5 oldest fighters to win a UFC title for the first time

This weekend sees Glover Teixeira fight Jan Blachowicz for the UFC light-heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 267. The fighters have a combined age of 80, making this the oldest title fight in UFC history.

If Glover Teixeira can unseat Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267, at the age of 42, he'll become the oldest fighter to ever win a UFC title for the first time.

Currently, the oldest fighter to win a UFC title is Randy Couture, who captured the UFC light-heavyweight title for the second time at the age of 43. However, 'The Natural' had won his first title at the age of 34.

Of course, it's much trickier to ascend to the top of the mountain for the first time as an older fighter. That means if Teixeira pulls off a win this weekend, it'll make his accomplishment all the more monumental.

For now though, here are the five oldest fighters to win a UFC title for the first time:

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#5. Maurice Smith – won the UFC heavyweight title at 35 years, 7 months

Maurice Smith became the UFC's second heavyweight champion at the age of 35.

The UFC's second-ever heavyweight champion, Maurice Smith, was no spring chicken when he captured the title from Mark Coleman in the promotion's early days.

Smith defeated Coleman – who had previously dominated every opponent he'd ever faced – by unanimous decision in a major upset at UFC 14.

Incredibly, not that it was obvious from the fight, 'Mo' was actually three years older than Coleman at the time. He was 35 years and seven months when he won the gold.

Before beginning his MMA career, Smith was a highly credentialed kickboxer. He began his martial arts journey at the age of 13, and became a professional kickboxer in the early 1980s. He fought the likes of Don Wilson, Stan Longinidis and Ernesto Hoost in the years that followed.

Smith was already in his early 30's by the time he began his MMA career, taking fights in Japan for the Pancrase and RINGS promotions. Success in the Extreme Fighting promotion – an early competitor of the UFC – was enough for him to net an instant title shot on his octagon debut, and the rest is history.

'Mo' would only hold onto the UFC heavyweight title for a short period, five months to be exact. He dropped it to Randy Couture in his first official defense. However, 'The Natural', who would go on to become arguably the most beloved older fighter in UFC history, was just 34 at the time. He was a spring chicken compared to the 36-year-old Smith!

#4. Daniel Cormier – won the UFC light-heavyweight title at 36 years, 2 months

Daniel Cormier was one of the UFC's most successful older fighters.

When Daniel Cormier won the UFC heavyweight title from Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 in July 2018, he became one of the oldest champions in UFC history at the age of 39.

However, his first title victory, which came in May 2015 at UFC 187, saw him claim UFC gold at the age of 36 years and two months. That made him one of the oldest first-time champions in UFC history.

The victory didn't come without a bittersweet taste, though. 'DC' first challenged for the UFC light-heavyweight title four months before UFC 187, only to fall to a crushing defeat at the hands of his bitter rival Jon Jones.

At that point, it looked like Cormier would go down as one of the greatest fighters to never hold a UFC title. However, Jones' personal problems soon reared their ugly heads, forcing the promotion to strip him of the championship.

A fight between Cormier and top contender Anthony Johnson was then booked for the vacant title. 'DC survived a brutal knockdown in the early going to submit 'Rumble' in the third round to finally claim UFC gold.

The fact that Cormier never actually defeated his rival to win the title must've left a sour taste. However, six years later, with 'DC' now retired, it's arguable that his overall accomplishments outstrip those of Jones. Add to that the fact that he did so outside his athletic prime makes his accomplishments even more impressive.

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#3. Michael Bisping – won the UFC middleweight title at 37 years, 3 months

Michael Bisping's title win was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.

For a long time, it felt like Michael Bisping was destined to forever be the bridesmaid, never the bride when it came to winning a UFC title.

'The Count' became a UFC fighter in the summer of 2006 at the age of 27 after winning the third season of The Ultimate Fighter. It was clear that the brash Brit was destined for major stardom with the promotion.

Sure enough, Bisping quickly became the poster boy for the UFC in the UK and across Europe. However, despite pulling off some huge victories, it felt like he simply couldn't get over the final hump and win the big one.

'The Count' came close to title shots on numerous occasions. However, losses to the likes of Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort always seemed to knock him down at the last hurdle.

By 2016, injuries and age were starting to mount up for Bisping. So when he edged out former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in front of his own fans in London, it felt like the high point of his career.

Incredibly, though, 'The Count' found himself in a last-minute title fight just four months later. In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, he knocked out reigning UFC middleweight kingpin Luke Rockhold to finally claim gold.

The fact that Bisping did it at the age of 37 made him one of the UFC's oldest first-time champions. Doing so at the end of a storied, up-and-down career only added to his reputation as a fighter who simply never gave up, no matter how many times he was knocked back.

#2. Jan Blachowicz – won the UFC light-heavyweight title at 37 years, 7 months

Jan Blachowicz is one of the UFC's most unlikely champions.

There have been many unlikely champions in UFC history. However, it's arguable that current UFC light-heavyweight kingpin Jan Blachowicz is the most unlikely of them all. The Polish fighter started his fighting career back in 2007, at the age of 24. However, it took him a long time to even reach the UFC – seven years to be exact.

While he impressed on his octagon debut by stopping Ilir Latifi, he quickly hit a slump shortly after. He lost four of his next five fights, a run that had him on the verge of being cut by the UFC. However, Blachowicz turned things around in late 2017. He suddenly embarked on a winning run, and the run didn't stop, as he lost just once in his next seven bouts.

That was enough to land him a shot at the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. To the shock of most fans, the 'Polish power' was able to deliver a brutal knockout of Dominick Reyes. That made Blachowicz the new champion at the age of 37 years and seven months.

Blachowicz is now approaching his 39th birthday, but has already made one successful title defense. He'll be hoping to make his second against an even older opponent – Glover Teixeira – this weekend. If he can do that, his unlikely run as a senior champion will continue.

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#1. Fabricio Werdum – won the UFC heavyweight title at 37 years, 11 months

Fabricio Werdum ought to be considered a UFC legend in his own right.

The oldest fighter to become a first-time UFC champion remains Fabricio Werdum. He captured the UFC heavyweight title in June 2015, just one month short of his 38th birthday.

Werdum's run to the top of the UFC was definitely not straightforward, as he saw plenty of ups and downs before his title win. He didn't hold onto the title for very long – less than a year - losing it to Stipe Miocic in his first defense.

However, the fact that he overcame arguably the most talented UFC heavyweight champion of all time - Cain Velasquez - at the age of 37 was truly phenomenal.

Werdum was actually considered a hot prospect when he broke onto the scene in PRIDE in 2005, a decade before his UFC title win. At the time, he'd established himself as one of the world's best grapplers. However, for a while, at least, it didn't look like his skills would fully translate to MMA.

'Vai Cavalo' pulled off some excellent wins over fighters like Alistair Overeem and Gabriel Gonzaga. However, a loss to debutant Junior Dos Santos saw him released from the UFC for a while.

However, a win in StrikeForce over the legendary Fedor Emelianenko cemented him as a top-class heavyweight. He returned to the UFC shortly after with a much-improved overall game. He used his clinch work and striking to set up his eventual submission of Velasquez to win the title.

Werdum has since left the UFC. A slightly less successful run towards the end of his tenure meant many fans failed to give him the respect he deserved. However, for becoming a first-time UFC champion while pushing 40, he ought to be considered a legend in his own right.