Every UFC two-weight champion as Islam Makhachev and Zhang Weili look to join the elite group

Islam Makhachev and Zhang Weili have the opportunity to join an elite group of champions at UFC 322 on Saturday.

Long-reigning lightweight king Makhachev relinquished his belt earlier this year to make the move up to 170lbs and take on incumbent champion Jack Della Maddalena.

Often compared to his friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, this weekend Makhachev has the chance to do something Nurmagomedov never did inside the Octagon by stepping outside his weight class in a bid add a second belt to his collection.

Meanwhile, in the co-main event of the evening Zhang Weili takes on Valentina Shevchenko as she looks to capture the women's flyweight title and become just the second woman ever to claim belts in two weight classes.

With history potentially on the horizon, we've taken a look back at every two-weight world champion in the UFC.

Randy Couture

As MMA went through its awkward adolescent transition from controversial spectacle to regulated sporting event it needed athletes that could break out of the the ill-disciplined bar brawler stereotype that had plagued the sport.

Step forward, Randy Couture.

A decorated amateur wrestler and U.S. Army veteran with a degree in literature, Couture was exactly the kind of figurehead MMA desperately needed at the turn of the millennium.

Despite being relatively outsized as a heavyweight, Couture defeated Kevin Randleman to claim gold in 2000 before dropping down to 205lbs and adding more belts to his collection as his rivalries with Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz helped propel the sport into the mainstream.

B.J. Penn

For those who didn't witness his career first hand, BJ Penn's resume may not appear to justify the various superlatives that are often used to describe the Hawaiian his fighting prime.

After all, 'Baby Jay' bowed out of the sport after claiming just a single win in his last 11 UFC outings.

Fairly assessing Penn's legacy requires an understanding of just how revolutionary his skills were compared to his contemporaries. Emerging while the specialist era was still in full swing, Penn combined his decorated background in BJJ with explosive striking skills.

After finishing Matt Hughes to claim the welterweight title in 2004, Penn would depart the UFC amid a contract dispute before returning to claim the vacant lightweight title four years later.

Conor McGregor

Given everything that has happened since, it can be hard to divorce Conor McGregor the one-man brand from the fighter who captivated the attention of millions when he first arrived on the biggest stage.

Combining some of the quotable trash talk the sport has ever seen with a devastatingly effective striking style, McGregor raised to every occasion he was faced with en route to winning UFC gold at 145lbs, shocking the world with his 13-second KO of Jose Aldo.

Defeat to Nate Diaz in his next outing only saw McGregor's star rise to even-greater heights, and the Irishman capped off a historic 2016 by moving up to lightweight to take on defending champion Eddie Alvarez.

What followed was one of the most dominant performances in UFC history, McGregor defeating the veteran champion in two rounds to become the first simultaneous champion in UFC history and setting the course for his historic boxing showdown with Floyd Mayweather the following year.

Georges St-Pierre

During his 13-year UFC career, Georges St-Pierre amassed a legacy inside the cage to rival any of the contenders in the GOAT debate.

After claiming welterweight gold in 2006, GSP went on to record nine successful title defences and enjoyed a sustained level of dominance rarely seen at the highest levels of the sport.

In his final outing at 170lbs St-Pierre narrowly defeated Johny Hendricks in the main event of UFC 167. Following the fight he emotionally announced that he would be voluntarily relinquishing the belt and embarking on a hiatus that saw him spend four years outside of competition.

In 2017, GSP returned to move up to 185lbs and submitted Michael Bisping to claim his second belt, before later announcing his retirement due to health issues.

Daniel Cormier

The second man to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes, Daniel Cormier had never thrown a punch in anger before taking up MMA aged 30 as a means to provide for his family.

Possessing elite-level athleticism and a remarkable amateur wrestling pedigree, Cormier proved to be a natural fighter and appeared to be on a collision course with UFC heavyweight gold before dropping down to 205lbs to avoid a clash with his friend and training partner Cain Velasquez.

Though he was denied by bitter rival Jon Jones in his first attempt to capture the title, Cormier would claim the belt as his own just months later after Jones was stripped.

To further cement his legacy as one of the best to ever step inside the Octagon, DC returned to heavyweight in 2018 and spectacularly KO'd Stipe Miocic to write his name into the record books and earn a place on this list.

Amanda Nunes

From 2015 to 2021, Amanda Nunes redefined what dominance looked like for a female MMA fighter.

During that time the Brazilian defeated a laundry list of the biggest names in women's MMA, including the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate.

With seemingly no fighter able to match her skills inside the cage, the UFC welcomed the consensus best female fighter in the world at that time Cris Cyborg to the fold, even creating a 145lbs division to accommodate the Brazilian.

When Cyborg and Nunes finally met inside the cage, Nunes stepped up to 145lbs and rose to the occasion with a devastating first-round KO.

Henry Cejudo

Henry Cejudo likely single-handedly saved the UFC flyweight division from extinction.

After defeating Demetrious Johnson at UFC 227 to put an end to his dominant reign at the top of the 125lbs division, Cejudo put his title on the line against then-bantamweight king TJ Dillashaw in his first defence.

Dana White hinted before the fight that the division could be in danger if Dillashaw became a two-weight world champion, but that frightening prospect was ultimately never realised as Cejudo scored a first-round KO.

Not content with just having a single belt in his collection, Cejudo then moved up to bantamweight to face Marlon Moraes for the vacant title at UFC 238. After weathering a heavy storm in the first round, Cejudo rallied as the fight wore on and stopped the Brazilian in the third round.

Jon Jones

Possibly the greatest natural talent the sport of MMA has ever produced, Jon Jones really needs no introduction.

More than a decade after he steamrolled Shogun Rua to capture his first title, Jones remains one of the biggest stars in the sport, with his triumphs inside the cage starkly contrasted by his various controversies outside of competition.

A master of utilising size to his advantage, Jones had often hinted at moving to heavyweight to test his skills against the behemoths and when he finally made the jump in 2023 he looked to be a natural fit, defeating Ciryl Gane for the vacant belt.

While his heavyweight reign will be asterixed by a long period of inactivity, and a clash with Tom Aspinall failing to materialise, Jones' legacy as one of the greatest to ever step in the cage has never been in question.

Alex Pereira

Arriving in a period during which the UFC were crying out for breakout stars, Alex Pereira became an instant success in the UFC.

The former champion kickboxer was given progressively more difficult tests as his burgeoning career inside the cage progressed and he passed them all with flying colours. His rivalry with then-middleweight king Israel Adesanya transcended sports, and the the pair delivered an instant classic as Pereira ultimately scored a KO win.

When Adesanya claimed his revenge in their rematch, Pereira opted to move up to 205lbs and immediately set about claiming yet more silverware. In 2023 he finished former champion Jiri Prochazka to win the vacant light heavyweight title before defending it on three occasions.

Pereira has previously hinted that he has considered a move to heavyweight so do not be surprised if he opts to attempt to become UFC's first-ever three weight world champion before it's all said and done.

Illia Topuria

The most recent addition to this list, Illia Topuria has been utterly dominant since arriving in the UFC.

With some of the most devastating boxing the sport has ever seen, Topuria ran through all that stood before him at 145lbs and defeated consensus all-time great and defending champion Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 298.

Topuria followed that up in his first defence by becoming the first fighter ever to knock out Max Holloway, before relinquishing his belt in order to move up to lightweight.

Fighting for Mackhachev's vacated 155lbs title, Topuria overwhelmed former champion Charles Oliveira to claim a second belt and cap off arguably the most impressive three-fight run the sport of MMA has ever seen.