
5 UFC Champions That Could Fight for Double Champ Status in 2025
Throughout the UFC’s 31-year history, only a few fighters have earned the prestigious status of being a double champ. Nine fighters have reached this illustrious achievement across two weight divisions. Greats like Conor McGregor, BJ Penn, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, George St. Pierre, and Amanda Nunes have all achieved double champ status.
The new age of UFC champions beam with potential. They have a chance to catapult their legacy by winning a second belt. Top fighters like Jon Jones, Alexandre Pantoja, Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria, and Alex Pereira all reign atop their divisions.

Alexandre Pantoja
34-year-old Alexandre Pantoja has mounted an elite seven-fight win streak in the 125-pound division. He has taken on the toughest competition available. The Brazilian champion has separated himself from the rest of the talent pool. Pantoja has three title defenses under his belt. He is now somewhat a victim of his own dominance in the division. He is left with little-to-no viable options for potential challengers.
Looking at the current state of the flyweight division, since his last defeat to Pantoja at UFC 296, No. 1-contender Brandon Royal has achieved an impressive two-fight win streak. He defeated undefeated Japanese phenom Tatsuro Taira. He also triumphed over former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. One would typically chalk these two performances up to a title shot. However, Royval’s case is tough to navigate, given that he is 0-2 against Pantoja. This fact ultimately explains the booking behind Brandon Royval taking on Manel Kape on March 1. Kai Kara France is the only potential opponent left for the UFC to give Pantoja. He recently achieved a devastating first-round TKO over Steve Erceg at UFC 305. Pantoja and Kara France fought on The Ultimate Fighter Season 24 in 2016.
As the standing UFC flyweight champion, Pantoja would be forced to move up in weight and challenge the bantamweight champion. Current champion, Merab Dvalishvili, is currently slated to co-main event as he defends his belt against the undefeated No. 2-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 on January 18. Pantoja has defeated UFC newcomer Kai Asakura at UFC 310. He has already beaten top flyweights Brandon Royval, Manel Kape, Alex Perez, and Steve Erceg. Therefore, options for the champion are limited. You should not be surprised if Pantoja attempts to pursue bantamweight title aspirations.

Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria, 27, has quickly risen to the peak of MMA. He is the defending UFC featherweight champion, and is coming off consecutive knockout wins over former champions, Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. Topuria now sits at an astounding record of 15-0-0 and has not been shy about moving to lightweight.
These recent lightweight title aspirations have left some fans and critics puzzled. The featherweight division has recently seen a new batch of top title contenders like Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev. Critics believe Topuria still needs to defend his belt and prove himself further before he is granted the opportunity to chase double champ status. Topuria has only defeated four ranked featherweights: Holloway, Volkanovski, Josh Emmett, and Bryce Mitchell. Therefore, there are plenty of other ranked fighters against whom he can defend against.
As Ilia Topuria’s star power grows, he has expressed sincere interest in moving up weight classes. The UFC Featherweight champion is particularly interested in a clash with current UFC Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. The Lightweight champion is set to defend his belt against former foe and No. 1-ranked Arman Tsarukyan in the main event of UFC 311 on January 18. Topuria and Makhachev have exchanged words on social media about Topuria’s public interest in a fight with the lightweight champion.

Islam Makhachev
MMA’s pound-for-pound king and current UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, reigns supreme in the 155-pound division. Makhachev, 33, has finished notable fighters like Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, Dan Hooker, and Alexander Volkanovski. He has voiced interest in moving to the welterweight division to challenge for a title. This came around when Leon Edwards was still the reigning champion.
Before Makhachev can get ahead of himself and look past fellow lightweights, he must take on No. 1-contender, Arman Tsarukyan, in a rematch nearly five years in the making. These two fought initially on April 20, 2019 in a highly contested three-round bout. The two talented grapplers scrambled inside the cage in a highly entertaining back and forth. Makhachev went on to win via unanimous decision.
Now that Makhachev’s friend and teammate Belal Muhammad is the welterweight champion, he must wait. He will see if the title switches hands. There is the possibility of Muhammad losing the belt to challengers like Shavkat Rakhmanov, Kamaru Usman, and Jack Della Maddalena. Muhammad will likely defend his belt against Rakhmanov next after Rakhmanov defeated Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310.

Alex Pereira
The 2024 Fighter of the Year has earned the right to dictate his next moves. After saving the UFC multiple times on short notice last year, Alex Pereira has positioned himself as one of the most impactful fighters of this generation.
At 37, Pereira has accomplished more in three years than most fighters do in a lifetime. He captured the UFC middleweight title in just his fourth fight with the promotion. He became the light heavyweight champion in 2023, and even defended his belt multiple times. Now, rumors swirl about a potential clash with Alexander Volkov—a fight that could mark Pereira’s official transition to the heavyweight division.
With few milestones left to achieve, Pereira’s next steps seem destined for legacy-defining opportunities. Why not aim for the heavyweight title and a showdown with Jon Jones in 2025? If Pereira wins the heavyweight belt, he would make history as the first fighter to claim championships in three weight classes. This time, he might even hold two titles simultaneously, defending them until he’s ready to ride off into the sunset.

Jon Jones
Jon Jones made his long-awaited return in 2024, defeating Stipe Miocic to successfully defend his heavyweight title. After years of dominance in the light heavyweight division, Jones transitioned to heavyweight in 2023, further solidifying his legacy.
At heavyweight, however, the marquee matchups are limited. The fight fans are clamoring for is a massive title unification bout against interim heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall. It’s the next logical step… But, the truth remains: even if Jones, now 37, decided to retire today, his status as the greatest fighter of all time would remain intact—even without facing Aspinall.
It’s fascinating to consider that Jones and Alex Pereira are the same age. Yet, their paths to greatness have been so different. While Jones has held UFC gold for the majority of his career, one thing eludes him: the chance to fight for double-champ status. Even Daniel Cormier, a rival with fewer accomplishments in the UFC, has had that opportunity.
But will Jones’ contract demands make negotiations for such a fight impossible? And if he bypasses Aspinall, will fans remain as invested? The questions surrounding Jones in 2025 are plentiful, and the answers will shape the final chapter of his legendary career.
Which UFC champion do you think has the most potential to become a double champ in 2025? Let us know in the comments below.
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