Throughout the organization’s history, UFC has been the home of some of the greatest legends in MMA. Nonetheless, only a small number of elite fighters managed to enter the “Champ Champ” club, cementing a truly special place in the sport’s archives.
So what is a “Champ Champ” in UFC? Who are the fighters who earned this recognition? And has there ever been a three-division champion?
We’ll reveal all the answers below.
What’s a “Champ Champ”?
A “Champ Champ” in UFC is a fighter who simultaneously holds two titles in two different weight classes. It was Conor McGregor who originally came up with this clever term to separate himself from the rest of the pool following his unprecedented achievement at UFC 205.
These are champions who weren’t just interested in defending their original belt, but decided to pursue additional glory in another weight class.
Therefore, winning two UFC championship belts throughout his career isn’t enough for a fighter to be recognized as “Champ Champ”, as he must hold the two titles at the same time.
Who Was the First Champ Champ in UFC?
Conor McGregor became the first “Champ Champ” in UFC after winning the lightweight belt in November 2016.
The “Notorious” entered his fight against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 as the reigning featherweight champion, having famously knocked out former champion José Aldo at UFC 194 in 13 seconds to win his maiden UFC belt.
Therefore, the Irish superstar gave the crowds at Madison Square Garden an iconic souvenir, lifting two UFC belts while proudly proclaiming himself the first ever UFC “Champ Champ”, in what swiftly became an iconic quote.
How Many Double Champions in UFC?
Only four fighters managed to become double champions in the UFC. While Conor McGregor remains the original “Champ Champ”, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo followed suit.
UFC Double Champions: The Champ Champ List
Let’s have a closer look at the prestigious “Champ Champ” list, and reveal the dates where they achieved this exceptional feat.
| Fighter | First Title | Second Title | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conor McGregor | Featherweight | Lightweight | November 12, 2016 | UFC 205 |
| Daniel Cormier | Light Heavyweight | Heavyweight | July 7, 2018 | UFC 226 |
| Amanda Nunes | Bantamweight | Featherweight | December 29, 2018 | UFC 232 |
| Henry Cejudo | Flyweight | Bantamweight | June 8, 2019 | UFC 238 |
Simultaneous UFC Double Champions
Throughout the company’s history, four UFC fighters managed to become simultaneous double champions by lifting two championship belts at the same time.
Conor McGregor has the distinguish of being the original “Champ Champ” by holding the featherweight and lightweight belts concurrently. Daniel Cormier followed when he knocked out Stipe Miocic at UFC 226.
Then it was Amanda Nunes’ turn. The “Lioness” had already stamped her authority on the bantamweight division before clinching the featherweight belt by knocking out Cris Cyborg to become the first-ever female “Champ Champ” in UFC.
Finally, Henry Cejudo added the bantamweight title to the flyweight belt he had previously snatched from Demetrious Johnson to become the fourth double champion in UFC history.
UFC Multi-Division Champions
In UFC history, only eight fighters succeeded in winning titles in two different divisions. The first to achieve this feat is Randy Couture who won both the heavyweight and light heavyweight belts on multiple occasions.
In addition to Couture and the four simultaneous champions mentioned above (McGregor, Cormier, Nunes and Cejudo), the list of multi-division champions also includes three all-time greats in B.J. Penn, Georges Saint-Pierre and Jon Jones (who holds the record for the most wins in UFC title fights).
Has There Even Been a 3-Division UFC Champ?
Until this day, there has never been a three-division champion in the UFC, but eight two-division champions, including four who managed to win two belts simultaneously.
So could we witness a three-division UFC champion in the future?
Well, you can never say never. If we’re going to pick a concrete contender for his extraordinary accolade, perhaps we should go with someone who has already collected two titles and is only missing a third.
Therefore, Henry Cejudo could be a legitimate contender if he decides to take his world-class wrestling to the featherweight division, but he’d have to overcome a significant size disadvantage.
Another potential candidate would be Conor McGregor since he has already fought at welterweight on several occasions. Although launching a title run is a much more difficult task, the Irishman’s unparalleled stardom can always land him an immediate championship bout.
