MMA
5 UFC Legends Who Never Won a Title: Henderson, Diaz, Silva
There is no greater honour in the UFC than to claim a championship title. Such an achievement not only stamps your authority on a division, but also ensures your name survives amongst the very best in the business. Nevertheless, there are some who have never been able to reach this milestone. Their legacies have survived and the contributions they made to the sport are appreciated – but they have never been able to secure title gold.
Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping /Getty Images
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate These Uncrowned Legends
Our SB Market Index is essentially a model which seeks to rank fighters based on their SB Score (a complete idea of career win totals and their subsequent win percentage) as well as their Industry Insights (cumulative analysis from 10 of the best MMA media sources).
| Source Name | Dan “Hendo” Henderson | Nick Diaz | Urijah Faber | Wanderlei Silva | Gilbert Melendez |
| YourBest100 – Top-100 UFC Fighters | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bleacher Report – MMA Legends | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bleacher Report – 10 Fearless Fighters | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Persources – Top-25 MMA Fighters | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tapology – Strikeforce Hall of Fame | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| UFC Hall of Fame | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Reddit FightLibrary – Fan Rankings | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Cage.News – Pioneer Wing HOF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MMA Fighting – Silva’s Legacy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TalkSPORT – MMA Legends Talk | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Mentions | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
SB Score
| Fighter | Career Record | Wins | Win % | SB Score |
| Urijah Faber | 35-11-0 | 35 | 76.1% | 0.908 |
| Wanderlei Silva | 35-14-1 (1 NC) | 35 | 71.4% | 0.871 |
| Dan Henderson | 32-15-0 | 32 | 68.1% | 0.803 |
| Nick Diaz | 26-10-0 (2 NC) | 26 | 72.2% | 0.768 |
| Gilbert Melendez | 22-8-0 | 22 | 73.3% | 0.713 |
SB Market Index: Final Rankings
| Rank | Fighter | SB Score | Industry Mentions | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Wanderlei Silva | 0.871 | 5 | 4.174 |
| 2 | Dan Henderson | 0.803 | 5 | 4.161 |
| 3 | Urijah Faber | 0.908 | 2 | 1.782 |
| 4 | Nick Diaz | 0.768 | 2 | 1.754 |
| 5 | Gilbert Melendez | 0.713 | 1 | 0.943 |
The Co-Legends: Henderson and Silva
In a sport where so much of the focus is on title winning fighters, Dan Henderson and Wanderlei Silva have largely held their own without ever claiming title gold. For Henderson, his UFC legacy is simply undeniable. From going toe-to-toe with the likes of Anderson Silva and Michael Bisping – who’s knockout remains as one of the most iconic – he enjoys the respect of all in the world of MMA.
Wanderlei Silva was often referred to as “The Axe Murderer” thanks to his aggression and brutal approach to fighting. Fans were attracted to his dominant displays even though his UFC career never managed to yield a title.
The Pioneers: Faber and Diaz
Urijah Faber was inducted into the Hall of Fame even though he, too, never managed to win a UFC title. Before joining the UFC, he was the WEC’s golden child, pioneering a lot of what was to become the featherweight and bantamweight division.
Nick Diaz, interestingly enough, was MMA’s anti-hero.He is often considered the greatest non-champion in the UFC, but his report with the fans and the number of times his name headlined the biggest nights in the sport all suggest his inclusion in the history books is supremely valid. It should be no surprise then to see him topping the SB Score lists with 0.768.
The Strikeforce King: Gilbert Melendez
A name which is so closely associated with dominant strike force. Melendez enjoyed battles with the likes of Josh Thomson and Jorge Masvidal throughout his competitive career, and who could forget his battle of 2013 with Diego Sanchez!
Granted, he ranks lowest in Industry Insights and SB Score, but his spot among the very best without a belt is secured and his contributions to this great sport is acknowledged.
Conclusion on Greatness Beyond Gold
So, while titles without a doubt define champions, they don’t always secure greatness. Fighters like Henderson and Silva have left undeniable marks on the combat sporting world. Faber contributed to divisions in the industry; Diaz captured the attention of the fans and earned incredible loyalty.
Our SB Market Index is proof that UFC prowess is not exclusively linked in titles, but sometimes the sheer grit and determination of legends is simply enough.
Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.