In combat sports, championship belts are well known for their appearance. Despite the diversity in the details, whether they are simple or sophisticated, they frequently have a reasonably similar design pattern. They are all depicted as being made of gold, yet there is one characteristic that unites them all. It is reasonable to wonder whether the boxing and UFC belts are produced with genuine gold or just gold-plated metal, given how expensive real gold is and how much would be needed to make them. That was the typical response. I’ve decided to conduct some independent research to provide you with a more detailed answer to that query, and the results are presented below. The world’s top fighter in each division is recognized by the presentation of a UFC title belt. UFC athletes spend years training in the hopes that one day they would raise the oblong, gleaming gold belt over their heads and then have it wrapped, encircling their waist. A fighter’s emotions abruptly change as they realize the value of a belt. It’s not just a valued item anymore. It has a high price tag and is a cherished item. How much more is a UFC championship belt?
UFC Belt Worth
The UFC changed at the start of this year. The group also presented a new incentive scheme and unveiled the Legacy Belt, a remodelled UFC championship belt. Like the former method, a new belt is awarded to a first-time winner. The similarities stop there.
When a champion fighter successfully defends their title, they return the belt’s plate to the UFC, and the company then adds a ruby with the time and place of their championship defence etched on it. For every championship defence, there are no longer any new belts. According to numerous combatants, each gold belt has an incredible claimed value of more than $300,000. On his “Believe You Me” podcast, former UFC lightweight champion Michael Bisping stated, “Rashad Evans, former world champion, has a belt at home.” “Dana White informed him that the old belts we have are worth $300,000 each when they were speaking. Dana White announced Rashad Evans. The fact that there are a definite number of winners and that the UFC made an estimated $billion in total revenue in 2019 makes it less unlikely that the belts are valued more than the salaries that many of the fighters receive. In other words, the UFC doesn’t spend much money on it overall. However, this same belt will always hold a unique meaning for the fighters because it is connected to the memorable event in which it was obtained, regardless of its monetary value. And that triumphant moment is priceless.
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New Edition Of UFC Belts
After 2019, the traditional methods of awarding the prestigious UFC belt to title winners slightly changed. They were awarded a new stone for their existing belt instead of a new belt each time, with each stone signifying a different title defence.
The cost of this new design has not yet been considered. The idea of former champion belt holders having several belts in their ownership, gathering dust in a room, has been completely dispelled by the new policy’s implementation of the stones requirement. The UFC Legacy belt is another name for the new belt. Due to the belt’s rising price range, individuals have also been seen arranging auctions for it.
Are UFC Belts Made Up Of Gold?
The UFC championship belts are composed of gold, including the one that will be worn all around the waistline of the winner of Saturday’s lightweight match between Khabib and Poirier. To embellish the leather belts, 2 pounds (907 grams) of gold bullion are needed. Since the beginning of 2019, the winners of UFC title fights have been given a UFC legacy. Championship Belt. These belts are estimated to be up to $333,000 (Dh1.22 million).
The UFC also offers gold-plated duplicate belts for sale to the general public, which run about $1,000.
The hand-embossed and embroidered belt measures 50 inches long, weighs 5.5 pounds and has 16 brass snaps. The UFC Championship belt has a black velvet zipped carrying bag to prevent damage. Athletes can keep their winning belts even if they lose a title match.
Are the winners permitted to retain their UFC belts?
Yes, the duly earned UFC championship belts are kept by the winners. In the UFC’s history, Demetrious Johnson has the top record with 11 straight victories in championship defences. He won the flyweight title division during his incredible run from 2012 to 2018.
Who manufactures the UFC belts may be another issue that vexes interested parties. The unique belts were the brainchild of Dave Millican Belts. On the other hand, Brad Flaherty created the UFC Legacy belts, with Jae El Fabrication handling the project’s manufacturers. The new design is more customized than the older one because each champion has a distinctive-looking UFC belt that features their nation and all the stones for each defence title.
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Michael Bisping Discloses the Manufacturing Cost of Former UFC Belts
Recently, the UFC unveiled a brand-new title belt style for its competitors. Not to mention that it will bring some new customs with it. Henry Cejudo, the UFC flyweight champion, was the first athlete to use the unique belt style. After beating TJ Dillashaw during his first championship defense earlier this month, he had the belt around his waist. There are conflicting opinions on the new name on social media, with some people praising the new look and others criticizing it. Michael Bisping, a former middleweight champion of the UFC, may have only hinted at why the promotion made the change. In a recent podcast, Bisping said that Rashad Evans once informed him that Dana White had mentioned that it would cost $300,000 to create a new UFC belt with the previous style:
Former champion Rashad Evans “had a belt at home,” remarked Bisping. “Dana White informed him that the old belts we have are valued at $300,000 each when they were speaking. Rashad Evans was told that by Dana White. Mine has been sitting back there collecting dust. If I had known they were valued at $600,000 combined, I might have insured them for one, but it ended up getting stolen. There was another one in the next room just collecting dust and just kidding. “At the very least, I might put them in a case to protect them from dust. Rashad Evans allegedly claims they are each worth $300,000. Which, yes, made me pleased. It’s helpful to know that. The cost of manufacturing the new design is unknown. However, champions will no longer be awarded a brand-new title for each successful championship defense. That was the custom with the initial setup, probably why the UFC opted to switch things up rather than keep spending $300,000 every time a title match occurs. The title plates will now have a new stone for reigning champions.
UFC Legacy Belts All Details
At UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw in Brooklyn, the inaugural UFC Legacy Championship Belt will be presented. In 2019 and beyond, it will subsequently recognize title defences and new championship victories. Each champion’s UFC Legacy Championship Belt is specially made for them based on their nation, weight division, and the number of title defences. For the entirety of their professional MMA careers, competitors who triumph in UFC championship fights will get a UFC Legacy Championship Belt starting in 2019. Red pebbles on the plates of the belt will stand in for further divisional championship victories. An athlete who wins titles in more than one weight class will receive one strap in each division: 50-inch length, 12-inch height, 11.5-by-9.5-inch main plate, 4.25-by-4.25-inch side plates, 10.45-pound weight.
Left Plate: Each champion will have a belt personalized with their name and weight division.
Flag imagery will be used to highlight the nation that the champion represents. The plate has eight stones around it. A red stone will be added in place of one of the stones for each victory in a championship match. The win’s date and location will be inscribed next to the stone. A champion is only eligible for multiple belts if they have won championships in various weight divisions.
Right Plate: The centre bears a gold UFC World Champion logo. The plate has eight stones around it. Red rocks will still stand in for wins just on the correct scale if a champion seems to have more championship triumphs than eight.
The leather trim has a distinctive octagon design stamped on it. Each of the octagonal, gold button snaps features the UFC logo. The belt for the women’s title is made to be a little bit smaller. Every other aspect is the same as the belt for guys. Every belt has a plate with a unique identification number issued to the particular champion on the rear. Dana White, the president of the UFC, has also inscribed his signature for legitimacy. For each belt defence in the designated weight class, another ruby is placed on the athlete’s belt. Only victories beginning on and after January 19th, 2019, will be recognized on the UFC Heritage Championship belt; defences and victories before that date will not be added to the new one. After a competitor wins the belt, the left side plates will be upgraded with unique etching, enamelling, and stones. The UFC will require the belt’s left side plate to upgrade.
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