UFC Fighters Who Became Simultaneous Two-Division Champions

Four athletes have only accomplished the rare achievement of becoming a UFC double-weight champion throughout the history of the Dana White-headed MMA organization. This champ-champ status has cemented the fighters’ names to be constant favorites in online sports betting.

The first simultaneous, two division champ 🇮🇪 @TheNotoriousMMA

[ #UFC264 | B2YB @DraftKings ] pic.twitter.com/1NCopEaIZx

— UFC (@ufc) July 7, 2021

Earning such double-weight status is more challenging than some fans think because Israel Adesanya, T.J. Dillashaw and Max Holloway have come up short in doing so. The question is, who among the long list of UFC superstars has earned this rarified feat? And what titles and how did they do it?

UFC Fighters Who Became Simultaneous Two Division Champions

Conor McGregor – Featherweight and Lightweight Champion

Conor McGregor took the UFC by storm when he signed with the promotion in 2013. He not only compiled win after win but also did it spectacularly by knocking them out. The Irish superstar proved that the hype around him was real when he defeated Jose Aldo in December 2015 to become the undisputed UFC Featherweight Champion by knocking out the Brazilian in just 13 seconds.

But “The Notorious” wasn’t contented with one title because he moved up in the lightweight division to challenge Eddie Alvarez for his UFC title in November 2016. The SBG Ireland representative obliterated Alvarez in under two rounds with his quick and slick combinations to make history and become UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion. McGregor, though, wasn’t able to defend either of the belts.

Conor McGregor is the first UFC champion to simultaneously hold belts in two weight classes. #AndNew pic.twitter.com/aTVOqXsaIv

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) November 13, 2016

Daniel Cormier – Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion

Daniel Cormier is regarded as one of the best combat sports athletes of all time due to his stacked resume. Before becoming a professional MMA fighter, he was an Olympic wrestler who finished fourth during the 2004 games in Athens, Greece. “DC” was denied his first title triumph by Jon Jones in May 2015 because he was defeated by him unanimously.

But since Jones got suspended after that fight, the UFC booked Cormier for a title again, this time against Anthony Johnson, and submitted him in the third round to become the light heavyweight champion. In July 2017, Cormier fought Jones for the second time and lost once again, but it was ruled as a no-contest eventually as Jones failed a drug test.

The AKA athlete got the belt back by beating Volkan Ozedemir in January 2018. After this triumph, he challenged Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title in July 2018, where he got the job done by knocking out Miocic in the opening round to claim his second title in the heavyweight division and become the second UFC fighter to achieve the champ-champ status.

DANIEL CORMIER KNOCKS OUT STIPE MIOCIC!!!!

OH MY GOD!!!!! #UFC226

— UFC (@ufc) July 8, 2018

Amanda Nunes – Women’s Bantamweight and Women’s Featherweight Champion

Amanda Nunes earned her first UFC title in July 2016 when she submitted Miesha Tate in the first round of their championship showdown. This was after the Brazilian accumulated a 5-1 win-loss record in her first six matches under the Las Vegas-based promotion. She defended this title three times against Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko and Raquel Pennington.

Following these title defenses, “The Lioness” went up in the featherweight division to challenge Cris Cyborg for the title in December 2018. The hype and anticipation for this showdown didn’t live up to its expectation because Nunes displayed a spectacular performance and knocked out Cyborg in the first round. Since she achieved double-weight champion status, Nunes was moving up-and-down the two divisions to defend her titles.

AND NEW!

Amanda Nunes knocks out Cris Cyborg in less than a minute at #UFC232! pic.twitter.com/znBE1DoNBz

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 30, 2018

Henry Cejudo – Flyweight and Bantamweight Champion

Like Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo was a top name in the wrestling amateurs before transitioning to MMA. He even won a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and made history as the youngest American to achieve this feat in freestyle wrestling. Cejudo signed with the UFC in 2014 and instantly cemented his status as a top contender in the flyweight division with four straight wins.

Because of this unbeaten four-fight run in the UFC, the Fight Ready representative received his maiden title opportunity in April 2016 against Demetrious Johnson. However, Johnson denied him of the gold with a first-round TKO finish. After that heartbreaking loss, “Triple C” received another tough defeat at the hands of Joseph Benavidez in December 2016. But after that, he went on a revenge tour.

Cejudo scored back-to-back victories over Wilson Reis and Sergio Pettis before receiving his title rematch with Johnson in December 2017. The American of Mexican descent exacted revenge on Johnson with a close split decision win. A successful title defense against T.J. Dillashaw followed that championship glory before the former Olympian moved up to the bantamweight division.

In June 2019, Cejudo was pitted against Marlon Moraes for the vacant UFC Bantamweight, where he maximized the chance and defeated Moraes in the third round via TKO. The victory not only earned Cejudo the bantamweight title, but also the elite status of being a double-weight simultaneous champion and joined McGregor, Nunes and Cormier in this exclusive club.

iiiiiiiiiiit's TIME! #UFC238 pic.twitter.com/JLVC4H7TlS

— UFC (@ufc) June 9, 2019