It’s not wanting good for former UFC welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad. Not solely did he lose his final outing to Jack Della Maddelena at UFC 315, but when historical past is to repeat itself, he’s set to undergo a tough run of kind.
After dropping the belt, UFC welterweight champions undergo a tricky time, traditionally talking. We check out a few of the former UFC welterweight champions and their post-championship careers.
Type of Former UFC Welterweight Champions
Leon Edwards
Leon Edwards dropped the belt in a really lacklustre efficiency towards Muhammad in Manchester at UFC 304. He seemed gun shy, devoid of confidence and easily put, got here out with the flawed gameplan towards Bully B, which finally result in him dropping the belt.
The combat after that, he was dominated by Sean Brady, once more in his residence nation. Within the 2025 UFC London most important occasion, Edwards was seemed recent out of concepts as to the best way to take care of wrestlers. 5 takedowns later and 11:10 of management time later, Edwards slipped to 0-2, having been the champion.
Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman was probably the most dominant UFC welterweight champions in latest reminiscence. All through his reign, he added vicious putting to his arsenal.
After 5 straight defences of his belt, he appeared set to make his six straight, till he was caught with a brilliantly timed headkick by the hands (or toes) of Leon Edwards. In a rematch, Usman wasn’t in a position to get the win again towards Edwards.
After that, he dropped a brief discover combat towards Khamzat Chimaev, taking him to 0-3 in his final three outings after a 19 combat successful run.
Tyron Woodley
T-Wooden, Tyron Woodley gave the impression to be essentially the most harmful welterweight since Georges St Piere throughout his reign, spanning a bit wanting three years. His wrestling defence, potential offence and his vicious energy made him a feared man at 170.
Handing Stephen Thompson solely his second UFC loss, he negated Demien Maia’s sport and dominated the beforehand undefeated Darren Until on his option to 4 straight UFC welterweight title defences.
After being dominated himself by Usman, Woodley would go on to undergo an extra three UFC losses earlier than transitioning into the world of influencer boxing, going 0-2 towards Jake Paul.
Robbie Lawler
After back-to-back wars, Robbie Lawler lastly misplaced his belt to T-Wooden. No doubt, Ruthless was probably the most thrilling UFC welterweight champions in historical past.
Though he gained the speedy combat after dropping to Woodley, a unanimous choice victory over Donald Cerrone, his fortune wouldn’t be continued.
Struggling 4 straight losses after defeating Cerrone, Lawler would retire with a file 3-5, coming into the corridor of fame within the trendy wing in 2025.
Johnny Hendricks
At UFC 181, Lawler was in a position to defeat Johnny Hendricks to seize the belt. Previous to this, Hendricks had controversially misplaced to Georges St Pierre through break up choice, sending GSP into retirement (for 4 years) and defeated Lawler himself.
After dropping the belt to Lawler of their rematch, Hendricks would go on to endure a torrid run of kind, going 2-5, together with lacking weight thrice and never placing again to again wins collectively.
He’d transition into naked knuckle boxing, nonetheless, would lose his one and solely combat by knockout to Dakota Cochrane in 2018.
Matt Serra
Matt Serra pulled off one of many largest upsets in UFC historical past after he gained The Final Fighter to get a title shot at GSP. The UFC welterweight title image altered massively throughout 2007-2008.
Serra was injured and needed to pull out of the rematch, as an alternative taking over St Pierre within the challenger’s residence nation of Canada. It didn’t go nicely for Serra. A dominant efficiency was put in by the Canadian native, ending issues in simply over seven minutes.
After dropping the belt, Serra went 1-2 and retired from the sport. In 2018, Serra was inducted into the Corridor of Fame, deservedly so.
Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes. One other former UFC welterweight champion who has entered the UFC Corridor of Fame and one other man who misplaced the belt and struggled afterwards. He took on GSP and misplaced the UFC welterweight belt again in 2006.
Regardless of beating Chris Lytle within the combat straight after dropping the belt, he went on to lose two straight to GSP in a rematch for the interim strap after which went on to get completed by Thiago Alves in London. Though he would go on to place three wins collectively, he by no means noticed a title combat once more.
With that being stated, he retired a legend of the game.
Carlos Newton
Ah, Carlos Newton. One of the recognisable faces from the early days of the UFC welterweight division, Newton entered the UFC title image in 2001. He had had a run within the UFC previous to his UFC welterweight title shot at UFC 17, nonetheless, that includes on big promotions like PRIDE and Shooto, Newton was prepared when the UFC name got here.
He gained the belt towards Pat Miletich at UFC 31, however sadly for Newton, misplaced it (in now-famous vogue) as a result of a slam knockout by the hands of Hughes.
He would retire with a post-title combat file of 5-10. He retired as the primary Canadian UFC champion, one thing that nobody can take away from him.
Pat Miletich
Miletich was the primary UFC welterweight champion, capturing the inaugural belt at UFC Brazil 23 years in the past. He would go on to make 4 defences of his belt earlier than dropping it to Newton.
After dropping the belt, Miletich would go 2-2 earlier than retiring in 2008. He would make a return in 2023 below the Caged Aggression MMA banner at age 55 towards Mike Jackson. He would retire from the combat on the finish of the second spherical, a disappointing finish to his MMA tenure. With that being stated, he’s yet one more former UFC welterweight champion who’s featured within the UFC Corridor of Fame.
The Exception
There may be one man who we haven’t spoken about in our checklist of welterweight champions to struggled after dropping the belt. Georges St Pierre.
Rush misplaced the belt to Serra in 2007; nonetheless, he was in a position to win the interim belt of their rematch. Since then, he’s gone undefeated. He made 9 defences of his UFC welterweight title earlier than retiring from the game.
He gave up the belt and allowed the division to thrive. He returned 4 years later, this time at middleweight to turn out to be a two-weight world champion, defeating Michael Bisping.
He’s the one exception within the UFC welterweight division, a person who misplaced the belt however managed to rebound and located nice kind afterwards.
