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

#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.