LAS VEGAS – There have been 13 successful defenses of the UFC heavyweight title since the belt was created at UFC 12 in Dothan, Ala., on Feb. 7, 1997.
In contrast, Anderson Silva, the UFC's brilliant middleweight champion, has 10 defenses himself since winning the belt in 2006.
Randy Couture and Tim Sylvia each had three successful defenses, coming over two separate reigns as heavyweight champion. Brock Lesnar and Andre Arlovski each defended the belt successfully twice, Arlovski's coming over two reigns. Maurice Smith, Kevin Randleman and Junior dos Santos each had one successful defense.
That is it. Mark Coleman, the first champion, Bas Rutten, Josh Barnett, Ricco Rodriguez, Frank Mir, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez have each won the belt, but failed to retain it.
Velasquez gets a second opportunity to make his first defense on Saturday when he puts his newly won belt on the line against Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva at the MGM Grand Garden in the main event of
Read More »from Cain Velasquez tackling one of UFC's most difficult tasks: defending the heavyweight title









