5 UFC fighters who fought for a title early in their octagon careers

#2. Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson – former UFC light heavyweight champion

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson took Chuck Liddell's light-heavyweight title in his second octagon appearance

When Chuck Liddell unseated Randy Couture for the UFC light heavyweight title in early 2005, the win also meant that he’d avenged one of his three career losses. He quickly went about avenging another when he stopped Jeremy Horn later that year, leaving just one fighter left on his list of vengeance: Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.

'Rampage' had beaten Liddell via TKO in a 2003 PRIDE bout, and while he remained with the Japanese promotion when ‘The Iceman’ first claimed gold in the octagon, things quickly changed in early 2007 when he was signed by the UFC.

Many fans expected 'Rampage' to be given a crack at Liddell in his octagon debut. Instead, the promotion decided to let him establish himself there by giving him a chance to avenge one of his own earlier losses, matching him with journeyman Marvin Eastman.

'Rampage' duly dispatched Eastman, and that one win in the octagon was enough for the UFC to grant him a shot at Liddell in the long-awaited rematch.

However, if Liddell thought he’d be able to clear his ledger for good, he was sadly mistaken. After over-reaching with a hook to the body, he was caught by a beautiful counter-right hook from Jackson and a quick shot on the ground finished him off.

The loss signaled the end of Liddell’s time as a top-level fighter, as he would win just one more bout before his 2010 retirement. 'Rampage', meanwhile, went onto become one of the UFC’s biggest superstars.

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#1. Gilbert Melendez – former UFC lightweight contender

Gilbert Melendez debuted in the octagon with a title shot

The only fighter in recent years whose UFC debut came in a title shot was Gilbert Melendez, who fought Benson Henderson for the lightweight crown in the Spring of 2013.

The reason for ‘El Nino’ being granted an instant title shot was a simple one: he’d held the Strikeforce lightweight title on two occasions and had been that promotion’s champion since December 2009, making four successful defenses in the process.

Curiously, though, Melendez was the only Strikeforce champion to be given an instant title shot, as other titleholders like Luke Rockhold and Tarec Saffiedine were forced to fight other dangerous contenders instead. If anything, it showed how highly the UFC valued ‘El Nino’.

Unfortunately, though, despite many fans believing he’d done enough to deserve the nod, Melendez fell to a split decision defeat at the hands of ‘Smooth’. Remarkably, despite another title shot in 2014, it was the closest he came to glory in the octagon.

‘El Nino’ won just one more fight in his UFC career – a decision over Diego Sanchez in late 2013 – as his stint with the promotion came slumping to a halt in the summer of 2019 after five straight defeats, as well as a positive drug test.