The Light Heavyweight Curse

The UFC Light heavyweight Championship belt has changed hands again. After a dominant performance over Pride veteran Shogun Rua, Jon Jones became the 7th Light Heavyweight Champion since 2007. In arguably the deepest division in MMA it's hard to stay on top forever.

But forever isn't what we're talking about...one fight. The glory lasts one fight. Beginning in 2007 with Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson's victory over Chuck Liddell, the UFC's Light Heavyweight belt has been a hot-potato, being passed around to anyone given the chance to earn it.

Jackson, formerly of Pride Fighting Championships is thought to have brought the Light Heavyweight curse to the UFC with him as before that, the division was long ruled by an elite few, with many legacies built off the title. The PrideFC Middleweight (203lbs) title was brought to the UFC by Dan Henderson and in a fight with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rampage Jackson, the belts were combined for the undisputed 205 lb Championship. Rampage was victorious in this fight, but with the belts becoming one, the curse was transferred.

In Jackson next fight, a battle against TUF 1 Winner Forrest Griffin, Jackson was bested by arguably a lesser fighter and had to surrender his Championship belt. High on victory, Griffin's success would be short-lived. #1 Contender Rashad Evans, an undefeated prospect would dominate Griffin en route to earning himself the 205 lb strap. Evans, a wrestler with a mouth bigger than most, earned a fight against undefeated up-and-comer Lyoto Machida. Once again, as in every other case, the Champion was defeated. Machida walked through Rashad Evans with a highlight reel knockout of the wrestling stand-out, becoming the new Light Heavyweight Champion.

This is where things get complicated...


Lyoto Machida would face Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua in a fight at UFC 113 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The battle was close, one of legend. Two striking phenoms clashing in the center of the Octagon while sparks and fireworks ignite. It looked as though the belt would change hands again, with the fans cheering Shogun on as he held the edge in the stand-up. But, with the judge's decision....it wasn't so. What we all saw, what we all knew was just blindly disregarded. I one of the worst decisions in Mixed Martial Arts history. The belt stayed with the Champion, but just because the judge's say it, doesn't make it so. The UFC granted Rua an immediate rematch as UFC President Dana White stated at the post-fight press conference that he (along with legions of UFC fans) thought that Shogun Rua had won the fight. The curse prevailed...

As we know, the next meeting of these two titans wasn't as close. Shogun Rua knocked Lyoto Machida clean out in the 1st round. A clean decisive win, and a new Champion in the UFC's Light Heavyweight stable.

Tonight, the belt changed hands once again. In Shogun Rua's first title defense, against newcomer Jon Jones, a 3rd TKO sealed the deal. Jones, arguably top 5 or top 10 in the division will likely face former champion Rashad Evans in his first and only title defense.

So, we are faced with a question. Is the UFC's Light Heavyweight belt cursed?