4 current UFC fighters who we may have forgotten were once champions

The memory of a combat sports fan is short. In the UFC, glory is instantly celebrated. Fighters are revered and cherished like modern-day gladiators. However, the moment they lose fights, fans can forget about their glorious past.

Memories of some UFC champions fade quickly. These athletes usually fight long after losing their titles. More often than not, most who fight past their prime are judged based on recent form instead of their celebrated past. This article looks at four current UFC fighters who we may have forgotten were once champions.

#4 Andrei Arlovski

Andrei Arlovski became UFC heavyweight champion way back in 2005 after beating Tim Sylvia at UFC 51. Arlovski has made two successful title defenses since then before losing to the same man he captured gold against.

It's been over 15 years since Arlovski was champion and he's fought an incredible 40 bouts inside the octagon since losing his title. However, his inconsistency ensured that he never received another title shot.

#3 Frankie Edgar

It seems like ages ago when Frankie Edgar was the UFC lightweight champion. In a division stacked with the best fighters on the planet, Edgar was once crowned king. Over a decade ago, in 2010, Frankie Edgar became the lightweight champion by beating hall-of-famer B.J. Penn.

He then went on to defend the title thrice before losing it to Benson Henderson in 2012. He lost an immediate rematch with Henderson and bid goodbye to the chances of becoming a champion in the 155lbs division again. Since then, Edgar has fought in the featherweight and bantamweight divisions as well but never won another title.

Edgar had three title shots in the featherweight division and failed to make any of them count. He now competes in the bantamweight division. Since losing the title, Edgar has lost seven more fights inside the octagon and isn't regarded as a top contender anymore.

#2 Carla Esparza

Former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza has been fighting for the promotion since 2014 and is still considered one of the best strawweights in the world. However, her championship reign is surely a distant memory now. Esparza became champion by beating current champion Rose Namajunas at The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale in 2014.

Carla Esparza already saw her fight with Yan Xiaonan as a No. 1 contender’s fight but Rose Namajunas becoming champion again “100 percent” solidified it(Remember, Esparza beat Namajunas to become the first ever 115-pound champ)#UFCVegas27 https://t.co/CUEq3wiIWQ

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) May 22, 2021

However, in her first title defense, Esparza fell to Joanna Jędrzejczyk and since then, was unable to recapture the gold strap. Since her loss to Joanna, Esparza has gone on to lose thrice inside the octagon but is now on a four-fight win streak. Looking to mount a title run, the veteran fighter will take on surging, undefeated prospect Yan Xiaonan at UFC Vegas 27 on 22nd May.

#1 Chris Weidman

Chris Weidman was tipped to become one of the most dominant middleweight champions in UFC history when he ended the championship reign of the legendary Anderson Silva back in 2013. He shocked the world by knocking out Silva in the main event of UFC 162.

#62 | UFC 162 | July 6, 2013You can't play games in the Octagon... #UFC500UFC 162: Silva vs Weidman ▶️ https://t.co/9fKwExVJaU pic.twitter.com/aOIi2zLuN9

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) December 6, 2019

Weidman went on to defend the middleweight title thrice before succumbing to a devastating knockout loss against Luke Rockhold. Since that loss, Weidman's career has hit a downhill slide and he's now reduced to a forgotten hero. With six losses in his last eight fights, Weidman is nearing the end of his career and is unlikely to fight for the title again.