The best UFC bantamweight champion of all time, and the worst
The bantamweight division was introduced to the UFC in 2010 when it absorbed World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). The division's first champion in the promotion would be Dominick Cruz, after he bested Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53 in 2010.
Cruz would go on to defend his title two times, once against future hall of fame inductee Urijah Faber, and then against the greatest flyweight champion of all-time, Demetrious Johnson. An injury would ultimately cost him the title and sideline him for nearly three years.
Cruz would ultimately regain the bantamweight title in 2016 by beating TJ Dillashaw on a fight night card, as bantamweight did not always draw a large enough fanbase to merit being on a pay-per-view. Ironically that card took place in Boston, Massachusetts, where the bantamweight title just changed hands at UFC 292 on Aug. 19, 2023.
Cruz's second title reign was short lived, as he mounted only one successful title defense before losing the belt to Cody Garbrandt, whose performance could be shown as a masterclass in fight IQ and determination.
Cruz has continued to compete at a high level for more than a decade and maintains a No. 9 ranking at the moment. Cruz is also arguably the second greatest bantamweight champion of all-time, right behind a champion who is atop the list for most consecutive title defenses in the bantamweight division.
The fact that three consecutive title defenses is the longest streak in the history of the UFC speaks to the skill of those few names at the top. Out of the 12 times the title has changed hands, four of those times were to a previous champion. Four previous champions are even still in the top 15 of the division, with two or three serious title contenders on the rise.
The bantamweight division has gone from not always rating to the level of pay-per-view worthy to drawing some of the largest numbers in company history and an embarrassment of talent based riches, thanks in no small part to the best bantamweight champion of all-time.