The new UFC champions in 2019
Israel Adesanya celebrates after defeating Robert Whittaker for the middleweight title at UFC 243 in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 6, 2019. Credit: AFP via Getty Images/ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE
When the calendar year 2019 began, a total of 77 men and women had been able to call themselves a UFC champion. That includes interim champions as well, of which only five never ascended to undisputed champion.
Here's a look at who has added themselves to that list in 2019.
UFC welterweight title: Kamaru Usman
At UFC 235 on March 2, Kamaru Usman became the 10th welterweight champion in UFC history with a dominant performance against Tyron Woodley. Usman, a former NCAA Division II national champion, outgrappled Woodley, a Division I All-American wrestler at Missouri, the entire fight and never let him get going. Usman also attacked Woodley with body shots throughout the bout with 83 strikes. Usman outlanded Woodley, who had defended his title four times previously, 336-60 overall.
UFC interim lightweight title: Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier bloodied reigning featherweight champion Max Holloway to win the interim lightweight title via unanimous decision at UFC 236 in Atlanta on April 13.
UFC women's strawweight title: Jessica Andrade
Jessica Andrade was able to come back from the effective striking of Rose Namajunas and pile drive her way out of kimura submission attempt to win the women's strawweight title at UFC 237. Andrade landed the knockout blow at 2:58 of the second round on May 11, taking Namajunas' title after more than 550 days as champion.
UFC bantamweight title: Henry Cejudo
Already the reigning flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo became a double champion when he beat Marlon Moraes for the vacant bantamweight title at UFC 238 on June 8 in Chicago. Moraes put it on Cejudo in the first round, but Cejudo adjusted to return the favor in the next two rounds, earning the TKO with nine seconds left in the third.
UFC women's strawweight title: Zhang Weili
At UFC Shenzhen in China, Weili stopped Jessica Andrade in 42 seconds via TKO to become the first Chinese champion in UFC history.
UFC heavyweight title: Stipe Miocic
Stipe Miocic reclaimed his heavyweight title from the man who took it from him the year prior. Miocic knocked out Daniel Cormier in the fourth round at UFC 241 on Aug. 17, a year and a month after Cormier did the same to him in the first round at UFC 226.
UFC middleweight title: Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya used a decisive fifth round to ensure the interim middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum in a memorable bout at UFC 236 in Atlanta on April 13. Adesanya outstruck Gastelum, 135-68, in the fight. Then, he unified the title by knocking out the reigning middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 on Oct. 5 in Melbourne, Australia.
UFC featherweight title: Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski used his leg kicks and movement to control the bout and beat Max Holloway for the featherweight title at UFC 245 on Dec. 14. Volkanovski, the second Australian champion in UFC history, won the bout, 48-47, 48-47 and 50-45.
Mark La Monica is a deputy sports editor at Newsday. He also covers mixed martial arts.
