7 UFC Fighters With Three Title Defenses in a Single Calendar Year as Merab Dvalishvili Looks to Make History at UFC 323

Pereira’s run through Hill, Prochazka, and Rountree Jr. was nothing short of historic, a feat rarely seen in the modern era, where champions often fight only once or twice a year.

2- Kamaru Usman – 2021

February 13, 2021: TKO win over Gilbert Burns at UFC 258

April 24, 2021: KO win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261

November 6, 2021: Unanimous Decision win over Colby Covington at UFC 268

Dubbed by Dana White as the greatest welterweight champion in UFC history, Kamaru Usman put on a masterclass of dominance in 2021. From his technical brilliance against Burns to a highlight-reel knockout of Masvidal and a gritty rematch win over Covington, Usman solidified his reign as one of the most complete fighters of his era.

3- Chuck Liddell – 2006

February 4, 2006: KO win over Randy Couture at UFC 57

August 26, 2006: TKO win over Renato Sobral at UFC 62

December 30, 2006: TKO win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 66

The face of the early Zuffa era, Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell delivered a string of devastating knockouts in 2006. After ending his trilogy with Couture in emphatic fashion, Liddell flattened Sobral and finished rival Ortiz to close out a legendary year that helped elevate the UFC to mainstream fame.

4- Tito Ortiz – 2001

February 23, 2001: KO win over Evan Tanner at UFC 30

June 29, 2001: TKO win over Elvis Sinosic at UFC 32

September 28, 2001: Decision win over Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 33

Before the sport’s global explosion, Tito Ortiz was the UFC’s original superstar. As light heavyweight champion, he became the company’s poster boy under the new Zuffa ownership. His 2001 run, which included dominant wins over Tanner, Sinosic, and Matyushenko, helped solidify the UFC’s legitimacy.

Interestingly, Ortiz also defended his title in December 2000 against Yuki Kondo, making him, alongside Jon Jones, one of only two fighters to have four title defenses within a 12-month period.

5- Matt Hughes – 2002

March 22, 2002: TKO win over Hayato Sakurai at UFC 36

July 13, 2002: TKO win over Carlos Newton at UFC 38

November 22, 2002: TKO win over Gil Castillo at UFC 40

Before Georges St-Pierre’s dominance, Matt Hughes was the king of the welterweights. Known for his brutal ground-and-pound, the Illinois native defended his title three times in 2002, establishing himself as the cornerstone of the UFC’s early 2000s success and carrying the torch for Team Miletich.

6- Demetrious Johnson – 2013

January 26, 2013: Unanimous Decision win over John Dodson

July 27, 2013: Submission win over John Moraga

December 14, 2013: KO win over Joseph Benavidez

Often hailed as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson defined consistency and dominance. His 2013 campaign showcased the full spectrum of his skillset– elite striking, grappling, and fight IQ as he dismantled three elite flyweights in the span of 11 months.

Johnson would go on to defend his title a record 11 consecutive times, but his 2013 season remains one of the most technically flawless years in MMA history.