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.