UFC 322, scheduled for Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, showcases two former champions who have relinquished their titles in pursuit of new ones. This marks the third occurrence of its kind this year, signaling an apparent shift toward a post-double champion phase. To comprehend how the UFC arrived at this point, Jeff Wagenheim revisits the inaugural double champion, while Dre Waters delivers a statistical analysis of two title bouts at UFC 322 and the trends to watch as the weekend approaches.
Conor McGregor had just carved his name into history, capturing a UFC title with a breathtaking second-round knockout in one of the most respected arenas of combat sports. Yet, as he stood beneath the dazzling lights at Madison Square Garden on a November evening exactly nine years ago, anticipating the «And new …!» declaration, McGregor’s expression was not one of elation or contentment. His fierce gaze searched anxiously in all directions, looking for something.
«Where the f— is my second belt? I’ve already got this one,» McGregor shouted as his hand was raised and a gleaming belt was affixed around his waist. In that pivotal moment, McGregor was harnessing his renowned timing and accuracy to focus on what made this UFC 205 triumph a monumental sporting accomplishment. He entered the match as the featherweight champion, and after swiftly and brutally dethroning Eddie Alvarez, the Irish fighter emerged from the cage also crowned as the lightweight champion. No other athlete had simultaneously held titles in two UFC weight classes before.
«They should have had both those belts ready, polished and waiting for me, right there in the Octagon,» McGregor persisted, projecting the aura of someone skilled at crafting memorable images. Moments later, a UFC official dashed into the Octagon, presenting another brass-and-leather title belt to the boisterous crowd chanting «Where’s the belt?» McGregor then looked up, beaming at the historic image displayed on the arena’s video board, showcasing himself with one championship strap draped over each shoulder.
«This is what I envisioned and brought to life,» he remarked. «That looks fantastic.»
Within a mere three years, three additional champ-champs would pursue that dream. Yet after Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Henry Cejudo, the phenomenon seemed to have ended. Since 2019, no further individuals have emulated their feats, and it seems unlikely that will change in the near future.
On Saturday, during the dual championship fights at UFC 322 in the same Garden in New York (ESPN PPV, 10 p.m. ET), the two challengers will be just a step away from the champ-champ trajectory. Islam Makhachev, taking on welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena in the main event, vacated his lightweight belt after defending it for the fourth time earlier this year. Similarly, co-main event participant Zhang Weili relinquished her thrice-defended strawweight championship to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title.
Overall, 2025 has witnessed three champions abandon their titles without contest, all in pursuit of future accolades while letting go of former and current accolades. Are champ-champs now just a relic of a bygone era?
The UFC does not have an official guideline requiring champions to vacate their titles before transitioning between weight classes. In February, UFC CEO Dana White praised Ilia Topuria for being the first champion of the year to relinquish a title, after the undefeated featherweight announced his intention to move to lightweight, where he now holds a title. Nonetheless, White emphasized that the decision to vacate was Topuria’s and not the UFC’s directive. «[Topuria] stated, ‘I shouldn’t obstruct anyone else’s opportunities,'» White told reporters. «I commend fighters who make that choice.»
Even when a champion chooses to give up a belt to ascend in weight for a new title, it may disrupt the previous weight class. In the lead-up to UFC 322, White shared his views on the moves made by Makhachev and Zhang in a statement to ESPN, indicating, «It varies based on the fighter and how thoroughly they have cleared their division. I prefer to see fighters who are deemed absolutely dominant before they make the move.»
However, White has not ruled out the concept of champ-champs, noting in February that he is fine with champions holding two titles, «but it means you will be busy.»
Such was not the case for the four fighters who had dominated in two divisions simultaneously. Title defenses were infrequent during the champ-champ era. Only Nunes, reigning simultaneously in both bantamweight and featherweight, defended both of her titles. Cormier defended at heavyweight but not in light heavyweight, while Cejudo made his bantamweight title available while his flyweight belt sat idle. McGregor did not defend in either division he controlled. This situation created challenges for UFC matchmakers.
It ultimately boils down to a math conundrum. The UFC generally organizes 14 pay-per-view events annually, with at least one title fight featured on each card. This Saturday’s UFC 322 will be one of eight events this year featuring two title bouts. By the end of the year, the UFC schedule will contain 20 championship fights. Consider if the organization’s 11 weight classes were each led by only 10 champions or even nine; filling those headline slots would pose a challenge.
This weekend, Makhachev (27-1) and Zhang (26-3) are both set to compete for the second time in 2025. Each has fought once last year. The challenge of maintaining two simultaneous title reigns would seemingly require more frequent activity than that.
For enthusiasts of the grandeur associated with the fight scene, the apparent conclusion of the champ-champ phase may feel like a downturn. Had Makhachev and Zhang not vacated their titles, for instance, the UFC 322 spotlight would dazzle with a pair of champion vs. champion bouts, typically classified as «superfights.» Instead, we get a couple of super fights with the same competitors.
And what competitors they are! How often do we see encounters involving the pound-for-pound best? Zhang and Shevchenko (25-4-1) hold the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the ESPN women’s rankings, respectively. Makhachev occupies the No. 2 position among men, with Della Maddalena at No. 8. A victory for Makhachev would mark his 16th consecutive win, equalling Anderson Silva’s record for the longest win streak in UFC history. Della Maddalena (18-2) has achieved 18 wins in a row (though the first 10 were prior to his UFC tenure).
While Makhachev and Zhang may not be champ-champs, merely former champions moving forward, both represent must-watch competitors and have reached the «seize the moment» stage of their careers. He is 34 years old, and she is 36. Shevchenko, to put it another way, is 37 and running short on time to increase her tally of 10 title fight victories, the highest ever for a woman in the UFC. Della Maddalena, the youngest of this group at just 29, has far more opportunities ahead and would significantly propel his championship journey if he can fend off Makhachev in his inaugural defense. For Saturday night’s main event and co-main, the UFC need not dig through storage for any secondary belts.
What the stats say:
https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/46940192/ufc-322-champ-champ-shine-superfights-bit-less-super#flyweight»>Shevchenko vs. Zhang
Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev is not your traditional striker vs. grappler matchup
Della Maddalena may have already gained insight into how his forthcoming bout against Makhachev could unfold. To capture the welterweight championship, Della Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad, an effective grappler, who just so happens to have trained with Makhachev and his coach, former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Della Maddalena, known for being one of the standout boxers on the UFC roster, demonstrated against Muhammad that his stamina and striking volume could endure throughout an entire five-round, 25-minute clash. Despite consistently resisting Muhammad’s efforts to transform the fight into a grappling contest, the Australian’s striking output remained high — it actually intensified as the rounds progressed. Della Maddalena registered 61, 63, 77, 77, and 86 strikes, in that order. The welterweight champion is the most active striker and formidable opponent Makhachev will have confronted thus far, landing nearly seven strikes (6.78) per minute while averaging just over one knockdown (1.13) per 15 minutes across eight UFC bouts.
While Makhachev could employ a methodology akin to Muhammad’s during grappling exchanges, he has proven to be a more adept fighter overall than Muhammad, displaying efficiency both as a striker and a grappler. In fact, Makhachev is a more precise striker than Della Maddalena regarding significant strikes. He successfully lands 59.5% of his significant blows, while Della Maddalena achieves a 56.3% success rate. Furthermore, on the ground, Makhachev will have a substantial edge, averaging 4 minutes and 43 seconds of control time per bout.
It might be tempting to interpret this clash as a striker versus grappler encounter, but the statistics indicate that this fight could remain evenly matched for as long as it stays on its feet.
Shevchenko vs. Zhang could be the most evenly matched fight of the year
On paper, this matchup is as balanced as they come, featuring the two most versatile fighters from the women’s flyweight and strawweight divisions. While Shevchenko and Zhang possess varied skill sets, how they utilize those skills may determine the outcome of the fight.
When engaging on their feet, Shevchenko frequently relies on her volume striking, having delivered a division-leading 1,963 total strikes across 18 UFC outings. Although knockdowns are uncommon for the women’s flyweight champion, her two career knockdowns are tied for the second-most in divisional history. Perhaps her greatest strength lies in her capability to blend elite striking with high-level grappling, positioning Shevchenko to lead the division in three grappling metrics: takedowns landed (49), total control time (1 hour, 27 minutes, 25 seconds), and time spent in top position (1 hour, 15 minutes, 53 seconds).
Conversely, Zhang is acclaimed for her striking prowess, often using her power shots. More than 57% of the former strawweight champion’s 1,552 total strikes landed were categorized as significant. Only 42% of Shevchenko’s strikes were classified as significant. The pivotal factor in this clash could be Shevchenko’s three-inch reach advantage, potentially allowing the champion to strike while avoiding Zhang’s considerable power shots.
While Zhang does not enter this confrontation leading in any grappling statistics within the strawweight division, she has recently demonstrated greater grappling dominance compared to Shevchenko. In her past five title defenses, Zhang averaged almost nine minutes of control time — including a staggering 16 minutes and 7 seconds against Amanda Lemos at UFC 292 in August 2023. In contrast, Shevchenko’s control time over her last five title bouts averages 7 minutes and 14 seconds.
More statistical trends to watch at UFC 322
8 prospects: This fight card is filled with both past and present premier MMA prospects. Erin Blanchfield, who topped ESPN’s list of top 25 fighters under the age of 25 in 2023, is matched against Tracy Cortez. Michael Morales ranked just two places behind Blanchfield on that same list. He will face off against ESPN’s No. 4-ranked welterweight Sean Brady on the main card. Fatima Kline, listed No. 19 on last year’s 25 under 25 list, is set to battle the most seasoned fighter on the UFC women’s roster, Angela Hill. Additionally, other standout fighters from «Dana White’s Contender Series» include Bo Nickal (2022), Carlos Prates (2023), Malcolm Wellmaker, Cody Haddon (2024), and Baisangur Susurkaev (2025).
28 wins: Three of those prospects (Morales, Wellmaker, and Susurkaev) come into this event sharing notable similarities. None has tasted defeat, with a combined record of 28-0. Each has finished their last two opponents. Morales comes off back-to-back first-round knockouts over Neil Magny and Gilbert Burns. Wellmaker has secured first-round knockouts against all of his previous three opponents. Meanwhile, Susurkaev accomplished the incredible earlier this year, earning a UFC contract on «DWCS» with a first-round submission on August 12 and then defeating Eric Nolan by second-round submission in his UFC debut just four days later at UFC 319. Can these three fighters maintain their unbeaten status?
546 days: Among the six female fighters on the card, one has not let a bout go to the judges’ scorecards in 2025. Kline has knocked out both of her opponents inside the Octagon this year. For the others, the last finish occurred 546 days before UFC 322, when Hill triumphed over Luana Pinheiro via second-round submission.
2x submissions: There are a significant number of skilled jiu-jitsu grapplers on this fight card, including four fighters who secured more than 50% of their professional victories via submission (Nickal, Rodolfo Vieira, Gerald Meerschaert, and Pat Sabatini). However, only one among them is renowned for submissions in the UFC. Meerschaert is currently tied for the third-most submission victories in the UFC’s history (11), and a win via submission on Saturday night would grant him sole possession of that position. A 12th submission triumph would double his tally compared to the next closest middleweight, Brendan Allen (6).
