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At UFC 284, Alexander Volkanovski mounted a valiant effort to pen his name in the MMA history books. Unfortunately, his attempt at claiming immortality was unsuccessful. The Australian great faced Islam Makhachev for the Dagestani phenom's lightweight crown.
Despite his failure, the featherweight titleholder impressed fans and fighters alike with his gutsy performance. That, however, does nothing to wash away the taste of failure from his mouth, and he is not the only fighter to know such bitterness. Throughout UFC history, several fighters have tried to capture a second title.
While some have been successful in immortalizing themselves, others have failed to become simultaneous two-division UFC champions. This list details the attempts of five fighters who tried but failed to capture a second divisional title.
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#5. B.J. Penn, UFC 94
While a glance at his record with no context implies otherwise, B.J. Penn is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. During his peak, the Hawaiian legend was known for possessing slick boxing skills and exceptional Brazilian jiu-jitsu expertise. His ascension, however, coincided with another all-time great fighter.
Georges St-Pierre is celebrated for being one of the greatest takedown artists in MMA history, along with having arguably the sharpest-ever jab in the sport. Thus, it was only natural for him and 'The Prodigy' to try to determine who was the best. At UFC 58, he faced 'GSP' in a thrilling bout. Alas, he suffered a split-decision loss.
Their rematch came three years later at UFC 94. At the time, 'The Prodigy' was the promotion's lightweight kingpin, while 'Rush' was the welterweight titleholder. Fans know Conor McGregor is the first two-division champion in UFC history, but he was not the first to make the attempt.
That distinction goes to B.J. Penn. Unfortunately, his dream of simultaneously holding the welterweight and lightweight crowns never became a reality. 'GSP' dominated him in their rematch to such an extent that Penn's corner asked for the fight to be stopped, which awarded 'Rush' a TKO win.
#4. Max Holloway, UFC 236
Were it not for Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway would likely still be the featherweight champion. Back in 2019, he was still the 145 lbs division's reigning kingpin. At UFC 236, he was given the chance to capture an interim championship in a rematch against Dustin Poirier to become a two-division champion.
The pair first crossed swords years earlier in 2012. At the time, 'Blessed' was terribly overmatched and lost via submission in the first round. But in 2019, he was a much better fighter, so good that he carved out a legacy as one of the greatest 145'ers of all time. At UFC 236, the pair squared off for the interim 155 lbs title.
Their bout was a thrilling affair that earned the two men Fight of the Night honors. Despite his best efforts, Holloway was unable to overwhelm 'The Diamond' with his patented high-volume attack. The former featherweight champion often engulfs his foes in a storm of endless punches.
But fighters who are capable of interrupting him can undercut the effectiveness of his swarms. Poirier relied on his superior punching power to sting Holloway mid-jab, stopping him from building into combinations. Towards the end of the bout, 'Blessed' was battered and bloody as he lost in a unanimous decision.
#3. T.J. Dillashaw, UFC Fight Night 143
Title fights rarely headline Fight Night cards anymore. Back in 2019, however, a flyweight title fight served as the main event for UFC Fight Night 143. But this was no ordinary title fight between a title challenger and a defending champion. Instead, it was a bout between two different champions.
T.J. Dillashaw was the bantamweight king, while Henry Cejudo was the flyweight titleholder. The former Team Alpha Male star challenged 'Triple C' for his 125 lbs crown. Cejudo obliged and the stage was set. But prior to their bout, Dillashaw uploaded pictures of himself during his weight-cutting process.
Many fans voiced their concerns over how sunken and gaunt he looked, but the then-bantamweight titleholder continued. This was his chance to become a two-division champion at 125 lbs and 135 lbs. That chance, however, lasted only 32 seconds once the two men stepped inside the octagon.
Dillashaw suffered an early knockdown and was quickly TKO'd. Many speculated that the demands of his extreme weight cut left his brain too dehydrated for his skull to absorb his foe's blows.
#2. Israel Adesanya, UFC 259
Israel Adesanya is one of MMA's biggest stars. In 2021, 'The Last Stylebender' owned two things that are no longer in his position: an undefeated record and the UFC middleweight championship. The Nigerian striking specialist had previously dispatched a string of high-level adversaries.
Paulo Costa lost his unbeaten record against the Nigerian phenom. Meanwhile, Yoel Romero was sent on his way out of the UFC, and finally, Robert Whittaker was completely outclassed en route to a second-round KO loss. Thus, the only natural conclusion was to allow Adesanya to challenge the champion above him.
Back then, Jan Błachowicz was the reigning champion of the 205 lbs weight class. Israel Adesanya was confident in his chances. After all, he was yet to taste defeat at the time. What ensued when the two faced off, however, was unexpected. Not only did the Polish power puncher outstrike his foe, but he also outwrestled him.
His style of engagement proved tricky for Adesanya during their kickboxing exchanges, and the Pole's size and strength proved too great. He handed Adesanya a unanimous decision loss, stopping him from capturing a second divisional title.
#1. Alexander Volkanovski, UFC 284
The world's greatest fighter is Alexander Volkanovski. That was the general narrative in the MMA world surrounding UFC 284 before the PPV event. For some, the narrative hasn't changed even after the event's conclusion. This is curious given that 'The Great' suffered a loss.
He was scheduled to face Islam Makhachev, who hasn't lost in 8 years. The task that the Australian star was facing was daunting, but his self-belief was never in doubt. Once the two were locked inside the cage, a battle for the ages ensued. The two men proved every bit as good as everyone believed them to be.
Volkanovski's defensive grappling was strong enough to thwart Makhachev's attempts at overwhelming him in grappling sequences. Meanwhile, the 155 lbs champion got the better of the Australian great in many striking exchanges. It was a hotly contested bout, but only one victor could be declared.
At the bout's conclusion, Makhachev was crowned the winner, and Volkanovski—the featherweight champion—failed to capture the former's lightweight title. Thus, City Kickboxing's search for a two-division champion continues to elude them.
