MMA
Lightweight Kings at Welterweight: The Champions Who Climbed to 170lbs Before Islam Makhachev’s UFC 322 Bid
The UFC’s lightweight division has long been a pressure cooker, packed with sharks like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Ilia Topuria, Conor McGregor, and Dustin Poirier. For years, 155 pounds has been one of the toughest and most competitive divisions in the sport, which makes it wild to remember that the same weight class was once left dormant by the UFC in the mid-2000s. One thing, however, has never changed: moving from lightweight to welterweight is a gamble.
Former champions who tried their luck at 170 pounds have had mixed results, with some thriving and others sinking fast. Now, Islam Makhachev is the next lightweight king aiming to climb the mountain. The Dagestani will take on Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight belt at UFC 322, hoping to join the rare group of two-division champions. Before that showdown, here is a look back at the lightweight champions who dared to move up and how their adventures at 170 pounds played out.
1- BJ Penn
During his second run at 155lbs, B.J. Penn became the divisional champion at UFC 80 in January 2008, submitting Joe Stevenson with a rear-naked choke. The win also cemented him as only the second fighter in UFC history to earn titles in two different weight classes.
Penn’s lightweight reign was one of the most dominant the division had seen. He defended the belt three times, tying the record for most consecutive lightweight title defenses at the time. His victories came in three very different forms: a TKO over Sean Sherk, a submission against Kenny Florian, and a brutal doctor stoppage win over Diego Sanchez.
His run came to an end at UFC 112 in April 2010 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Frankie Edgar. Interestingly, Penn also had a long and uneven history at welterweight. He first won the 170-pound title back in 2004 by submitting Matt Hughes at UFC 46, but outside of that championship moment, his results at the weight were mixed.
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Across his non-title welterweight fights, he went 2 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, with highs like another win over Hughes and lows including losses to Georges St-Pierre (twice) and Nick Diaz. Moreover, out of the 13 lightweight champions in UFC history, only Penn has been able to be champion at 170lbs as well, with only 5 daring to even move up.
2- Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos claimed the lightweight gold with a dominant win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 in March 2015, earning a unanimous decision and announcing himself as the new force at 155 pounds. His reign didn’t last long, but it was powerful. In his lone title defense, he blitzed Donald Cerrone with a first-round TKO in December 2015.
The belt slipped away the following July when Eddie Alvarez stopped him in the first round. After losing the title, the Brazilian reset his career by moving up to welterweight in 2017. The jump looked like a perfect fit early on. He stacked three straight wins, highlighted by a unanimous decision over former champion Robbie Lawler, and punched his ticket to an interim welterweight title fight.
ALSO READ: Islam Makhachev Calls Out Ilia Topuria for Dodging Arman Tsarukyan for Maiden 155lbs Title Defense
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That’s where Colby Covington halted his momentum with a unanimous decision win. In total, dos Anjos has fought 11 times at 170 pounds, posting a 5-6 record while bouncing between lightweight and welterweight in the years since.
3- Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor made history in November 2016 when he stopped Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 to win the lightweight title. The victory crowned him as the first fighter ever to hold championships in two UFC divisions at the same time, adding the 155-pound belt to a resume that was already adorned with the 145lbs gold.
His time as lightweight champion, though, never truly got started. McGregor’s long break from MMA, including his blockbuster boxing match with Floyd Mayweather Jr., led the promotion to strip him of the title in April 2018 before he could make a single defense. His only other lightweight title fight came later that year at UFC 229, ending in a submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov.
At welterweight, McGregor has dipped in and out with mixed but memorable results. He holds a 2–1 record at 170 pounds, starting with a submission loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196. He edged Diaz in their rematch by majority decision in an all-timer bout at UFC 202 and then returned to the division in 2020 to blitz Donald Cerrone with a 40-second TKO at UFC 246.
4- Anthony Pettis
Anthony Pettis won the lightweight gold in style at UFC 164 in August 2013, submitting Benson Henderson with a first-round armbar to avenge their WEC classic and finally claim the throne. His run as champion was marked by flashes of brilliance but also long injury layoffs that slowed his momentum.
He defended the belt once, finishing Gilbert Melendez with a second-round guillotine at UFC 181 in December 2014. Three months later, his title reign ended when Rafael dos Anjos dominated him over five rounds at UFC 185. Later in his career, ‘Showtime’ made the jump to welterweight, where his UFC results were largely positive, but he never came close to a title shot.
His record stands at 3-1 at 170 pounds, but his run included one of the most memorable knockouts of his career: a Superman punch off the cage that knocked out former title challenger Stephen Thompson in 2019. His other wins were over Alex Morono and Donald Cerrone, while he came up short against Nate Diaz at UFC 241.
5- Benson Henderson
Benson Henderson won the 155lbs gold on 26 February 2012, at UFC 144, outworking Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision. His title run became known for tough, tactical fights that often went the distance. Henderson defended the belt three times, tying the then-record for the second-most consecutive defenses in the division.
He edged Edgar again in a razor-thin split decision, dominated Nate Diaz with a unanimous decision, and earned another narrow split decision over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez. His reign ended in August 2013 when Anthony Pettis caught him with a first-round armbar at UFC 164, finishing their long-awaited rematch.
Nov 28, 2015; Seoul, South Korea; Benson Henderson (red gloves) competes against Jorge Masvidal (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Olympic Gymnastics Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lili Troncale-USA TODAY Sports
Later in his UFC tenure, Henderson moved up to welterweight and found immediate success. He went 2–0 at 170 pounds, submitting Brandon Thatch in his divisional debut and earning a split-decision win over Jorge Masvidal before eventually leaving the promotion for a lucrative Bellator deal.
