title: List of Strikeforce champions
text: # List of Strikeforce champions
  
  Strikeforce was an American mixed martial arts organization. It crowned male champions in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, and female champions in featherweight and bantamweight.
  
  ## World champions
  
  ### Men's championships
  
  **Heavyweight Championship**
  
  206 pounds (93 kg) to 265 pounds (120 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Alistair Overeem def. Paul Buentello | Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives San Jose, CA, USA | November 16, 2007 | 1,351 days | 1. def. Brett Rogers at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery on May 15, 2010 |
  | Overeem vacated the title on July 29, 2011 when his contract was absorbed by the UFC. ||||||
  
  **Light Heavyweight Championship**
  
  186 pounds (84 kg) to 205 pounds (93 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Bobby Southworth def. Vernon White | Strikeforce: Triple Threat San Jose, CA, USA | December 8, 2006 | 714 days | 1. def. Anthony Ruiz at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson on Jun 27, 2008 |
  | 2 | Renato Sobral | Strikeforce: Destruction San Jose, CA, USA | November 21, 2008 | 267 days | |
  | 3 | Gegard Mousasi | Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg San Jose, CA, USA | August 15, 2009 | 245 days | |
  | 4 | Muhammed Lawal | Strikeforce: Nashville Nashville, TN, USA | April 17, 2010 | 126 days | |
  | 5 | Rafael Cavalcante | Strikeforce: Houston Houston, TX, USA days | August 21, 2010 | 196 days | |
  | 6 | Dan Henderson | Strikeforce: Feijão vs. Henderson Columbus, OH, USA | March 5, 2011 | 198 days | |
  | Henderson vacated the title on September 19, 2011 when his contract was absorbed by the UFC. ||||||
  
  **Middleweight Championship**
  
  171 pounds (78 kg) to 185 pounds (84 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Frank Shamrock def. Phil Baroni | Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni San Jose, CA, USA | June 22, 2007 | 281 days | |
  | 2 | Cung Le | Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le San Jose, CA, USA | March 29, 2008 | 588 days | |
  | Le vacated the title on September 17, 2009 due to filming obligations. ||||||
  | 3 | Jake Shields def. Jason Miller | Strikeforce: Fedor vs Rogers Hoffman Estates, IL, USA | November 7, 2009 | 287 days | 1. def. Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Nashville on Apr 17, 2010 |
  | Shields vacated the title on July 1, 2010 when signed with the UFC. ||||||
  | 4 | Ronaldo Souza def. Tim Kennedy | Strikeforce: Houston Houston, TX, USA | August 21, 2010 | 385 days | 1. def. Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg on Jan 29, 2011 |
  | 5 | Luke Rockhold | Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov Cincinnati, OH, USA | September 10, 2011 | 490 days | 1. def. Keith Jardine at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine on Jan 7, 2012 2. def. Tim Kennedy at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy on Jul 14, 2012 |
  | The Strikeforce Middleweight title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013. ||||||
  
  **Welterweight Championship**
  
  156 pounds (71 kg) to 170 pounds (77 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Nick Diaz def. Marius Žaromskis | Strikeforce: Miami Sunrise, FL, USA | January 30, 2010 | 495 days | 1. def. K. J. Noons at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II on Oct 9, 2010 2. def. Evangelista Santos at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg on Jan 29, 2011 3. def. Paul Daley at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Apr 9, 2011 |
  | Diaz vacated the title on June 9, 2011 when his contract was absorbed by the UFC. ||||||
  | 2 | Nate Marquardt def. Tyron Woodley | Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy Portland, OR, USA | July 14, 2012 | 182 days | |
  | 3 | Tarec Saffiedine | Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA | January 12, 2013 | 0 days | |
  | The Strikeforce Welterweight title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013. ||||||
  
  **Lightweight Championship**
  
  146 pounds (66 kg) to 155 pounds (70 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Clay Guida def. Josh Thomson | Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Gracie San Jose, CA, USA | March 10, 2006 | 91 days | |
  | 2 | Gilbert Melendez | Strikeforce: Revenge San Jose, CA, USA | June 9, 2006 | 749 days | 1. def. Gabe Lemley at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le on March 29, 2008 |
  | 3 | Josh Thomson | Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson San Jose, CA, USA | June 27, 2008 | 540 days | |
  | — | Gilbert Melendez def. Rodrigo Damm for interim title | Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz San Jose, CA, USA | April 11, 2009 | — | 1. def. Mitsuhiro Ishida at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg on Aug 15, 2009 |
  | 4 | Gilbert Melendez (2) | Strikeforce: Evolution San Jose, CA, USA | December 19, 2009 | 1,218 days | 1. def. Shinya Aoki at Strikeforce: Nashville on Apr 17, 2010 2. def. Tatsuya Kawajiri at Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley on Apr 9, 2011 3. def. Jorge Masvidal at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on Dec 17, 2011 4. def. Josh Thomson at Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier on May 19, 2012 |
  | The Strikeforce Lightweight Title was unified with the UFC Lightweight Title on April 20, 2013, when Benson Henderson defeated Melendez at UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Melendez. ||||||
  
  ### Women's championships
  
  **Women's Featherweight Championship**
  
  136 pounds (62 kg) to 145 pounds (66 kg) Formerly known as the Women's Lightweight Championship and the Women's Middleweight Championship
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Cris Cyborg def. Gina Carano | Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg San Jose, CA, USA | August 15, 2009 | 874 days | 1. def. Marloes Coenen at Strikeforce: Miami on Jan 30, 2010 2. def. Jan Finney at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum on Jun 26, 2010 NC. vs. Hiroko Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on Dec 17, 2011 |
  | Cyborg was stripped of the title on January 6, 2012 after testing positive for anabolic steroids in a post-fight drug test. ||||||
  
  **Women's Bantamweight Championship**
  
  126 pounds (57 kg) to 135 pounds (61 kg) Formerly known as the Women's Welterweight Championship
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Sarah Kaufman def. Takayo Hashi | Strikeforce Challengers: Kaufman vs. Hashi San Jose, CA, USA | February 26, 2010 | 225 days | 1. def. Roxanne Modafferi at Strikeforce Challengers: del Rosario vs. Mahe on Jul 23, 2010 |
  | 2 | Marloes Coenen | Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Noons II San Jose, CA, USA | October 9, 2010 | 294 days | 1. def. Liz Carmouche at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson on Mar 5th, 2011 |
  | 3 | Miesha Tate | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson Hoffman Estates, IL, USA | July 30, 2011 | 217 days | |
  | 4 | Ronda Rousey | Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey Columbus, OH, USA | March 3, 2012 | 278 days | 1. def. Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman on Aug 18, 2012 |
  | The title was vacated on December 6, 2012 when Rousey became the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. ||||||
  
  ## U.S. champions
  
  ### Middleweight U.S. Championship
  
  170 pounds (77 kg) to 185 pounds (84 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Eugene Jackson def. Ronald Jhun | Strikeforce: Triple Threat San Jose, CA, USA | December 8, 2006 | 2,227 days | |
  | The Strikeforce Middleweight U.S. title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013. ||||||
  
  ### Lightweight U.S. Championship
  
  145 pounds (66 kg) to 155 pounds (70 kg)
  
  | No. | Name | Event | Date | Reign | Defenses |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Josh Thomson def. Nam Phan | Strikeforce: Triple Threat San Jose, CA, USA | December 8, 2006 | 2,227 days | 1. def. Nick Gonzalez at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni on Jun 22, 2007 |
  | The Strikeforce Lightweight U.S. title was vacated after the Strikeforce banner was dissolved into the UFC on January 12, 2013. ||||||
  
  ## Tournament winners
  
  | Event | Division | Winner | Runner-up | Date |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives | Middleweight | Jorge Santiago | Trevor Prangley | November 17, 2007 |
  | Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor | Women's Bantamweight | Miesha Tate | Hitomi Akano | August 13, 2010 |
  | Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier | Heavyweight | Daniel Cormier | Josh Barnett | May 19, 2012 |
  
  ## Records
  
  ### Most wins in title bouts
  
  | Title wins | Champion | Division | V | D | NC | L |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 9 | Gilbert Melendez | Lightweight | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
  | 4 | Nick Diaz | Welterweight | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
  | 3 | Cristiane Justino | Women's Featherweight | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
  | 3 | Luke Rockhold | Middleweight | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  | 2 | Bobby Southworth | Light Heavyweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
  | 2 | Sarah Kaufman | Women's Bantamweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
  | 2 | Ronaldo Souza | Middleweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
  | 2 | Marloes Coenen | Women's Bantamweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
  | 2 | Jake Shields | Middleweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  | 2 | Alistair Overeem | Heavyweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  | 2 | Ronda Rousey | Women's Bantamweight | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
  
  ### Most consecutive title defenses
  
  | Defenses | Champion | Division | Period |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 4 | Gilbert Melendez | Lightweight | April 19, 2009 – January 12, 2013 |
  | 3 | Nick Diaz | Welterweight | January 30, 2010 – June 9, 2011 |
  | 2 | Cristiane Justino | Women's Featherweight | August 15, 2009 – January 6, 2012 |
  | 2 | Luke Rockhold | Middleweight | September 10, 2011 – January 12, 2013 |
  | 1 | Bobby Southworth | Light Heavyweight | December 8, 2006 – November 21, 2008 |
  | 1 | Jake Shields | Middleweight | November 7, 2009 – July 1, 2010 |
  | 1 | Alistair Overeem | Heavyweight | November 16, 2007 – July 29, 2011 |
  | 1 | Sarah Kaufman | Women's Bantamweight | February 26, 2010 – October 9, 2010 |
  | 1 | Ronaldo Souza | Middleweight | August 21, 2010 – September 10, 2011 |
  | 1 | Marloes Coenen | Women's Bantamweight | October 9, 2010 – July 30, 2011 |
  | 1 | Ronda Rousey | Women's Bantamweight | March 3, 2012 – December 6, 2012 |
  
  ## Champions by nationality
  
  The division champions include only linear and true champions. Interim champions who have never become linear champions will be listed as interim champions. Fighters with multiple title reigns in a specific division will also be counted once. Runners-up are not included in tournaments champions.
  
  | Country | Division champions | Tournaments champions | Total |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | United States | 14 | 2 | 16 |
  | Brazil | 4 | 1 | 5 |
  | Netherlands | 3 | — | 3 |
  | Belgium | 1 | — | 1 |
  | Canada | 1 | — | 1 |
  | Vietnam | 1 | — | 1 |
  