Double Champ Guidelines: The right way to change into the subsequent DC, Nunes, Cejudo or McGregor

MMA continues to be a comparatively new skilled sport, but it surely has created loads of historic moments, and the UFC, the game’s most recognizable promotion, has developed numerous stars.

Many fighters have constructed spectacular information, spotlight reels full of untamed knockouts and loopy submissions and some have entered the fraternity of UFC champions. However even amongst those that have reached the highest of the mountain of their division, there’s a good larger degree of uncommon air that solely a handful of fighters have ever reached.

“Champ-champ” standing — proudly owning titles in two divisions concurrently.

In keeping with former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier, successful even one UFC title is “almost unimaginable”. In simply over 30 years of the UFC internet hosting struggle occasions, solely 107 completely different fighters (not together with the champions who’ve held a title greater than as soon as) have held a title in any of the promotion’s 12 weight lessons. Of these 107 fighters, solely seven have even challenged for a second belt. And of these seven fighters, solely 4 (Cormier, Henry Cejudo, Conor McGregor and Amanda Nunes) have ever really received.

“It takes world-class ranges of dedication, ability, athleticism and even some luck,” Cormier advised ESPN.

But, many UFC champs have known as for his or her shot at a title holder in a unique division — some have even been daring sufficient to take action earlier than their first title protection. How, then, can we separate those that have earned the precise to problem for a second title from those that nonetheless have extra work to do?

After surveying reigning champions, former champs and different UFC fighters, we have developed a proposal for “The Double Champ Guidelines.”

---

The 1st step: Win the primary title

No one desires to listen to about your double champ aspirations when you’ve got but to earn your first title. It is simply that easy. However successful that first belt is not any straightforward process.

“I do know everybody desires to be a UFC champion, however there have been so few folks to come back by the game and obtain that, so it is not a given,” Cormier mentioned. “Being a double champion is so uncommon that it may possibly’t be the main target for a fighter early. It has to occur organically.”

To earn a title shot, a fighter should work their manner up the division’s ranks, progressively taking over more difficult opponents whereas dealing with extra stress to win. And, in lots of instances, simply successful is not even sufficient — loads of fighters have piled up choice wins solely to get handed over in favor of somebody with fewer wins however extra finishes or fights which can be thought of extra entertaining.

Each fighter’s entry level within the UFC is completely different, although. Some fighters needed to work their manner up from the figurative backside of the roster — like welterweight champion Leon Edwards — who made his first look within the Octagon in 2014 and compiled a powerful 11-2, 1 NC file earlier than successful the title in 2022.

Different fighters, reminiscent of mild heavyweight champ Alex Pereira, gave the impression to be fast-tracked to a title shot. Pereira joined the UFC after an intensive kickboxing profession that featured a storied rivalry with then-middleweight champ Israel Adesanya. Due to the hype round a possible matchup in MMA between the 2, after simply three fights within the Octagon, Pereira received a title shot in opposition to Adesanya, which he received.

In the end, it does not matter the way you get the title. Simply do not let anybody hear you utter the phrases “double champ” with out it.

---

Step two: Clear your division or Change into a famous person

That is the place we hit a fork within the highway, however finishing one in all these choices is important to earn a shot at a second gold strap. And although each of the paths are difficult, one is undoubtedly preferable. Listed here are the choices: regularly beat title challengers till you have gone by everybody or change into an plain famous person.

Choice A: Beat all challengers

“Turning into a champ is almost unimaginable, however clearing your division is even more durable,” Cormier mentioned.

Clearing out the division is the most typical path. If claiming the throne is grueling, then sustaining your place there is no simpler. In some instances, beating fighters on the best way up is not sufficient. Typically, you continue to should tackle foes you have already defeated en path to successful a title, and in uncommon conditions, you could possibly have to try this a number of occasions.

Simply take a look at Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo. Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko. We noticed Moreno-Figueiredo 4 occasions. Volkanovski-Holloway squared off 3 times. And Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3 is predicted to be booked following the conclusion of the upcoming season of “The Final Fighter.”

Lately, there have been two champions who did clear their division and nonetheless did not get a shot at turning into a double champion, former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman and former males’s bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling.

Usman had strung collectively the second-longest win streak in UFC historical past, which featured 5 title defenses earlier than dropping the title in 2022. Sterling had fought by the gauntlet within the promotion’s 135-pound division to win the title and had three profitable title defenses earlier than dropping the belt final yr. After dropping their titles, each fighters determined to maneuver up in weight.

“What Usman has accomplished [five title defenses] is so troublesome,” Cormier mentioned. “I believe the times of us seeing these lengthy title runs is completed. In at present’s MMA, three title defenses is taken into account a profitable title reign.”

Choice B: Change into the subsequent Conor McGregor

Alternatively, the best way to bypass every little thing talked about in Choice A is to be a generational famous person. Change into such an enormous identify and model inside the sport that it is so financially helpful for the promotion that they can not afford to not provide you with that probability.

Nevertheless, out of the 600-plus fighters the UFC has contracted, Conor McGregor is the one fighter to do that. Loads of different stars have come by the Octagon, together with Jon Jones, who’s extensively considered the very best MMA fighter of all time. However even the MMA GOAT cannot evaluate to the stardom that the person generally known as “Infamous” has reached.

“Conor McGregor is the exception, not the rule,” Cormier mentioned.

Whereas McGregor’s degree of success out and in of the Octagon is one thing all fighters aspire to achieve, doing so can solely occur organically. This can be a guidelines for a path to double champion glory, however there isn’t a direct path to turning into a world star.

---

Step three: Study the panorama

Other than wins and losses contained in the Octagon, timing stands out as the greatest think about figuring out if a champion will get a shot at a second title.

Is there a struggle card that wants an enormous headliner? Is there a champion who makes for a compelling matchup? Is that champion accessible for a possible matchup? Is the matchup one thing that additionally is sensible from the UFC’s perspective? These are only a few questions that should be answered to grasp the panorama earlier than organising such a uncommon alternative.

When Cormier beat Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 to additionally declare the heavyweight title in 2018, Cormier mentioned he was the beneficiary of filling a necessity for the UFC and the heavyweight division on the good time.

“Star energy is overstated in MMA,” Cormier mentioned. “In my case, I did not have this large star energy. I did nicely, however I wasn’t promoting large pay-per-views. Lots of [the making of the fight with Miocic] was concerning the worth of the matchup.

“For me, it was a chance based mostly on Stipe not having many choices. I had fought Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson. I had simply crushed Volkan Oezdemir. And Stripe had accomplished the identical factor. He had simply crushed Francis Ngannou, who had basically run by the division. So Miocic was missing a challenger and I used to be in the precise place on the proper time. It simply made sense.”

Cormier mentioned two of the opposite double champs additionally benefited from related conditions. Henry Cejudo, who held the lads’s flyweight and bantamweight titles from 2019 to 2020, was prepared to struggle a harmful man in Marlon Moraes for the then-vacant bantamweight title. And Amanda Nunes, who held the ladies’s bantamweight and featherweight titles from 2017 to 2021, went as much as featherweight to tackle Cris Cyborg for the then-vacant belt.

Within the present period of MMA, the standard of the matchup when pairing two champions is extra essential to the UFC matchmakers than the person stardom of the fighters. With the UFC missing a number of fighters who may very well be thought of world stars, exterior of McGregor, Cormier mentioned the subsequent champion to problem for a second belt will profit from the matchup being so marketable that the UFC cannot move it up.

Assessing the panorama is a singular course of for every fighter, together with what changes could be obligatory for them to make a transfer to compete in a brand new division. Nevertheless, step one is common: establish a possible opponent.

To choose that opponent, a fighter will need to have an understanding of their physique and their capabilities. Many fighters cannot add sufficient weight to maneuver as much as one other division. And most fighters aren’t capable of reduce any extra weight to make the restrict at a decrease division. Then, if that fighter could make weight, can they nonetheless compete at a championship degree with how their physique adjusts to being in a brand new division?

---

Step 4: Name your shot

Like in step three, timing is equally essential, however on this step, timing is all as much as the person fighter. Even when it is not for a title — or a second title — when seeking to get booked for an enormous struggle, it is all about technique.

We have seen loads of callouts that labored: Chael Sonnen’s postfight callout of Anderson Silva, Michael Chandler’s name for a struggle with McGregor at UFC 274, and even Merab Dvalishvili’s fixed pestering of Sean O’Malley through social media to construct public curiosity.

There have additionally been much more callouts that did not work. Contemplate Aljamain Sterling calling for a rematch with O’Malley utilizing his cellphone whereas within the crowd at UFC 293 — it was not acquired nicely by MMA followers.

“When and the way you name on your shot issues,” Cormier mentioned. “As soon as you have accomplished every little thing else, you simply should plant the seed. You possibly can say it to the general public, or you possibly can simply say it to [UFC CEO] Dana White or [UFC chief business officer] Hunter Campbell. You must promote your self and the matchup, it may possibly’t be delicate. If the callout works, prepare to arrange for the toughest struggle of your life.”

---

How do double champs have an effect on the game and people round it?

This concept of a guidelines is just good if it is sensible to those that must abide by it when seeking to problem for a second title. Nevertheless, some fighters and even a reigning champion would not thoughts it.

“I believe [the opportunity to challenge for a title in another division] is situational,” O’Malley mentioned to ESPN. “I do not thoughts that because the rule, like ‘Hey, you possibly can’t go up but. You have to defend the belt.’ Alright, let’s do it.”

Whereas O’Malley mentioned he would not thoughts a pre-established guidelines as a barrier to entry for a second title shot, it’s value mentioning that he doubtless feels these alternatives are situational as a result of he’s simply vying for a shot at UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria’s title after efficiently defending his title over Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299.

Alternatively, it is sensible that those that could be affected by the champion of their division difficult for, or — even worse for them — really successful a second title. Megan Anderson, who challenged Nunes for her featherweight title at UFC 259 in 2021, is aware of all too nicely about how a champ-champ impacts different ranked fighters of their division.

“It stalemates the divisions of each titleholders concerned, ” Anderson mentioned. “Simply take a look at the state of the light-weight division. You’ve [Islam Makhahchev], that has each of his title defenses in opposition to a males’s featherweight. No one within the division.

“And take a look at how that affected the division, Justin Gaethje was alleged to be first in line for a shot, however as a result of he wished and wanted to remain energetic, he took a harmful struggle in opposition to Max Holloway and misplaced. Now, Gaethje value himself a shot on the title.”

Whereas Anderson did get her shot on the featherweight title, throughout most of Nunes’ time on the UFC roster, she was defending her bantamweight belt. However Nunes did make back-to-back defenses of her 145-pound title in 2020 in opposition to Felicia Spencer after which in opposition to Anderson.

When Nunes made that second protection at 145 kilos, it ruffled some bantamweight contender feathers.

“Some bantamweight fighters felt that featherweights had been taking away their shot at competing for a title,” Anderson mentioned. “And one fighter even reached out to me personally, complaining that I used to be ‘delaying her probability’ to problem for the bantamweight title.”

Vera and former light-weight champion Rafael Dos Anjos each really feel that whereas there are circumstances when it is sensible for a champion to earn a shot at one other title, some champions could view it as simply a chance to take an enormous struggle with out the danger of dropping their belt.

“I believe that is a manner so that you can struggle, get one other struggle and nonetheless maintain your belt,” Dos Anjos advised ESPN. “It is sort of protected, proper? You get one other struggle, you get a very good payday and get an opportunity of getting a brand new belt, however for those who lose, you continue to have your belt.”

Vera agreed that taking a struggle in opposition to one other champ is safer than taking over a challenger inside the division.

“I consider it is much less stress if you’re not alleged to lose,” he advised ESPN. “When the man coming from the highest 5 is hungry [and] actually attempting to kill you. That man is a scary man.”

---

Which fighters may problem for double champ standing subsequent?

In keeping with Cormier and Anderson, there aren’t many present champions who’ve already accomplished sufficient throughout their title run to be clear candidates for an opportunity at one other title, however a number of names have piqued their curiosity: Edwards, O’Malley, Pereira and strawweight champion Zhang Weili. We may see them within the Octagon reverse one other champion in the event that they play their playing cards proper.

Edwards: Of all the present champs, Edwards has the longest energetic title run. And, as talked about earlier, he needed to undergo almost everybody on the prime of the division to get a title shot. Then, to get the belt, he needed to beat Usman, extensively thought of among the best welterweight fighters of all time. Plus, he is a star within the U.Ok. Cormier and Anderson really feel that Edwards may need a pair extra defenses, however he is shut.

“Edwards may very well be due for a chance quickly, however there are such a lot of nice matchups that may be made for him at welterweight,” Anderson mentioned. “Shavkat Rakhmonov has been on a tear. Belal Muhammad continues to be ready for his title struggle. Plus there are up-and-coming contenders like Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Garry, who may put themselves within the title image quickly.”

O’Malley: He is without doubt one of the champs who has already known as his shot at one other champion. After his dominant unanimous choice win over “Chito” Vera at UFC 299, he known as out featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. However O’Malley has no drawback issuing out challenges for opponents who may make massive fights, even when which means getting into the boxing ring. O’Malley known as out WBA light-weight champion Gervonta Davis final yr.

“Suga” Sean can be a star amongst youthful MMA followers. He has over 4 million followers on Instagram. With just one title protection, his callout of Topuria was slightly overzealous, however the concept wasn’t outlandish.

Zhang: Forward of UFC 300, Zhang Weili doubtless was first in line to get a shot at double champ standing. Then, at UFC 300, Zhang efficiently defended the strawweight title in opposition to Yan Xianon within the co-main occasion, successful by unanimous choice — but it surely was a poor displaying for Zhang. After that efficiency, plainly successful that struggle will not be sufficient to justify reserving her to face one other champ.

“One different factor to think about is the Grasso-Shevchenko logjam that is already going down on the prime of the flyweight division, that’s the solely logical division for her to problem,” Anderson mentioned.

Pereira: Along with his jaw-dropping knockout of Jamahal Hill in his mild heavyweight title protection in the principle occasion, Pereira immediately elevated himself from star to famous person standing. In keeping with Cormier, Pereira may do one thing that might cement his legacy in MMA.

“Pereira has the potential to be a three-division champion if he strikes as much as heavyweight. That is by no means been accomplished within the UFC,” Cormier mentioned. “His energy interprets so nicely. He has pure energy in his punches and leg kicks that does not go away as a result of he strikes in weight.”

Pereira additionally expressed curiosity in probably shifting as much as heavyweight. The one drawback is that there is additionally a holdup atop the heavyweight division. Jones is predicted to face Miocic when he returns from harm. And Tom Aspinall has the interim heavyweight title.

One closing rule — and that is nonnegotiable — interim titles do not qualify for double champ standing.