New rule? Ilia Topuria vacated UFC belt with no ‘double champion’ assurances: ‘If you want to move up, you have to vacate’

Dan Hiergesell is an expert voice who serves as MMAmania.com's weekend editor, covering mixed martial arts (MMA) for more than 15 years, getting featured on programs such as Countdown to UFC and SiriusXM Fight Club, among others.

The years of UFC titleholders moving weight classes to claim “double champ” status might officially be over.

Earlier this week, fight fans were somewhat shocked to learn that undefeated UFC featherweight king, Ilia Topuria, will be vacating his 145-pound title in effort to move up to lightweight and chase another UFC belt. Topuria’s title will officially be vacated once Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes square off for the vacant strap at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami, Florida (details HERE).

Some people saw this move coming after Topuria laid waste to both Volkanovski and Max Holloway with consecutive knockout wins in 2024. Not to mention the fact that “El Matador” has a lot of weight to cut in order to hit the 145-pound featherweight benchmark. It seems like a logical move, but one thing doesn’t quite add up.

Why is Topuria planning to vacate his UFC title instead of keeping it and trying to become a two-division UFC champion at the same time? Why wouldn’t he want to follow in the footsteps of Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes, Henry Cejudo, and Daniel Cormier?

While it’s likely that Topuria felt his job was done at the featherweight level and didn’t want to hold up the division as he made his run at lightweight, Lopes has revealed what UFC sent to all current champions about fighting for another belt. Maybe this is why Topuria is vacating his title and won’t have the chance to be a “simultaneous champion.”

“They were very clear to us that they said that they are no longer giving chances to jump from one weight class to another. If you want to move up you have to vacate your title,” said Lopes in a recent interview with ESPN Deportes (shown above).

“This is what UFC has said to all champions who are planning to move up a weight class. They will no longer have the status of double champion simultaneously.”

This certainly isn’t the worst idea UFC has had as it should only limit the amount of time belts go undefended, but it completely washes away the chance for select fighters to achieve everlasting greatness. After all, holding two UFC belts at the same time is a rare feat and something most champions talk about doing whenever they can.

What do you think, Maniacs? Is UFC making the right move here? Will the promotion ever revert back?

Let us know!