5 Best UFC Light-Heavyweight Champions in History

#2 Chuck Liddell

Chuck Liddell - Dominated the Light-Heavyweight division

One Reign

Four Defences

Chuck Liddell had a very long journey to the Light-Heavyweight Championship, having first been named number one contender in 2002 but several factors meant he was never able to receive his shot until 2005, when he challenged Randy Couture at UFC 52.

The Liddell-Couture rematch was a box office sensation and saw Liddell finally claim the gold with a decisive Knockout win in just 126 seconds.

From there, Liddell embarked on a series of defences wherein he displayed his incredible punching power to devastating effect.

Liddell crushed Jeremy Horn, the man who had inflicted his first UFC defeat on him several years earlier, before defeating Couture in a rematch that lasted longer but ended in exactly the same fashion as the UFC 52 fight.

After dispatching of Renato Sobral, Liddell was pitted against friend turned rival, Tito Ortiz for the second time.

Ortiz was competitive but Liddell was by far the superior fighter and once more knocked out his cocky opponent.

Liddell's title defeat was supposed to be a redemption match for him. Liddell had defeated Horn, one of the few men to previously beat him, and UFC planned for him to beat Quinton Jackson too, who had defeated him under the Pride banner.

It wasn't to be as "Rampage" smashed through Liddell in under two minutes to become the new Champion.

Liddell would only win one more MMA fight through the remainder of his career and never returned to title contention.