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Current Lineal Champions in UFC [Male Divisions]

Lineal Champion is a fighter who at some point held the belt of promotion but lost it outside the fight (vacated/was stripped). He holds the Lineal title until first lose and the fighter who defeated him becomes next Lineal Champion. Until first lose. Some people when calculate who is current Lineal Champions use different restrictions like the divisions or promotions where the fight takes place. I decided to use only one restriction - fight must happen in MMA. The rest is fair play.

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Flyweight - Henry Cejudo

Note that DJ lost to Dominick Cruz before he become UFC Flyweight Champion.

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Bantamweight - Henry Cejudo

Technically Dominick Cruz never lost his title until Cody Garbrandt fight. Its funny to note that TJ Dillashaw had a chance to take Lineal title from Cruz but he lost and was able to take both titles (Undisputed and Lineal) when fought Cody. TJ lost to Cejudo at 125 this year.

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Featherweight - Khabib Nurmagomedov

Although after Jose Aldo fight Conor McGregor lost to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 he was able to retake the Lineal title in rematch at UFC 202. Since I count only MMA fights lose to Floyd Mayweather doesn't matter.

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Lightweight - Jon Jones

Note that first UFC Lightweight Champion was Jens Pulver who left UFC in 2002 while still being champion. Lightweight Lineal title has had a long road before it came back to UFC.

After leaving UFC Pulver lost to Duane Ludwig in UCC. Duane proceed to lose to young BJ Penn in 2004 in K-1 MMA. Penn then fights and lose to Lyoto Machida in openweight bout. Machida holds the Lineal title for next 5 years while becoming UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He lose to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua during his second title defence at UFC 113. Shogun lose in his next fight against Jon Jones.

Technically Jones never lose Lightweight Lineal title if we count NC in second fight against DC as pass.

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Welterweight - Jon Jones

You think Lightweight was crazy? Wait for this one.

The first UFC Welterweight Champion was Pat Miletich who won the title back in 1998. He lost the belt in his 5th title defence to Carlos Newton in 2001. But during his reign Pat was completing outside UFC also. After winning the belt Pat lose to Jutaro Nakao in Japan. Lineal title then changed hands few times still staying in Japan. During that time one of title holders was Anderson Silva! Who lose to Daiju Takase who then lose to Rodrigo Gracie. Gracie brings Lineal title back to US from Japan and lose it to... BJ Penn who at the time was Lightweight Lineal Champion already!

As we know from LW Lineal Champion history BJ Penn lost both titles to Lyoto Machida.

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Middleweight - DC

Middleweight Lineal Championship title starts when Murilo Bustamante leaves UFC in 2002 to sign with Pride FC while still being Undisputed Champion. Bustamante lose to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in his Pride debut during Pride Middleweight Grand Prix quarterfinal. Rampage defeats Chuck Liddell in semifinal but lose to Wanderlei Silva in the final.

Year later Wanderlei Silva lose to Mark Hunt in heavyweight bout. Two years later Hunt lose to Josh Barnett in Pride Openweight Grand Prix quarterfinal. Barnett proceed to lose to Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in final. Cro Cop lose to Gabriel Gonzaga in his second UFC bout in 2007.

This is the first time when Lineal title comes back to UFC after Bustamante's leave back in 2002. Gonzaga lose his next fight against Randy Couture in Heavyweight title fight. Couture lose to Brock Lesnar. Brock holds the Lineal title for next two years until Cain Velasquez defeats him. Cain Velasquez lose to Junior Dos Santos but later retakes both MW Lineal and HW Undisputed titles.

Until Fabricio Werdum defeats him at UFC 188 and then lose to Stipe Miocic at UFC 198. Miocic lose to Daniel Cormier at UFC 226.

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Light Heavyweight - Georges St. Pierre

Light Heavyweight Lineal Championship title starts when Frank Shamrock leaves UFC and vacates the belt in 1999. Frank Shamrock remains undefeated for next 8 years until he gets DQ in fight against Renzo Gracie.

Renzo lose his UFC debut to Matt Hughes at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. After 11 years LHW Lineal title comes back to UFC.

Hughes proceed to lose to BJ Penn at UFC 123 who then lose to Nick Diaz at UFC 137. Nick Diaz lose to Carlos Condit at UFC 143 in a fight for UFC Welterweight Interim Championship belt. Condit lose to Georges St. Pierre in unification bout.

February 21 2019 GSP retired from the sport.

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Heavyweight - DC

The Lineal title starts from 1998 when third champion in history of the division - Randy Couture - leaves the UFC to fight in Japan. Title stays in Japan changing hands (notable fighters who held the title are Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira) until Fedor Emelianenko brings it back to US when he starts fighting in Affliction.

Fedor lose the title to Fabricio Werdum during his second Strikeforce bout in 2010. Werdum lose his next fight against Alistair Overeem.

The Lineal title comes back to UFC in 2011 when Overeem fights Brock Lesnar at UFC 141. Alistair lose to Antonio "Big Foot" Silva who then lose his next fight to Cain Velasquez at UFC 160.

Cain Valasquez during that time was on his second HW reign after rematch with JDS. The rest you can check at the end of Middleweight part.