Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Title Reigns

4. Jose Aldo

WEC Featherweight Champion, 2009-2010
UFC Featherweight Champion, 2010-2015

I've frequently mentioned that I consider Aldo the greatest fighter ever, so it should come as little surprise that he was first place on my own list. Winning the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title in 2009 by crushing Mike Thomas Brown early in the second round, he held what would soon become the UFC featherweight title for over six years in perhaps the most skilled weight class in all of MMA, finally losing it in December 2015 in a shocking knockout loss to Conor McGregor.

During that time, Aldo was an all-time great striker who could completely nullify even the best opponent grappling, while also being a very good wrestler with fantastic BJJ himself. He was ahead of his time with his striking style and how well he blended his legendary leg and body kicks with outstanding boxing. Aldo had nine straight title defenses and all were clear victories, without any controversy over the decision. That included a five-round beating of fellow legend Urijah Faber, a knockout of Manny Gamburyan, dominant decisions over Mark Hominick and Kenny Florian, badly beating recent lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who had been robbed of the 155 pound belt just one fight earlier, a five-round beating of Ricardo Lamas, a late knockout of Chan Sung Jung, and two wins over the ultra-talented Chad Mendes, one by a famous first-round knockout, and the second one of the greatest fights ever. It's hard to imagine when we will see another fighter reign so long and so dominantly at a lighter, high-skill division like featherweight.

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