Before UFC 217 goes down on Saturday, it's essential to provide an overview of the three champions and title challengers while highlighting their accomplishments inside the fight game.
Michael Bisping
English MMA fighter, Michael “The Count” Bisping has the most wins in UFC history and is currently tied for the most fights in the organization’s history. He made his professional MMA debut back at Pride & Glory 2: Battle of the Ages in April 2004 against Steve Mathews where he won via armbar submission. Before competing in the UFC, Bisping was a former Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion, Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight Champion, and FX3 Light Heavyweight Champion. Bisping became The Ultimate Fighter season 3 winner after scoring a TKO victory over Josh Haynes. Since then, Bisping picked up key wins over top competitors such as Brian Stann, Cung Le, and Anderson Silva to name a few. Impressively, Bisping avenged two of his losses in which he secured a knockout win over then-champion Luke Rockhold becoming the UFC Middleweight Championship and successfully defending it against former Pride FC and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson.
Georges St-Pierre
Former two-time UFC Welterweight Champion, Georges St-Pierre, is considered as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. He currently holds records for having the most successful and most consecutive title defenses in their welterweight division. St-Pierre made his professional MMA debut back in January 2002 at UCC 7: Bad Boyz against Ivan Menjivar where he won via TKO in the very first round. Two years later, while on a five-fight winning streak, St-Pierre made his UFC debut at UFC 46 and scored a decision victory over Karo Parisyan. Since then, he captured the Welterweight Champion twice and was enjoying a twelve-fight winning streak before retiring from the sport. During his impressive winning streak, St-Pierre picked up wins over elite competitors such as Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, B.J. Penn, Dan Hardy, Carlos Condit, and Johny Hendricks among others.
Cody Garbrandt
Current reigning UFC Bantamweight Champion, Cody Garbrandt is an undefeated competitor who gathered eleven consecutive wins with ten coming by way of KO/TKO. This former two-time ABA champion compiled an amateur MMA record of 6-2 and made his professional debut in 2012 scoring a first-round TKO victory over Charles Kessinger. On a five-fight winning streak, Garbrandt entered the UFC and impressed the Las Vegas’ crowd by stopping Marcus Brimage by way of TKO in the third round. He continued his impressive run in the UFC capturing three KO/TKO first round victories over Augusto Mendes, Thomas Almeida, and Takeya Mizugaki and one decision win over Henry Briones. He then challenged bantamweight king and former three-time champion, Dominick Cruz in UFC 207 where Garbrandt won via decision capturing the UFC Bantamweight Champion.
T.J. Dillashaw
Former UFC Bantamweight Champion and Ultimate Fighter finalist, T.J. Dillashaw made his professional MMA debut back at 2010 against Czar Sklavos where Dillashaw picked up a unanimous decision victory. After losing to John Dodson in The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale, Dillashaw went on a four-fight winning streak in which he gathered wins over Walel Watson, Vaughan Lee, Issei Tamura, and Hugo Viana. Just one year later, Dillashaw shocked the MMA world after having a dominated performance and capturing the UFC Bantamweight Championship from Renan Barão, ending his impressive thirty-two fight-winning streak. He successfully defended his belt twice, stopping both Joe Soto and Barão via 5th round stoppage. Dillashaw is currently riding a two-fight winning streak and is looking to recapture UFC gold.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk
Former Muay Thai kickboxer and current UFC Women's Strawweight Champion, Joanna Jędrzejczyk is considered as arguably one of the best strikers in the sport. Before competing in MMA, Jędrzejczyk competed in Muay Thai and kickboxing where she won six world medals, five world titles, and over sixty bouts. She made her professional MMA debut back 2012 earning a decision win over Sylwia Juskiewicz. Two years later, she made her UFC debut where she picked up another decision victory over Juliana Lima, extending her winning streak to seven. After that, Jędrzejczyk then captured UFC gold after securing a second-round TKO victory over Carla Esparza. Since then, Jędrzejczyk remains defeated and picked up wins over notable title challenges such as Jessica Penne, Valérie Létourneau, Cláudia Gadelha, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Jéssica Andrade.
Rose Namajunas
Ultimate Fighter 20 finalist and #4 ranked strawweight competitor; Rose Namajunas made her professional MMA debut at Invicta FC 4 where she won via third-round submission and received the Submission of the Night bonus. In her second professional bout, she won again by submission, tapping out Kathina Catron via flying armbar in the very first round. Impressively, Namajunas gathered six wins out of nine fights with five coming from submission. Since making her UFC debut back in 2014, Namajunas picked up key victories over notable competitors like Angela Hill, Paige VanZant, Tecia Torres, and Michelle Waterson. Saturday, Namajunas has a second chance at winning UFC gold and the opportunity of picking up the biggest win in her professional MMA career.
