UFC Lightweight: Where Interim Champions Are "cursed" To Never Become Undisputed Kings

The UFC lightweight division (155 lbs ~ 70 kg) is one of the most competitive and talent-rich weight classes in MMA history. However, it holds a unique distinction—no interim champion in this division has ever been promoted to undisputed champion. This phenomenon sets it apart from other divisions, where interim champions often unify titles or are elevated to official championship status.

Despite their talent and accomplishments, fighters like Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje have all claimed the interim belt only to fall short when attempting to unify it. Let’s explore why this division has proven so unforgiving and how it compares to other weight classes in the UFC.

What Is an Interim Champion in the UFC?

Before diving into the lightweight division’s history, it’s important to understand the role of an interim champion in the UFC.

Interim titles are created when an undisputed champion is unable to defend their belt due to injury, contract disputes, or other extenuating circumstances. The UFC then schedules an interim title fight between two top contenders. The winner becomes the interim champion and is typically granted a title unification bout against the returning champion.

While interim champions in other divisions have often succeeded in becoming undisputed, the lightweight division has been an exception to this trend.

Interim Lightweight Champions Who Never Became Undisputed

Tony Ferguson: The Cursed Champion

Interim Title Win: Tony Ferguson became the interim lightweight champion at UFC 216 (October 2017) after submitting Kevin Lee.
Missed Opportunity: Ferguson was set to face Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 (April 2018) in a title unification bout. However, just days before the fight, Ferguson suffered a freak knee injury while fulfilling media obligations.
Stripped of the Title: Due to his inability to compete, the UFC stripped Ferguson of his interim title. He never got another chance to fight for the undisputed belt.

Ferguson’s situation remains one of the most unfortunate in UFC history. Despite a 12-fight winning streak, he never fought for the official championship, cementing his legacy as one of the best fighters to never hold an undisputed UFC title.

Dustin Poirier: The People’s Champion Who Fell Short

Interim Title Win: Poirier claimed the interim belt at UFC 236 (April 2019) by defeating then-featherweight champion Max Holloway in a thrilling five-round war.
Unification Bout: Poirier faced Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 (September 2019) in an attempt to unify the titles. However, Khabib dominated the fight, submitting Poirier in the third round.

Despite being one of the most respected and skilled fighters in UFC history, Poirier never got another undisputed title fight until he faced Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 (December 2021), where he once again fell short.

Justin Gaethje: The Brawler Who Couldn’t Conquer Khabib

Interim Title Win: Gaethje captured the interim title at UFC 249 (May 2020) with a dominant TKO victory over Tony Ferguson.
Unification Bout: At UFC 254 (October 2020), Gaethje faced Khabib Nurmagomedov. Though many believed his power and wrestling background could challenge Khabib, he was submitted in the second round.

Gaethje would later challenge Charles Oliveira for the undisputed title at UFC 274 (May 2022) but was defeated once again, proving that even the most dangerous fighters in the division struggle to claim and hold onto the lightweight belt.

Why Has No Interim Lightweight Champion Become Undisputed?

1. The Dominance of Khabib Nurmagomedov

One of the biggest reasons for this anomaly is the unparalleled dominance of Khabib Nurmagomedov. From 2018 to 2020, Khabib reigned as the undisputed lightweight king, defeating both Poirier and Gaethje in dominant fashion.

Unlike other divisions where interim champions have successfully dethroned the reigning titleholder, Khabib proved to be unbeatable, retiring in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record.

2. The Chaotic Nature of the Lightweight Division

The lightweight division is often regarded as the most talent-stacked and competitive division in the UFC. With elite fighters constantly competing for the top spot, no single fighter has been able to dominate for long (except for Khabib).

Even after Khabib’s retirement, the division has seen constant changes at the top:

Charles Oliveira became champion but lost to Islam Makhachev.
Islam Makhachev is now the reigning champion, but his competition remains fierce.
Interim title holders, such as Poirier and Gaethje, have continued to struggle to claim the undisputed throne.

3. Unfortunate Timing and Injuries

Unlike other weight classes, injuries and bad timing have prevented interim champions from getting their shot at undisputed gold.

Tony Ferguson’s freak knee injury cost him his fight with Khabib.
Dustin Poirier’s prime years overlapped with Khabib’s reign.
Justin Gaethje had to fight an emotionally charged Khabib, who had just lost his father, making it one of the most motivated performances of Khabib’s career.

How the Lightweight Division Compares to Other Weight Classes

While the lightweight division has never seen an interim champion unify the belt, other divisions have had more success in this regard.

Featherweight Division (145 lbs)

The featherweight division has had four interim champions, with Conor McGregor successfully unifying the belt in 2015 when he knocked out José Aldo in just 13 seconds.

Heavyweight Division (265 lbs)

The heavyweight division has seen seven interim champions, many of whom have gone on to become undisputed champions. Recent examples include:

Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier to unify the title.
Francis Ngannou defeated Ciryl Gane to unify the title in 2022.

Unlike lightweight, interim champions in these divisions have had more success in securing undisputed gold.

Can an interim lightweight champion finally break the curse?

With Islam Makhachev currently reigning as lightweight champion, the question remains: Will the trend continue, or will an interim champion finally unify the title?

Potential future scenarios:

If an interim title is created in 2024 or 2025, can someone like Justin Gaethje or Dustin Poirier finally unify the belts?
Could a rising contender like Arman Tsarukyan, Mateusz Gamrot, or Rafael Fiziev claim an interim title and finally break the pattern?

The lightweight division continues to evolve, and while history suggests that an interim champion is unlikely to become undisputed, every fight is a new opportunity to defy the odds.

Conclusion

The UFC lightweight division stands alone as the only weight class where every interim champion has failed to unify the title. With legendary fighters like Tony Ferguson, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje all falling short, it raises the question of whether this is a coincidence—or if the division is simply too deep, too competitive, and too chaotic for an interim champion to ever claim the undisputed throne.

As new contenders rise and future champions emerge, one thing is certain: the lightweight division will always be one of the most thrilling and unpredictable weight classes in all of MMA.

Will we ever see an interim champion finally break the curse? Only time will tell.