- Forrest Griffin was the first The Ultimate Winner to win a UFC title by becoming the light heavyweight champion in 2008.
- Kamaru Usman had the longest reign among the fighters on the list, having been the welterweight champion for over two years.
- Julianna Peña is the latest TUF winner to win a UFC title after beating Amanda Nunes in December 2021.
The UFC created the reality show The Ultimate Fighter in 2005 to allow aspiring professional MMA fighters to enter the promotion and search for new talents worldwide.
Happy International Women's Day!#TUF32 coaches will be @AlexaGrasso and @BulletValentina premiering June 4th on @ESPN! @UltimateFighter pic.twitter.com/JC4msNmWuY
— danawhite (@danawhite) March 8, 2024
Over the years, the winners of this competition have gone on to win a UFC title and become superstars of the sport. These accolades and fame have made them a top name on MMA odds boards for fans to bet online.
But who are the fighters who went on to win the tournament and became UFC champions? Find out below.
All Ultimate Fighter Winners Who Became UFC Champions
| Fighter | TUF Season Participated | UFC Title Won |
|---|---|---|
| Forrest Griffin | TUF 1 | UFC Light Heavyweight title |
| Rashad Evans | TUF 2 | UFC Light Heavyweight title |
| Michael Bisping | TUF 3 | UFC Middleweight title |
| Matt Serra | TUF 4 | UFC Welterweight title |
| Robert Whittaker | TUF: The Smashes | UFC Middleweight title |
| Julianna Peña | TUF 18 | UFC Bantamweight title |
| Carla Esparza | TUF 20 | UFC Strawweight title |
| Kamaru Usman | TUF 21 | UFC Welterweight title |
Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin won the first season in April 2005, but he waited three years before getting his title shot against Quinton Jackson. He maximized the opportunity by unanimously beating Jackson to win the UFC light heavyweight title.
Rashad Evans
Rashad Evans preceded Griffin as the UFC light heavyweight champion after he stopped him in the third round of their showdown in December 2008. “Suga” also followed the footsteps of Griffin as the winner of the second season of TUF.
Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping had a long journey in becoming the UFC middleweight champion because he won the TUF season 3 in June 2006, but he needed 24 fights and a decade before he received his title shot in June 2016. The wait was worth it because he knocked out Luke Rockhold in the opening round of their fight.
Matt Serra
Although he was already competing in the UFC, Matt Serra joined the fourth season of TUF in 2006 and reigned as the tournament winner. Shortly after that triumph, he challenged Georges St-Pierre for the 170-pound title and knocked him out in the opening round.
Robert Whittaker
In 2012, Robert Whittaker won the TUF: The Smashes edition and secured a contract with the UFC. Since then, he has moved up to the middleweight division, fought Yoel Romero for the belt in July 2017, and unanimously beat him to become the undisputed king of the weight class.
Julianna Pena
Like Bisping, Julianna Peña had a long journey before she earned the opportunity for the title following her TUF triumph in December 2013. Peña waited eight years to challenge Amanda Nunes at UFC 269, where she scored a huge submission upset to win the UFC bantamweight crown.
Carla Esparza
Carla Esparza became part of the UFC roster in December 2014 by beating Rose Namajunas in the TUF 20 finale. She was defeated by Joanna Jędrzejczyk on her first attempt at the world title but made sure to maximize her second chance in May 2022 when she eked out a split decision victory over Namajunas in their second meeting to become world champion.
Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman was a force to be reckoned with when he arrived in the UFC after winning season 21 of TUF in 2015. He scored eight straight wins to obtain his championship opportunity against Tyron Woodley in March 2019.
Eventually, Usman unanimously beat Woodley and reigned in the division for over two years, the longest by any fighter included in this list. Leon Edwards ended his championship run in August 2022.
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