UFC double champions. An elite group of simply 11 fighters to carry a belt in two totally different weight courses, a few of which have been simultaneous. The primary fighter to realize the feat was Randy Couture in 2003, and the newest was Islam Makhachev‘s dominant efficiency at UFC 322.
We check out all the UFC double champions in UFC historical past and rank them from finest to worst. We take quite a few issues into consideration, together with title defences, high quality of performances and high quality of opposition.
UFC Double Champions – Rating the Legends
11 – Islam Makhachev
Sadly, Islam Makhachev is, on paper, the eleventh on the record. The one purpose behind this is because of the truth that he has solely held his ‘second’ belt for just some days. It’s biased towards Makhachev primarily as he’s but to start his title reign at welterweight. Beating Jack Della Maddalena in a boring struggle which noticed him land simply 26 vital strikes to wrestle the belt away from the Aussie, Makhachev hasn’t had a fantastic welterweight run… but.
There’s no denying his light-weight credentials; he holds the document for essentially the most title defences in 155lbs historical past. He’s defeated a number of the finest within the division and achieved so in dominant style. There may be little doubt that Makhachev will stand up this record. He’s the P4P #1, he’s dominant and seemingly has no flaws in his recreation. There’s probability we might see him prime the record of UFC double champions if he continues to be dominant!
10 – Conor McGregor
The rationale Conor McGregor is so low on this record is because of the truth that he by no means made a defence of any of his two titles. The rationale that he isn’t backside of this record is as a result of he modified the sport as regards to double champions. He was the primary of solely a small quantity simultaneous UFC double champions and, definitely, placed on the best efficiency in terms of profitable a second belt. The dearth of title defences performs towards McGregor on this one.
9 – BJ Penn
BJ Penn’s two weight championship reign definitely got here to a disappointing finish. He captured the welterweight title with an emphatic win over Matt Hughes, nevertheless, was stripped of the belt 4 months later after contract disputes. He’d go on to seize the light-weight title in a vacant title bout. Though he made three defences of his title, he by no means held the titles concurrently, which is why he’s additional down on the record.
8 – Randy Couture
We have now to present Randy Couture his props. He was the primary particular person to ever win belts in two totally different divisions and never solely this, however he did so at heavyweight. Throughout his lengthy profession, The Pure would win the heavyweight title, mild heavyweight title after which return up in weight, again to heavyweight to recapture his previous belt.
There isn’t any doubt that he’s some of the recognisable faces in UFC historical past and there’s a purpose that he’s a corridor of famer.
7 – Henry Cejudo
Triple C, Henry Cejudo is among the extra recognisable names as a UFC double champion, particularly as a simultaneous champion. Everybody can recognise the picture of Cejudo with each the flyweight and bantamweight belts, alongside together with his Olympic gold medal.
He captured the flyweight belt in superb style when he ended Demetrious Johnson’s longtime title reign, albeit by way of cut up resolution. His solely defence of the flyweight title got here towards a juiced-up, weight-drained TJ Dillashaw.
He then moved as much as compete for the vacant belt towards Marlon Morales.
Embed from Getty Photographs
Cejudo beat Morales to change into a two-weight world champion, nevertheless, after this loss, Morales went 1-7 in his profession, questionning how good he was on the time. His solely defence of the bantamweight title got here towards Dominick Cruz, who had been out of motion for 3 and a half years. Cejudo completed Cruz after which relinquished his belt after saying his retirement.
6 – George St Pierre
George St Pierre, like many UFC double champions, dominated a division earlier than finally shifting up in weight and profitable one other belt. GSP dominated the welterweight division all through his time at 170lbs, making 9 profitable title defences and retired with out ever shedding his belt at welterweight. Not solely did he win these fights, he dominated. He beat a who’s who within the welterweight division and is broadly thought of the perfect welterweight of all time.
He would return after a four-year hiatus, leaping up in weight to middleweight and clashing with Michael Bisping for the belt. He would go on to complete Bisping by way of third spherical submission, nevertheless, he would retire with out making a defence of the belt. This isn’t his fault as he solely retired attributable to accidents, nevertheless, it’s a disgrace that he by no means had a run at 185lbs.
5 – Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuira is kind of excessive on this record and that’s because of the potential that he has. At simply 28 years previous, he’s an undefeated UFC double champion. Not solely this, however his stage of competitors is scarily good for somebody who has solely been within the UFC for 5 years. He’s received the potential to be a megastar and is presently placing within the performances of somebody who’s going to make it huge within the firm.
He captured the featherweight belt in devastating style with a brutal knockout of Alexander Volkanovski in 2024, changing into the primary particular person to beat Volkanovski at featherweight. He would make a single defence of his 145lbs title, nevertheless, would accomplish that in beautiful style. He turned the primary particular person to knock out Max Holloway, the previous champion.
Topuria would transfer up in weight and problem for the vacant light-weight title and win once more, doing so in his typical brutal style. El Matador blitzed by former champion, Charles Oliveira in simply 2:27, knocking him out.
He has the ambition to be a three-weight world champion, nevertheless, should show himself at light-weight earlier than doing so. The considered a Topuria vs Makhachev grudge match is definitely thrilling…
4 – Alex Pereira
Chama! Alex Pereira takes the #4 spot on our record, possibly controversially. Though he’s a UFC double champion, Pereira by no means made a defence of the middleweight belt he emphatically gained from Israel Adesanya. In reality, he was brutally knocked out when he tried to defend it towards Adesanya of their rematch.
Nonetheless, he then moved up 20lbs to 205lbs and commenced his finest work. He debuted within the division towards the previous champion, Jan Blachowicz, profitable by way of cut up resolution. He would then win the vacant belt towards Jiri Prochazka with a second spherical end. He would go on to headline UFC 300 together with two additional PPVs in 2024, profitable each by way of end. Though he misplaced the belt in a lacklustre efficiency towards Magomed Ankalaev, he would rebound in convincing style, silence his doubters and end the Russian in simply 1:20.
He has ambitions to maneuver as much as heavyweight which might see him compete for a 3rd title, nevertheless, as of but, nothing is confirmed.
3 – Jon Jones
Too excessive on the record? Perhaps.
Jon Jones’ mild heavyweight run was, definitely, emphatic. Not solely is he the youngest ever UFC champion, however he beat a who’s who of sunshine heavyweight legends. He’s by no means been crushed within the octagon, solely shedding one struggle to a DQ. He notched eight straight title defences, together with ‘that’ struggle with Alexander Gustafsson, earlier than being stripped of his belt.
His second mild heavyweight title reign was unimpressive to say the least, squeezing out choices towards Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Dominick Reyes. He would relinquish the belt to maneuver as much as heavyweight, nevertheless, would take over three years to take action.
A beneficial match-up towards Ciryl Gane would see him seize the heavyweight strap, nevertheless, as an alternative of then defending the belt towards the interim champion, Tom Aspinall, he would meet Stipe Miocic. A lacklustre struggle for everybody concerned. He’d then retire and by no means truly face Aspinall.
He’s so excessive on the record attributable to his mild heavyweight run. He was a fantastic mild heavyweight champion and now sits third on our record of the perfect UFC double champions.
2 – Daniel Cormier
DC, Daniel Cormier, takes the #2 place of our best UFC double champions record. Cormier captured the belt when Jones relinquished it and gained the belt in a dominant efficiency towards Anthony Johnson. He would go on to make two additional defences, having a conflict with Gustafsson, equally to Jones.
He would lose to Jones in a rematch, nevertheless, attributable to a failed drug check, the bout was deemed a no-contest and Cormier would hold on to his belt. An additional dominant efficiency over Volkan Oezdemir would see him transfer as much as heavyweight and problem Stipe Miocic.
At 39 years previous, Cormier would present that his energy transferred to the heavyweight division by knocking out Miocic within the first spherical.
🏆 On this present day 7 years in the past 39 y.o. Daniel Cormier knocked out Stipe Miocic and have become the two-division champion.
📊 He is among the few fighters to have resumes in each weight courses and to defend each belts.
DC is actually one of many 🐐
pic.twitter.com/PTMaFdxbDI
— Residence of Struggle (@Home_of_Fight) July 7, 2025
Though he would go on to lose two straight to Miocic after this struggle, Cormier will go down as the most effective to ever do it, particularly on the age which he achieved his profession highlights.
1 – Amanda Nunes
Amanda Nunes. The one fighter to win two belts in two separate divisions, maintain them on the identical time and nonetheless compete in each divisions. No doubt the most effective UFC double champions in historical past.
For context, Makhachev made his final light-weight title defence, sat out for 10 months (was stripped of his 155lbs belt) after which gained a welterweight title. Nunes, however, made three title defences of her 135lbs belt, moved as much as featherweight, smashed Cris Cyborg within the first spherical to seize a second belt, then went again all the way down to bantamweight seven months later to defend her bantamweight belt once more. She would then make one other defence of her bantamweight strap earlier than shifting again up and defending her 145lbs belt once more.
She would lose to Julianna Pena however win her belt again in a dominant style, exhibiting that the title loss was merely a blip in her profession and would retire on prime.
What makes her reign so thrilling is that it’s rumoured that she’ll be making a comeback to conflict with Kayla Harrison.
The one fighter on our record of UFC double champions to modify between weight courses and defend each of her belts. Wonderful work from the Lionness.
Agree with our record of UFC double champions? Tell us within the feedback beneath!
