List of World Extreme Cagefighting champions
Lightweight Championship
Weight limit: 155 lb (70.3 kg)

List of World Extreme Cagefighting champions

Section Title: Lightweight Championship
Table Section Text: Weight limit: 155 lb (70.3 kg)

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses

1	United States Gilbert Melendez def. Olaf Alfonso	WEC 10 Lemoore, CA, USA	May 21, 2004

Lightweight title vacated.

2	United States Gabe Ruediger def. Olaf Alfonso	WEC 12 Lemoore, CA, USA	October 21, 2004	1. def.

3	Brazil Hermes França	WEC 19 Lemoore, CA, USA	March 17, 2006	1. def.

The WEC Lightweight title was vacated December 2006 when Zuffa purchased the organization.

4	United States Rob McCullough def. Kit Cope	WEC 25 Las Vegas, NV, USA	January 20, 2007	1. def. Richard Crunkilton at WEC 30 on Sep 5, 2007 in Las Vegas, NV, USA

5	United States Jamie Varner	WEC 32 Albuquerque, NM, USA	February 13, 2008	1. def.

United States Benson Henderson def. Donald Cerrone for interim title	WEC 43 San Antonio, TX, USA	October 10, 2009

6	United States Benson Henderson	WEC 46 Sacramento, CA, USA	January 10, 2010	1. def. Donald Cerrone at WEC 48 in April 2010, in Sacramento, CA, USA

7	United States Anthony Pettis	WEC 53 Glendale, AZ, USA	December 16, 2010

The WEC Lightweight division was absorbed into the UFC on December 16, 2010, as part of the UFC-WEC merger.

Sentence(s)

Melendez won the bout and became the first WEC Lightweight Champion.

final_sentence: Melendez won the bout and became the first WEC Lightweight Champion.