One of the most iconic venues in the history of sport became simply a small detail in the storyline of UFC 205, when Conor McGregor became the first fighter to hold UFC titles in multiple divisions simultaneously after defeating Eddie Alvarez, accessorizing his featherweight belt with a lightweight one as well.
UFC 259 will become just the seventh UFC event to feature three title fights (UFC 33, UFC 205, UFC 214, UFC 217, UFC 245, UFC 251), but also the first ever to feature four champions across three fights on a single card. And while all three title fights possess the promise to be dynamic matchups, all eyes will be on the light heavyweight division as middleweight champion Adesanya takes on Jan Blachowicz with the hopes of adding a second championship belt to his resume.
UFC 259 COUNTDOWN: Jan Blachowicz vs Israel Adesanya | Amanda Nunes vs Megan Anderson | Petr Yan vs Aljamain Sterling
Only seven people in UFC history have ever won belts in multiple divisions, with four of them achieving the new pinnacle of MMA: becoming a “champ champ,” or a simultaneous champion in multiple divisions. Let’s break down the short list of athletes to accomplish this unrivaled feat.
*Asterisks denote simultaneous multi-division champions.