After Conor McGregor became the first-ever UFC fighter to rule two different weight divisions at once, the dream of becoming a double champion rose like a 100-foot wave in the champions’ hearts. And that includes Islam Makhachev. The lightweight champion wants to do something that even his mentor and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov, could never achieve. The Dagestani first expressed his desire to move to the welterweight division after UFC 294 and reiterated it ahead of UFC 311. “I’m not gonna leave this sport without second belt. This is my goal.”

However, Dana White seemed to be against that notion. Not against the Dagestani chasing a second belt, but doing it while holding the 155lbs division hostage. Following the events of UFC 315, Makhachev’s move to the welterweight realm was confirmed. While announcing the fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira for UFC 317, Dana White revealed that the lightweight throne lay vacant.

He said, “Current lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, is going to move up to the welterweight division to face Jack Della Maddalena. UFC 317, International Fight Week, June 28th, you all know Ilia Topuria, undefeated, 16-0, vacated his featherweight title. And now he’s moving up to lightweight, and he will face former lightweight champion and number 2 ranked Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title.”

And naturally, Team Khabib didn’t wish to vacate the lightweight belt. During a conversation with Mike Bohn, the Dagestani team’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz claimed, “He will have the two [belts] on top of his shoulder because he’s still the lightweight champion.” The Egyptian cited Nurmagomedov’s career. He pointed out that when ‘The Eagle’ retired, he did so as a champion. And now, Makhachev is at a similar spot. He isn’t just the champion of the lightweight realm, but also the P4P #1.

But becoming a double champion meant putting a stop to two divisions. Well, that’s what former UFC middleweight Derek Brunson claimed. He took to X and reasoned why having a champ-champ was bad for the UFC. He wrote, “Having a two-division champion in MMA is such a bad idea. It holds up 2 divisions and takes away several meaningful fights.”

So, does that mean there won’t be any double champions in the UFC anymore? Not really! The UFC veteran had a condition for that. He quoted, “You should only get a double champ fight if you’ve cleared your division & defended your title at least 6+ times!”

Meanwhile, the famed MMA journalist, Damon Martin, revealed his inclination towards Brunson’s opinion. Replying to the tweet, Martin wrote, “I made a similar argument a year or so ago, and people lost their minds. I think I said a minimum of 5 title defenses, and you’d think I just suggested they punch a baby. 🤣”

As we already know, Makhachev currently sits at 4 title defenses after slaying legends like Dustin Poirier and Alexander Volkanovski (twice). He even surpassed the division record of 3 at UFC 311 when he beat Renato Moicano. And that is why the Dagestani can be a bit adamant when it comes to wearing 2 belts. And while many believed that it was a bad idea, there were many others who supported the Dagestani in his quest. And one such supporter was Michael Bisping. Let’s see what the former champ had to say!

Michael Bisping stands with Islam Makhachev in his quest to become champ-champ

‘The Count’, taking to his YouTube channel, revealed his thoughts on Makhachev’s stance regarding a second belt. He said, “I don’t think we should strip Islam Makhachev. But the conversation is out there. That narrative does exist. Some people are saying that online as well. That if he’s going to walk away from the lightweight championship, then you don’t get to keep the belt. I disagree.”

It’s not like there aren’t many double champions in UFC history. Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, Georges St-Pierre, and of course, “The Notorious’ top this list. And according to Bisping, the Dagestani champion deserved the opportunity that previously landed on the said champ-champs’ doorsteps. As per the former middleweight champion, Makhachev has already proven himself as one of the best fighters in the MMA realm. As mentioned, he has already defended his lightweight belt 4 times. And 2 of these defenses ended up as brutal finishes in the very first round. 

Nevertheless, one simply can’t defy the UFC head honcho. And it has never really happened that White changed his mind for a fighter and let him keep the championship belt after announcing it as a vacant position. But who knows… Things might just be a tad bit different for Makhachev. Otherwise, he’ll have to make sure that he excels as a welterweight against Jack Della Maddalena. 

What are your thoughts on fighters aspiring for the double champion status? Do you think the UFC head honcho should actually allow Makhachev to carry two different belts simultaneously? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.