Double champions in MMA

Double belt, dual champion—also referred to as a simultaneous champion when multiple titles are held concurrently without vacating any—is a distinction achieved by mixed martial artists who secure championship belts in more than one division.

Controversies

There is debate among analysts that holding double championships may impede the advancement of weight classes and restrict the chances for other fighters to contend. Given that MMA athletes need extensive recovery and preparation periods between matches, combined with the additional time required for weight adjustments, defending multiple titles simultaneously poses difficulties that can slow the growth and competitiveness of divisions.

Notable double champions in leading promotions

... [table continues with similar entries, abbreviated accordingly] ...

Nº	Name	Weight Class	Title Year	Title Defenses	Promotion	Simultaneous Reign
1	Randy Couture	Heavyweight	1997	0	UFC	rowspan="6" No
			2000	2
			2007	1
		Light Heavyweight	2003 (interim)	0
			2003	0
			2004	0
2	Dan Henderson	Welterweight	2007	0	PRIDE	rowspan="2" Yes
		Middleweight	2005	0
3	B.J. Penn	Welterweight	2004	0	UFC	rowspan="2" No
		Lightweight	2008	3
4	Joe Warren	Featherweight	2010	0	Bellator	rowspan="3" No
		Bantamweight	2014 (interim)	0
			2014	0
5	David Branch	Light Heavyweight	2015	1	WSOF	rowspan="2" Yes
		Middleweight	2014	2

Max Holloway from the UFC, although holding both featherweight and BMF titles, is excluded from the double champion category since the BMF belt is not recognized as an official divisional championship.

Double champions by nationality and promotion

!Nº !! Country !! Number of Champions |} | 1º || Template:USA || align="center"| 9 | 2º || Template:BRA || align="center"| 4 | 3º || Template:POL || align="center"| 3 | 3º || Template:RUS || align="center"| 3 | 4º || Template:CAN || align="center"| 2 | 5º || Template:IRL || align="center"| 1 | 5º || Template:AUS || align="center"| 1 | 5º || Template:MMR || align="center"| 1 | 5º || Template:NLD || align="center"| 1 | 5º || Template:FRA || align="center"| 1 | 5º || Template:JPN || align="center"| 1 | 5º || Template:GEO || align="center"| 1 |}

!Nº !! Organization !! Champions Count !! Represented Nationalities |} | 1º || UFC || align="center"| 11 || Template:Country data IRLTemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data GEOTemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data RUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall | 2° || ONE || align="center"| 5 || Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data MYATemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data NLDTemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data RUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall | 3º || KSW || align="center"| 4 || Template:Country data POLTemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data CROTemplate:Namespace detect showall Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall | 4º || Bellator || align="center"| 3 || Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall | 5º || PFL || align="center"| Larissa Pacheco || Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall | 5º || PRIDE Fighting Championships || align="center"| Dan Henderson || | 5º || World Series of Fighting || align="center"| David Branch (fighter) || | 5º || Rizin Fighting Federation || align="center"| Kyoji Horiguchi || Template:Country data JPNTemplate:Namespace detect showall }