Josh barnett (2002) Defeat Couture at UFC 36 (03/22/02) to win the title. (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Barnett loses his belt after testing positive for steroids.
Ricco Rodriguez (2002-03) Defeat Couture at UFC 39 (9/27/02) to win the UFC Heavyweight Title. (Watch on UFC Fight Pass)
Tim Sylvia (2003) Stops Rodriguez at UFC 41 (02/28/03) to become champion. (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Sylvia successfully defends her title against Gan McGee, but then relinquishes her crown after testing positive for steroids.
Frank Mir (2004-05) Defeat Sylvia for the vacant UFC 48 title (6/19/04). Mir is seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and forced to give up his belt while he rehabilitates his injuries.
Andrei Arlovski (2005-06) Defeat Tim Sylvia in the first round of UFC 51 (2/5/05) to win the interim title, which is then upgraded to the full championship. (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Arlovski successfully defends the title twice, against Justin Eilers and Paul Buentello.
Tim Sylvia (2006-07) Becomes only the second man to regain the heavyweight championship when he eliminates Arlovski at UFC 59 (04/15/06). (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Sylvia defends the title against Arlovski and Jeff Monson.
Randy Couture (2007-08) Becomes the first man to win the heavyweight title three times when he decides Sylvia over five rounds at UFC 68 (3/3/07). (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Couture successfully defends his title against Gabriel Gonzaga. After a period of inactivity, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tim Sylvia have been selected to fight for the interim title. Couture then returned to his active status in November 2008.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (2008) Defeat Tim Sylvia in Round Three to Win Interim Heavyweight Championship at UFC 81 (2/2/08) (Watch On UFC Fight Pass)
Frank Mir (2008-09) Defeat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via TKO in the second round of UFC 92 (12/27/08) to win the interim heavyweight championship. (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Lost to Brock Lesnar at UFC 100.
Brock Lesnar (2008-2010) Defeat Randy Couture via TKO in the second round of UFC 91 (11/15/08) to win the UFC Heavyweight Title. (Watch on UFC Fight Pass) Defeated Mir via TKO in Round 2 at UFC 100 to unify UFC heavyweight title On hiatus due to illness, he returned in July 2010 to defeat Carwin via a submission in the 2nd round at UFC 116. Lost to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121.
