Top 10 Active UFC Fighters to Never Wear Gold

In the history of the UFC, 40 different men have been undisputed or interim UFC Champion in seven different weight classes.

Two men—Randy Couture and B.J. Penn—have been fortunate enough to win gold in two different weight classes.

The UFC has the best mixed martial artists in the world, and every competitive mixed martial artist out there—whether it's in the UFC or as the entertainment portion of the evening at a "dinner and a show" event in Montana—dreams of one day wearing UFC gold. 

The 10 men on this list are the best in the world who have never achieved that dream.

No. 10: Jake Shields

Jake Shields has held championships in almost every big-name MMA organization except the UFC, 

Shields has held championships in Shooto, EliteXC and Strikeforce.

He also won a Rumble on the Rock Welterweight Tournament in 2006.

Shields holds wins over Dan Henderson, Jason Miller, Paul Daley, Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami and Martin Kampmann, whom he defeated in his UFC debut in October of 2010.

Shields lost his UFC Welterweight Championship match to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 129 in April.

He is now scheduled to face Jake Ellenberger in September in New Orleans.

No. 9: Nick Diaz

The first time Nick DIaz was in the UFC—more than five years ago—he went 6-4, with his biggest victory coming over Robbie Lawler at UFC 47 in April of 2004.

After bouncing between Pride, Dream and EliteXC, Diaz found his home in Strikeforce, where he was 6-0, with one championship win and three championship defenses over a two-year span.

On March 12th, Zuffa (the parent company of the UFC) announced that it had purchased Strikeforce.

Speculation immediately arose about champion vs. champion fights in each of the five weight classes shared by Strikeforce and the UFC, but only one actually became reality.

On October 29th, Diaz, who will vacate his Strikeforce belt before the fight, will fight Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight in the Main Event of UFC 137.

No. 8: Yushin Okami

The first of two international fighters on this list, Yushin Okami comes in at No. 8.

Since debuting in the UFC five years ago, Okami has been one of the most under-the-radar fighters, compiling a 10-2 record, with victories over former champion Evan Tanner, Nate Marquardt and Mark Munoz.

Okami also holds the distinction of being the last person to defeat current Middleweight UFC Champion Anderson Silva, though it was a match Okami won by disqualification due to an illegal up-kick from Silva during the first round of their encounter in April of 2006.

Okami will face Silva again for the Middleweight Championship in three weeks in the Main Event of UFC 134.

No. 7: Urijah Faber

One of the most famous fighters in World Extreme Cagefighting history, Faber checks in at No. 7.

Faber won the WEC Featherweight Championship in March of 2006 and held it until November of 2008, recording five successful title defenses along the way.

After losing to champion Jose Aldo at WEC 48 in April of 2010, Faber dropped down to bantamweight, and proceeded to become the Number One Contender for the first UFC Bantamweight Championship Match in history.

Faber lost his title fight last month, on July 2nd, to Dominick Cruz in UFC 132's Main Event.

Faber will next face former WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles at UFC 139 to determine the next UFC Bantamweight Number One Contender.

No. 6: Joseph Benavidez

"Joe B-Wan Kenobi" checks in at No. 6 on the list.

Benavidez is 12-2 in his MMA career, and his only two losses have been decision defeats at the hands of the current UFC Bantamweight Champion, Dominick Cruz.

Benavidez is currently the No. 2-ranked bantamweight in the world and has expressed an interest in dropping down to 125 lbs if and when the UFC adds a flyweight division in the near future.

Benavidez will face Eddie Wineland next week at UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle

No. 5: Chad Mendes

The man who, so far in his career, has been as "Money" as his nickname checks in at No. 5.

The former NCAA All-American wrestler is 11-0 in his MMA career, and with his victory over Rani Yahya last weekend at UFC 133, Mendes re-secured the Number One Featherweight Contender status he had several months ago before champion Jose Aldo suffered a setback recovering from injuries.

Aldo is defend his belt against Kenny Florian at UFC 136 in Houston in October, and the winner will then defend against Mendes sometime in early 2012, pending no major setbacks to any fighter.

No. 4: Junior Dos Santos

The second International fighter on this list checks in at No. 4.

"Cigano" is 12-1 in his MMA career, 6-0 in the UFC, with victories over former champion Shane Carwin, Fabrico Werdum and Mirko Cro Cop.

Dos Santos defeated Carwin by decision in the Main Event of UFC 131 to earn a Heavyweight Championship match with Cain Velasquez. The match will be the Main Event of UFC 139 in San Jose on November 19th.

No. 3: Chael Sonnen

A year ago, Chael Sonnen came so close to winning UFC gold, he could taste it.

In the Main Event of UFC 117, Sonnen faced Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and pounded on the champion for four and a half rounds before Silva caught Sonnen in a triangle choke, shocking the challenger and winning his 12th consecutive UFC fight, a record.

Sonnen's next several months were one train wreck after another.

First, he failed his post-fight drug test, and was suspended originally until September 2nd, 2011.

He appealed and got it pushed up to March 2nd instead.

Then, after being scheduled to face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 128, Sonnen was convicted in a money laundering scheme in January.

Sonnen applied for a new fighting license in June and was approved. He is now scheduled to face Brian Stann at UFC 136 in Houston.

No. 2: Gray Maynard

"The Bully" comes in a No. 2 on the list.

Maynard is 10-0-1 with one No Contest in his MMA career, going 8-0-1 with the No Contest in the UFC.

Maynard has won seven of his last eight fights by decision, holding victories over Jim Miller, Kenny Florian and current champion Frankie Edgar.

At UFC 125 on New Year's Day, Maynard, in his second fight with Edgar, pulverized Edgar during the first round, knocking him all around the Octagon. But he wasn't able to finish him.

Edgar managed to come back over the final four rounds, with the fight ending in a split-decision draw. A third fight was scheduled for UFC 130, but both men were injured during training.

The championship rematch was rescheduled for the Main Event of UFC 136 in Houston.

No. 1: Jon Fitch

The Chicago Cubs of MMA, the Phil Mickelson of the UFC (yes, I just made both of those up) comes in at No. 1.

At least we can say he finally won a title in something.

In 15 UFC fights, the former Purdue wrestling captain is 13-1-1, with his one loss coming to Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87 in August of 2008, a match in which Fitch was dominated by GSP for all five rounds.

Since the loss, Fitch has gone 5-0-1, with the draw coming to former two-division champion B.J. Penn in the Main Event of UFC 127.

A rematch was scheduled for UFC 132 in July, but Fitch pulled out of the fight in March due to an injury.

Penn has since been matched up with fellow contender Carlos Condit, while Fitch has been left out in the cold without an opponent.

Fitch is the greatest fighter who could never quite call himself the greatest.

Honorable Mentions: Those Who Missed the Cut

Brian Bowles

Kenny Florian

Jim Miller

Carlos Condit (left)

Demetrious Johnson

Miguel Torres

Melvin Guillard

Josh Koscheck

Brian Stann