List of Strikeforce champions

Strikeforce
Company type	Private
Industry	Mixed martial arts promotion
Founded	2006
Defunct	2013
Fate	Integrated into the UFC
Headquarters	United States

Strikeforce was a United States-based mixed martial arts promotion that awarded male titles in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight categories, as well as female titles in the featherweight and bantamweight classes.

Heavyweight Championship

From 206 pounds (93 kg) up to 265 pounds (120 kg)

No.	Competitor	Event	Date won	Duration	Title defenses
1	Template:Country data NED Template:Namespace detect showall Alistair Overeem victorious over Paul Buentello	Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives San Jose, CA, USA	November 16, 2007	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Brett Rogers at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery on May 15, 2010
Overeem relinquished the championship on July 29, 2011 when his contract was integrated into the UFC.

Light Heavyweight Championship

Between 186 pounds (84 kg) and 205 pounds (93 kg)

No.	Competitor	Event	Date won	Duration of reign	Defenses
1	United States Bobby Southworth defeated Vernon White	Strikeforce: Triple Threat San Jose, CA, USA	December 8, 2006	Template:Age in days days	1. beat Anthony Ruiz at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson on June 27, 2008
2	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Renato Sobral	Strikeforce: Destruction San Jose, CA, USA	November 21, 2008	Template:Age in days days
3	Template:Country data NED Template:Namespace detect showall Gegard Mousasi	Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg San Jose, CA, USA	August 15, 2009	Template:Age in days days
4	United States Muhammed Lawal	Strikeforce: Nashville Nashville, TN, USA	April 17, 2010	Template:Age in days days
5	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Rafael Cavalcante	Strikeforce: Houston Houston, TX, USA	August 21, 2010	Template:Age in days days
6	United States Dan Henderson	Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson Columbus, OH, USA	March 5, 2011	Template:Age in days days
Henderson gave up the championship on September 19, 2011 after his contract merged with the UFC.

Middleweight Championship

From 171 pounds (78 kg) to 185 pounds (84 kg)

No.

Fighter

Event

Date won

Length of reign

Title defenses

1

align=left {{{1}}}United States Frank Shamrock
{{small victorious over Phil Baroni}}

(Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni)
Template:Small San Jose, CA, USA

June 22, 2007

Template:Age in days 2,007 6 22 show unit 2,008 3 29 days

2

Welterweight Championship

From 156 pounds (71 kg) up to 170 pounds (77 kg)

No.	Champion	Event	Date Won	Duration	Title Defenses
1	United States Nick Diaz victory over Marius Žaromskis	Strikeforce: Miami Sunrise, FL, USA	January 30, 2010	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated K. J. Noons at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II on Oct 9, 2010 2. defeated Evangelista Santos at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg on Jan 29, 2011 3. defeated Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Apr 9, 2011
Diaz relinquished the championship on June 9, 2011 following the integration of his contract into the UFC.
2	United States Nate Marquardt victory against Tyron Woodley	Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Portland, OR, USA	July 14, 2012	Template:Age in days days
3	Template:Country data BEL Template:Namespace detect showall Tarec Saffiedine	Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine Oklahoma City, OK, USA	January 12, 2013	Template:Age in days days
The Strikeforce Welterweight Championship was vacated upon the organization's absorption into the UFC on January 12, 2013.

Lightweight Championship

From 146 pounds (66 kg) to 155 pounds (70 kg)

No.	Champion	Event	Date Won	Duration	Title Defenses
1	United States Clay Guida victory over Josh Thomson	Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie San Jose, CA, USA	March 10, 2006	Template:Age in days days
2	United States Gilbert Melendez	Strikeforce: Revenge San Jose, CA, USA	June 9, 2006	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Gabe Lemley at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le on March 29, 2008
3
3
3

4

|- ! — |- align=center colspan=6 | The Strikeforce Lightweight Championship was unified with the UFC Lightweight title on April 20, 2013 after Benson Henderson triumphed over Melendez. |} |- ! — |- align=center colspan=6 | The Strikeforce Lightweight title merged with the UFC Lightweight Championship on April 20, 2013 following Henderson's win against Melendez. |} | !- !4 | align = left | Gilbert Melendez (2) | Strikeforce: Evolution
| December 19, 2009 |

days

| align = left |

| - | align = center colspan = "6" | The Strikeforce Lightweight title was unified with the UFC Lightweight belt on April 20, 2013 after Gilbert Melendez was defeated by Benson Henderson at UFC on Fox. | }

Women's Featherweight Title

Weight range: 136 pounds (62 kg) to 145 pounds (66 kg) Previously known as Women's Lightweight and Middleweight Titles

No.	Champion	Event	Date Won	Duration	Title Defenses
1	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Cris Cyborg victory over Gina Carano	Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg San Jose, California, USA	August 15, 2009	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Marloes Coenen at Strikeforce: Miami on Jan 30, 2010 2. defeated Jan Finney at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum on Jun 26, 2010 NC. bout against Hiroko Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on Dec 17, 2011
Cyborg was stripped of the championship on January 6, 2012 following a positive test for anabolic steroids.

Women's Bantamweight Title

Weight range: 126 pounds (57 kg) to 135 pounds (61 kg) Previously recognized as Women's Welterweight Title

No.	Champion	Event	Date Won	Duration	Title Defenses
1	Canada Sarah Kaufman victory over Takayo Hashi	Strikeforce Challengers: Kaufman vs. Hashi San Jose, California, USA	February 26, 2010	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Roxanne Modafferi at Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe on Jul 23, 2010
2	Template:Country data NED Template:Namespace detect showall Marloes Coenen	Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II San Jose, California, USA	October 9, 2010	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Liz Carmouche at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson on Mar 5, 2011
3	United States Miesha Tate	Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA	July 30, 2011	Template:Age in days days
4	United States Ronda Rousey	Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey Columbus, Ohio, USA	March 3, 2012	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman on Aug 18, 2012
Title vacated on December 6, 2012 when Rousey became the inaugural UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion.

Middleweight U.S. Title

Weight range: 170 pounds (77 kg) to 185 pounds (84 kg)

No.	Champion	Event	Date Won	Duration of Reign	Title Defenses
1	United States Eugene Jackson required victory over Ronald Jhun	Strikeforce: Triple Threat required San Jose, California, USA	December 8, 2006	Template:Age in days days
The Strikeforce Middleweight U.S. title was vacated following the integration of Strikeforce into the UFC on January 12, 2013.

Lightweight U.S. Championship

From 145 pounds (66 kg) up to 155 pounds (70 kg)

No.	Fighter	Event	Date	Duration	Title Defenses
1	United States Josh Thomson victorious over Nam Phan	Strikeforce: Triple Threat San Jose, CA, USA	December 8, 2006	Template:Age in days days	1. defeated Nick Gonzalez at Strikeforce Shamrock vs. Baroni on Jun 22, 2007
Following the integration of Strikeforce into the UFC on January 12, 2013, the Lightweight U.S. Championship was officially vacated.

Tournament champions

Event	Weight Class	Champion	Finalist	Date
Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives	Middleweight	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Jorge Santiago	Template:Country data RSA Template:Namespace detect showall Trevor Prangley	November 17, 2007
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor	Women's Bantamweight	United States Miesha Tate	Template:Country data JPN Template:Namespace detect showall Hitomi Akano	August 13, 2010
Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier	Heavyweight	United States Daniel Cormier	United States Josh Barnett	May 19, 2012

Highest number of title fight victories

Title wins	Fighter	Weight class	Wins (V)	Draws (D)	No Contests (NC)	Losses (L)
9	United States Gilbert Melendez	Lightweight	9	0	0	1
United States Nick Diaz	Welterweight	4	0	0	1
Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Cristiane Justino	Women's Featherweight	3	0	1	0
Middleweight	3	0	0	0
align=left \|United States Bobby Southworth	Light Heavyweight	2	0	0	1
Women's Bantamweight	2	0	0	1
Middleweight	2	0	0	1
Women's Bantamweight	2	0	0	1
Middleweight	2	0	0	0
Heavyweight	2	0	0	0
Women's Bantamweight	2	0	0	0

Longest streak of successful title defenses

Number of defenses	Fighter	Weight division	Time frame
4	United States Gilbert Melendez	Lightweight	April 19, 2009 – January 12, 2013
3	United States Nick Diaz	Welterweight	January 30, 2010 – June 9, 2011
2	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Cristiane Justino	Women's Featherweight	August 15, 2009 – January 6, 2012
2	United States Luke Rockhold	Middleweight	September 10, 2011 – January 12, 2013

1	United States Bobby Southworth	Light Heavyweight	December 8, 2006 – November 21, 2008
	United States Jake Shields	Middleweight	November 7, 2009 – July 1, 2010
	Template:Country data NED Template:Namespace detect showall Alistair Overeem	Heavyweight	November 16, 2007 – July 29, 2011
	Canada Sarah Kaufman	Women's Bantamweight	February 26, 2010 – October 9, 2010
	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Ronaldo Souza	Middleweight	August 21, 2010 – September 10, 2011
	Template:Country data NED Template:Namespace detect showall Marloes Coenen	Women's Bantamweight	October 9, 2010 – July 30, 2011
	United States Ronda Rousey	Women's Bantamweight	March 3, 2012 – December 6, 2012

Champions by nationality

This table features only recognized linear and undisputed champions; interim titleholders lacking linear recognition are cataloged separately. Multiple title reigns within the same weight class are counted as one. Competitors finishing as tournament finalists are not included.

Nation	Division titleholders	Tournament titleholders	Overall total
Template:USA	14	2	16
Template:BRA	4	1	5
Template:NED	3	—	3
Template:BEL	1	—	1
Template:CAN	1	—	1
Template:VIE	1	—	1