Many MMA fighters aspire to become two-weight world champions, following in the footsteps of Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor’s UFC career is iconic due to his captivating promotions and memorable fights, such as those against Nate Diaz.
In his most significant achievement, McGregor became the first UFC fighter to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes with his victory over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 305.
While several other great fighters have since become double champions, the era of simultaneous two-division champions seems to be ending, with Ilia Topuria recently not pursuing a second belt.
Despite McGregor’s potential move to BKFC, his teammate, Will Fleury, has achieved a second world title.
Will Fleury Becomes OKTAGON Two-Weight World Champion
Will Fleury, from Ireland, has been a long-time member of SBG Dublin, where Conor McGregor honed his skills.
Training alongside fighters like Karl Moore and Johnny Walker, Fleury, 35, has been a prominent middleweight and light heavyweight in Europe. His career has reached new heights since joining OKTAGON.
Fleury previously competed in PFL but left after a positive drug test, which resulted in his fight with Krzystof Jotko being declared a no contest.
Despite a public disagreement with McGregor on social media following his PFL departure, Fleury’s career took a positive turn last year.
After consecutive finishes in the light heavyweight division, Fleury defeated former UFC fighter Karlos Vemola in December to win the light heavyweight title and then aimed for a second championship.
With the OKTAGON heavyweight title vacant, the light heavyweight champion moved up to heavyweight at OKTAGON 68 in Germany on March 8 to face Lazar Todev of Bulgaria.
After a challenging fight, Fleury won a unanimous decision after five rounds, securing champ-champ status within just 11 months in OKTAGON.
UFC Fighters Still Aim for Double Champ Status
Despite Ilia Topuria vacating his featherweight title to pursue the lightweight belt, becoming a double champion remains a major goal for many top UFC fighters.
Champion versus champion fights are frequently discussed across various UFC weight divisions.
There’s even potential for strawweight champion Zhang Weili to become the second female double champion if she moves to flyweight in the future.
While it may not always be ideal for the divisions, Conor McGregor’s achievement at Madison Square Garden in 2016 continues to be a benchmark in the sport.
