List of Strikeforce champions

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Strikeforce Men's World Championship belt
Strikeforce Women's World Championship belt

Strikeforce was an American mixed martial arts organization. It crowned male champions in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, and female champions in featherweight and bantamweight.

World champions[edit]

Men's championships[edit]

Heavyweight Championship[edit]

206 pounds (93 kg) to 265 pounds (120 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Netherlands Alistair Overeem
def. Paul Buentello
Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives
San Jose, CA, USA
November 16, 2007 1,351 days 1. def. Brett Rogers at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery on May 15, 2010
Overeem vacated the title on July 29, 2011 when his contract was absorbed by the UFC.[1]

Light Heavyweight Championship[edit]

186 pounds (84 kg) to 205 pounds (93 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 United States Bobby Southworth
def. Vernon White
Strikeforce: Triple Threat
San Jose, CA, USA
December 8, 2006 714 days 1. def. Anthony Ruiz at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson on Jun 27, 2008
2 Brazil Renato Sobral Strikeforce: Destruction
San Jose, CA, USA
November 21, 2008 267 days
3 Netherlands Gegard Mousasi Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
San Jose, CA, USA
August 15, 2009 245 days
4 United States Muhammed Lawal Strikeforce: Nashville
Nashville, TN, USA
April 17, 2010 126 days
5 Brazil Rafael Cavalcante Strikeforce: Houston
Houston, TX, USA days
August 21, 2010 196 days
6 United States Dan Henderson Strikeforce: Feijão vs. Henderson
Columbus, OH, USA
March 5, 2011 198 days
Henderson vacated the title on September 19, 2011 when his contract was absorbed by the UFC.[2]

Middleweight Championship[edit]

171 pounds (78 kg) to 185 pounds (84 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 United States Frank Shamrock
def. Phil Baroni
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni
San Jose, CA, USA
June 22, 2007 281 days
2 United States Cung Le Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le
San Jose, CA, USA
March 29, 2008 588 days
Le vacated the title on September 17, 2009 due to filming obligations.[3]
3 United States Jake Shields
def. Jason Miller
Strikeforce: Fedor vs Rogers
Hoffman Estates, IL, USA
November 7, 2009 287 days 1. def. Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Nashville on Apr 17, 2010
Shields vacated the title on July 1, 2010 when signed with the UFC.[4]
4 Brazil Ronaldo Souza
def. Tim Kennedy
Strikeforce: Houston
Houston, TX, USA
August 21, 2010 385 days 1. def. Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg on Jan 29, 2011
5 United States Luke Rockhold Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov
Cincinnati, OH, USA
September 10, 2011 490 days 1. def. Keith Jardine at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine on Jan 7, 2012
2. def. Tim Kennedy at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy on Jul 14, 2012
The Strikeforce Middleweight title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013.

Welterweight Championship[edit]

156 pounds (71 kg) to 170 pounds (77 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 United States Nick Diaz
def. Marius Žaromskis
Strikeforce: Miami
Sunrise, FL, USA
January 30, 2010 495 days 1. def. K. J. Noons at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II on Oct 9, 2010
2. def. Evangelista Santos at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg on Jan 29, 2011
3. def. Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Apr 9, 2011
Diaz vacated the title on June 9, 2011 when his contract was absorbed by the UFC.[5]
2 United States Nate Marquardt
def. Tyron Woodley
Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy
Portland, OR, USA
July 14, 2012 182 days
3 Belgium Tarec Saffiedine Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
January 12, 2013 0 days
The Strikeforce Welterweight title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013.

Lightweight Championship[edit]

146 pounds (66 kg) to 155 pounds (70 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 United States Clay Guida
def. Josh Thomson
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie
San Jose, CA, USA
March 10, 2006 91 days
2 United States Gilbert Melendez Strikeforce: Revenge
San Jose, CA, USA
June 9, 2006 749 days 1. def. Gabe Lemley at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le on March 29, 2008
3 United States Josh Thomson Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
San Jose, CA, USA
June 27, 2008 540 days
United States Gilbert Melendez
def. Rodrigo Damm for interim title
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz
San Jose, CA, USA
April 11, 2009 1. def. Mitsuhiro Ishida at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg on Aug 15, 2009
4 United States Gilbert Melendez (2) Strikeforce: Evolution
San Jose, CA, USA
December 19, 2009 1,218 days 1. def. Shinya Aoki at Strikeforce: Nashville on Apr 17, 2010
2. def. Tatsuya Kawajiri at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Apr 9, 2011
3. def. Jorge Masvidal at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on Dec 17, 2011
4. def. Josh Thomson at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier on May 19, 2012
The Strikeforce Lightweight Title was unified with the UFC Lightweight Title on April 20, 2013, when Benson Henderson defeated Melendez at UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Melendez.

Women's championships[edit]

Women's Featherweight Championship[edit]

136 pounds (62 kg) to 145 pounds (66 kg) Formerly known as the Women's Lightweight Championship and the Women's Middleweight Championship

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Brazil Cris Cyborg
def. Gina Carano
Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg
San Jose, CA, USA
August 15, 2009 874 days 1. def. Marloes Coenen at Strikeforce: Miami on Jan 30, 2010
2. def. Jan Finney at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum on Jun 26, 2010
NC. vs. Hiroko Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on Dec 17, 2011
Cyborg was stripped of the title on January 6, 2012 after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test.[6]

Women's Bantamweight Championship[edit]

126 pounds (57 kg) to 135 pounds (61 kg) Formerly known as the Women's Welterweight Championship

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 Canada Sarah Kaufman
def. Takayo Hashi
Strikeforce Challengers: Kaufman vs. Hashi
San Jose, CA, USA
February 26, 2010 225 days 1. def. Roxanne Modafferi at Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe on Jul 23, 2010
2 Netherlands Marloes Coenen Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II
San Jose, CA, USA
October 9, 2010 294 days 1. def. Liz Carmouche at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson on Mar 5th, 2011
3 United States Miesha Tate Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
Hoffman Estates, IL, USA
July 30, 2011 217 days
4 United States Ronda Rousey Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey
Columbus, OH, USA
March 3, 2012 278 days 1. def. Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman on Aug 18, 2012
The title was vacated on December 6, 2012 when Rousey became the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion.[7]

U.S. champions[edit]

Middleweight U.S. Championship[edit]

170 pounds (77 kg) to 185 pounds (84 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 United States Eugene Jackson
def. Ronald Jhun
Strikeforce: Triple Threat
San Jose, CA, USA
December 8, 2006 2,227 days
The Strikeforce Middleweight U.S. title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013.

Lightweight U.S. Championship[edit]

145 pounds (66 kg) to 155 pounds (70 kg)

No. Name Event Date Reign Defenses
1 United States Josh Thomson
def. Nam Phan
Strikeforce: Triple Threat
San Jose, CA, USA
December 8, 2006 2,227 days

1. def. Nick Gonzalez at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni on Jun 22, 2007

The Strikeforce Lightweight U.S. title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013.

Tournament winners[edit]

Event Division Winner Runner-up Date
Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives Middleweight Brazil Jorge Santiago South Africa Trevor Prangley November 17, 2007
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor Women's Bantamweight United States Miesha Tate Japan Hitomi Akano August 13, 2010
Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier Heavyweight United States Daniel Cormier United States Josh Barnett May 19, 2012

Records[edit]

Most wins in title bouts[edit]

Title wins Champion Division V D NC L
9 United States Gilbert Melendez Lightweight 9 0 0 1
4 United States Nick Diaz Welterweight 4 0 0 1
3 Brazil Cristiane Justino Women's Featherweight 3 0 1 0
United States Luke Rockhold Middleweight 3 0 0 0
2 United States Bobby Southworth Light Heavyweight 2 0 0 1
Canada Sarah Kaufman Women's Bantamweight 2 0 0 1
Brazil Ronaldo Souza Middleweight 2 0 0 1
Netherlands Marloes Coenen Women's Bantamweight 2 0 0 1
United States Jake Shields Middleweight 2 0 0 0
Netherlands Alistair Overeem Heavyweight 2 0 0 0
United States Ronda Rousey Women's Bantamweight 2 0 0 0

Most consecutive title defenses[edit]

Defenses Champion Division Period
4 United States Gilbert Melendez Lightweight April 19, 2009 – January 12, 2013
3 United States Nick Diaz Welterweight January 30, 2010 – June 9, 2011
2 Brazil Cristiane Justino Women's Featherweight August 15, 2009 – January 6, 2012
United States Luke Rockhold Middleweight September 10, 2011 – January 12, 2013
1 United States Bobby Southworth Light Heavyweight December 8, 2006 – November 21, 2008
United States Jake Shields Middleweight November 7, 2009 – July 1, 2010
Netherlands Alistair Overeem Heavyweight November 16, 2007 – July 29, 2011
Canada Sarah Kaufman Women's Bantamweight February 26, 2010 – October 9, 2010
Brazil Ronaldo Souza Middleweight August 21, 2010 – September 10, 2011
Netherlands Marloes Coenen Women's Bantamweight October 9, 2010 – July 30, 2011
United States Ronda Rousey Women's Bantamweight March 3, 2012 – December 6, 2012

Champions by nationality[edit]

The division champions include only linear and true champions. Interim champions who have never become linear champions will be listed as interim champions. Fighters with multiple title reigns in a specific division will also be counted once. Runners-up are not included in tournaments champions.

Country Division
champions
Tournaments
champions
Total
 United States 14 2 16
 Brazil 4 1 5
 Netherlands 3 3
 Belgium 1 1
 Canada 1 1
 Vietnam 1 1

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "STRIKEFORCE RELEASES ALISTAIR OVEREEM". MMAFighting.com. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
  2. ^ "Shogun Rua Tabbed to Welcome Dan Henderson Back at UFC 139 - MMAWeekly.com". mmaweekly.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  3. ^ "LE STEPS DOWN; SHIELDS VS. MILLER FOR 185 BELT". MMAWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  4. ^ "SHIELDS RELEASED BY STRIKEFORCE, UFC DEAL EXPECTED". MMAWeekly.com. Archived from the original on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
  5. ^ Martin, Damon (June 9, 2011). "Nick Diaz Vacates Belt to Face GSP at UFC 137". Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  6. ^ "Cris 'Cyborg' Santos Stripped of Title, End of the 145lb Division? - MMAWeekly.com". mmaweekly.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  7. ^ Dana White Media Scrum, Post-UFC 154 (18:30)