If you are a mixed martial arts (MMA) fan, you may have heard of the term “interim champion” in UFC. But what does it mean, and how does it affect the sport?
In this blog post, I will explain what an interim champion is, how it is created, and some examples of fighters who have held this title.
An interim champion in UFC is a fighter who is awarded a temporary title when the reigning champion of a division cannot defend their belt for a long period. This can happen for various reasons, such as injuries, contract disputes, refusal to fight, or personal issues.
An interim champion is usually the next in line to face the undisputed champion when they are ready to return to action. Creating an interim title aims to keep the division active and competitive and avoid holding up the rankings and the contenders.
An interim title is not the same as the undisputed title, however. It does not grant the same privileges or recognition as being the true division champion. An interim champion cannot be considered a “double champion” if they hold another title in a different weight class, nor can they be included in the pound-for-pound rankings. An interim champion also does not receive the same pay-per-view points or bonuses as the undisputed champion.
An interim title can only be unified with the undisputed title in a fight between the two champions. This fight is usually given priority over any other matchup in the division, as it determines who is the best fighter in that weight class. The winner of this fight becomes the undisputed champion and retains the belt, while the loser either remains a top contender or drops down in the rankings.
There have been many interim champions in UFC history across different divisions. Some of them have gone on to unify their titles and become undisputed champions, while others have failed to do so or have been stripped of their titles due to inactivity or other reasons. Here are some notable examples of interim champions in UFC:
- Ciryl Gane: The French fighter became the interim heavyweight champion after defeating Derrick Lewis by TKO at UFC 265 on August 7, 2021. He is expected to face Francis Ngannou, the undisputed heavyweight champion, in a unification bout sometime in 2022.
- Ion Cuțelaba: The Moldovan fighter became the interim light heavyweight champion after defeating Dominick Reyes by KO at UFC 291 on July 10, 2023. He is now waiting for Jan Błachowicz, the undisputed light heavyweight champion, recovering from a knee injury.
- Dustin Poirier: The American fighter became the interim lightweight champion after defeating Max Holloway unanimously at UFC 236 on April 13, 2019. He later lost his title to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission at UFC 242 on September 7, 2019.
- Israel Adesanya: The Nigerian-born fighter became the interim middleweight champion after defeating Kelvin Gastelum unanimously at UFC 236 on April 13, 2019. He later unified his title with Robert Whittaker by KO at UFC 243 on October 6, 2019.
- Conor McGregor: The Irish fighter became the interim featherweight champion after defeating Chad Mendes by TKO at UFC 189 on July 11, 2015. He later unified his title with Jose Aldo by KO at UFC 194 on December 12, 2015.
As you can see, being an interim champion in UFC is not an easy feat, nor a permanent one. It requires a lot of skill, determination, and luck to win and defend this title, and to eventually challenge the undisputed champion for glory. An interim champion is a worthy contender who deserves respect and recognition, but also a fighter who has more work to do to prove themselves as the best in their division.