Young champions, such as Jon Jones and Jose Aldo, are becoming the norm in the world’s top MMA promotion.
There was a time when a 45-year-old Randy Couture reigned over the UFC’s heavyweight division. Nowadays, 31-year-old Cain Velasquez is the eldest of the organization’s eight current titleholders, and he’s the only UFC champion to have seen his 30th birthday.
A new breed of mixed martial artists is replacing the old guard.
They are going to be underdogs on The Ultimate Fighter 20, but Rose Namajunas and Paige VanZant will both have opportunities to become the youngest champion in UFC history should they win the competition and become the inaugural women’s strawweight champion.
Before those ladies step into the Octagon, here are the 10 youngest UFC champions.