Every UFC title fight to end in a draw

The UFC was founded in November 1993 and, over its 30-year history, several champions have been crowned. Even more title fights have been contested but those do not always have a definitive winner.

Several fights within the UFC have seen fights go to a draw. There have been different situations that have led to such instances including close contests, referee point deductions or even the judges' having a major difference in how the fight actually played out.

Within the UFC, there have only been six instances where title fights went to a draw. Four of them were split draws whilst the other two were majority draws. Here is a list of all the UFC title fight draws in history.

BJ Penn vs. Caol Uno 2 - UFC 41 (February 28, 2003)

The rematch between BJ Penn and Caol Uno at UFC 41 was a highly-anticipated one. This was a follow-up to their UFC 34 bout, which saw Penn pick up a knockout victory just 11 seconds into their fight.

Their rematch was set for February 28, 2003, and Uno was seeking redemption. This time, the pair would meet for the vacant UFC lightweight championship.

The bout went the distance, exhausting all five rounds available with Penn and Uno having a more contentious bout this time. At the end of it all, the judges were the ones set to have the final say.

The judges handed in their scorecards which read 48-46 Penn, 48-46 Uno, and 48-48 draw. Thus marking this a split draw.

The result had a lot of controversy attached to it but Penn and Uno showed a lot of respect to each other. Regardless, this was the first time in UFC history that a title fight ended in a draw, thus leaving the championship vacant.

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard 2 - UFC 125 (January 1, 2011)

Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard first met in April 2008, with Maynard securing a unanimous decision victory. The two would have a rematch in January 2011 at UFC 125 and, unlike their first meeting, this would have a different outcome.

At UFC 125, Edgar walked into the main event as the lightweight champion. Maynard was ready to claim the title in what would be quite the test for the reigning champion.

The two engaged in a thrilling back-and-forth fight. Despite Maynard almost finishing Edgar in the first round, the fight ultimately went the distance.

The intense nature of the fight was reflected in the judges' scorecards too. The judges scored this bout 48-46 Maynard, 48-46 Edgar, and 47-47.

This resulted in only the second split draw decision in UFC's title history, which saw Edgar retain his gold. Later on in 2011, the pair would have their trilogy bout, with Edgar picking up a fourth-round knockout.

Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson - UFC 205 (November 12, 2016)

Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson had two fights between 2016 and 2017. Their first fight earns an entry on this list, with the fight earning an extra piece of UFC history too.

At UFC 205 in November 2016, Woodley entered Madison Square Garden in the co-main event of the evening, and he would be defending his welterweight championship against the dominant Thompson. This fight was serving as the pre-cursor to Eddie Alvarez and Conor McGregor's lightweight title fight, and it promised it's own level of excitement too.

The pair kept the crowd intrigued with their bout, with Woodley nearly finishing Thompson in the fourth round. But Thompson displayed resilience and managed to fight back, leading the two all the way to the judges' scorecards.

The judges scored the bout 47-47, 47-47, and 48-47 Woodley. This was a majority draw, and the first-ever time that happened in a UFC title fight.

With the decision, Woodley retained his championship but this feud was far from done. The pair would have their rematch at UFC 209 with the welterweight championship on the line again but, this time, Woodley managed to pick up a majority decision.

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno - UFC 256 (December 12, 2020)

The rivalry between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno is a memorable one, and it all started at UFC 256 in December 2020. That fight would result in one of the most thrilling feuds in UFC history, and the result earns it a spot on this list.

Champion Figueiredo's power and precision were matched by Moreno's relentless pace and resilience as the challenger. The fight went all five rounds and displayed strikes, exchanges, and near finishes.

The bout's intensity translated to the judges' scorecards, who had scored the bout 47-46 Figueiredo, 47-47, and 47-47. This resulted in a majority draw decision (only the second-ever in UFC title history).

Figueiredo and Moreno would have a total of four fights between 2020 and 2023. The two made history together, and as individuals too, but they have now moved on to other opponents.

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jan Blachowicz - UFC 282 (December 10, 2022)

The UFC's light heavyweight division has had quite the tumultuous history, especially when it comes to the division's championship. At UFC 282 in December 2022, Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz met in the main event for the vacant light heavyweight championship.

Both Ankalaev and Blachowicz were serving as replacement fighters in the bout but the stakes remained high. The fight saw the unique array of skills that Ankalaev and Blachowicz posses with dramatic moments throughout the five rounds.

When it went to the judges for a decision, the scores read 48-47 Blachowicz, 48-46 Ankalaev, and 47-47. This resulted in a split draw decision, thus leaving the light heavyweight title still vacant (until Jamahal Hill won it at the next event - UFC 283!)

Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 2 - Noche UFC (September 16, 2023)

One of the greatest upsets of all time came at UFC 285 when Alexa Grasso defeated Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women's flyweight championship. Grasso did this via a fourth-round rear naked choke, making history as the first Mexican-born UFC women's champion. Almost immediately, there was a call for a rematch between the pair, and it was quite a controversial affair.

The rematch between Grasso and Shevchenko took place at Noche UFC on September 16, 2023. It was a match that pitted Grasso's striking and grappling against Shevchenko's precision and experience, making it a closely-contested bout.

The crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada was hyped up for this fight but, when the judges' scorecards were read, there immediately was a feeling of discontent in the arena. From Grasso to Shevchenko, and even to a major part of the 18,766 fight fans who were in attendance that night, the final result left a bitter taste in the mouth.

The judges had scored the bout 48-47 Grasso, 48-47 Shevchenko, and 47-47, resulting in a split draw. Grasso would retain the gold, much to the dismay of Shevchenko.

Grasso remains the champion, and she is currently coaching opposite Shevchenko in The Ultimate Fighter season 32. It can be expected that they will have their trilogy fight confirmed towards the conclusion of the season.