiz | UFC Light Heavyweight -- 1,260 Days

Way back in the early days of the UFC, right around the time Zuffa purchased it from Semaphore Entertainment Group, Ortiz’s star burned brighter than anyone else’s. He was far and away the most popular fighter, and the UFC rode his popularity as hard as it could. It did not hurt that he was phenomenal at the time, smashing many with ease.

On April 14, 2000, Ortiz took a five-round decision from Wanderlei Silva to claim the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. He would not relinquish it until he bowed to Randy Couture three years later. In between, no one stood a chance against Ortiz. “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” knocked out Evan Tanner, stopped Elvis Sinosic and Ken Shamrock, neck cranked Yuki Kondo and outpointed Vladimir Matyushenko. Ortiz became the face of the UFC before running into Couture. He went on to lose to Chuck Liddell in his next fight and then rattled off five straight victories to earn a rematch with “The Iceman.” However, a second title run was not in the cards, as Ortiz succumbed to third-round punches from Liddell at UFC 66.

Number 6 » Jon Jones