Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

UFC News – Diego Lopes Reveals Major Change In UFC Policy For Double Champ Enthusiasts!

UFC make silent changes for double champ status aspirants as Diego Lopes shines the light after Ilia Topuria vacates title!

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC‘s “Champ-Champ” era, which began with Conor McGregor’s historic feat in 2016, might be officially over! Back when McGregor knocked out Eddie Alvarez to add the lightweight title to his featherweight crown, it sparked a trend. Stars like Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Henry Cejudo followed suit, holding two belts simultaneously.

It was a golden age for ambitious champions looking to cement their legacies. But according to rising star Diego Lopes, the UFC has quietly changed this policy. He revealed that the promotion has put an end to the simultaneous two-division champion dreams.

Also Read: Prime Anderson Silva vs. Poatan? Israel Adesanya Makes His Pick For The Hypothetical Showdown Of The Greats!

The New Rules of the Game

In a recent interview, Lopes spilled the beans about the UFC’s updated policy while discussing Ilia Topuria’s decision to vacate the featherweight title. The promotion now requires champions to give up their belt if they want to chase gold in another division.

“They were very clear to us that they said that they are no longer giving [the] chance to jump from one weight class to another. If you want to move up, you have to vacate your title. That’s what UFC has said to all champions who are planning to move up a weight class. They will no longer have the status of double champion simultaneously.”

The UFC will no longer allow fighters to hold two weight division belts simultaneously, according to Diego Lopes 😳

“They made it very clear if you want to move up, you have to vacate your title” pic.twitter.com/7rf5d7B9wY
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) February 21, 2025

This news comes right as Lopes prepares for his own shot at glory. He is facing former champion Alexander Volkanovski for the now-vacant featherweight title at UFC 314!

The Road Ahead

This policy shift could dramatically change how fighters plan their careers. The new rule forces champions to make harder choices and take bigger risks. Topuria, fresh off his spectacular 2024 campaign where he knocked out both Volkanovski and Max Holloway, is the first to face this new reality. He is betting all his chips on a lightweight move, hoping to join the exclusive club of fighters who’ve won titles in multiple divisions, just not at the same time.

The change might actually be good for the sport. No more log-jammed divisions waiting for absent champions to defend their belts. No more interim titles collecting dust while champions chase glory elsewhere. Though some fans might miss the “champ-champ” era’s excitement, this new approach could lead to more active champions and clearer paths to title shots.

As Diego Lopes puts it, future double champions will have earned their status the hard way, one division at a time. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all. Now fans won’t expect any more post-fight “the double champ does whatever he wants” speeches anytime soon!

(Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkanovksi

Ilia Topuria

Islam Makhachev

UFC 314

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!