Conor McGregor's champ-champ status an aspiration for A.J. McKee - "I want to be a champ-champ"

A.J. McKee wanted to hold titles across two weight classes even before Conor McGregor.

The former Bellator featherweight champion recently interacted with the media at 2022 PFL 3 backstage. He revealed that he still hopes to become a double champion despite losing the 145-pound belt in April. McKee also stated that he had aspirations of becoming a double-champion before UFC megastar Conor McGregor. The 27-year-old said:

"Currently, I have unfinished business at 145-pounds so I'm definitely looking forward to retrieving my 145-pound title again and then obviously moving up to 155-pounds. That has been my key. I wanted to be a champ-champ before Conor did become a champ-champ. You go back to my interviews [from] 2015, I've said it, 'I'm going to be a champ-champ.' I'm back to step one which is retrieve my title and then it's going to be champ-champ."

Catch A.J. McKee's full interaction with the media below:

McGregor became the first-ever simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history when he moved up a weight class and dismantled lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez in November 2016.

The Irishman captured the featherweight title with a 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo a year prior in December 2015. However, 'The Notorious' was forced to vacate his featherweight gold just two weeks after winning the 155-pound belt.

Conor McGregor has plans to become three-weight UFC champion

Conor McGregor is hard at work at the gym to make his much-anticipated return to the octagon. Interestingly, 'The Notorious' also seems determined to capture a third title when he finally makes his UFC comeback later this year.

In April, McGregor hinted at a move up to welterweight to become the first man in UFC history to hold titles across three weight classes.

Conor McGregor has expressed his desire to have a title run at welterweight on several occasions in the past. The Irishman has also competed at 170 lbs three times, twice against Nate Diaz in 2016 and again against UFC veteran Donald Cerrone in 2020.

As of now, there is no official confirmation on the weight class that McGregor will compete in when he finally returns to the octagon. What is known at the moment is that the Irishman is now in the final stages of his recovery from a broken leg and is expected to make a comeback this autumn.