Athletes
From Featherweight To Lightweight: Fighters Who Thrived Moving Up
A Look At UFC Athletes Who Found New Success After Transitioning From 145 To 155 Pounds
There have been many fighters throughout the history of the UFC who’ve made the transition from featherweight to lightweight.
This change happens for a variety of reasons, whether it's the difficulty of cutting the extra 10 pounds to make 145 or having already cleared out the division and looking for a new challenge. While many have attempted the move up, very few have done it successfully. And of those, even fewer have managed to stay at the top for long.
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Here’s a look at some of the fighters who made the jump to 155 pounds and found success once they got there:
Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira began his UFC career as a lightweight but moved down to featherweight just six fights later, all the way back in 2012. His run at 145 pounds, however, didn’t go as planned. In 12 fights, Oliveira had his hand raised seven times. Of the five losses, he missed weight multiple times and was finished on four occasions—prompting a return to lightweight in 2017.
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Once he made the move back up, he never looked back. Aside from one setback against Paul Felder, Oliveira went on to win 12 of his first 13 fights at lightweight, a run that included capturing UFC gold by defeating Michael Chandler at UFC 262. He followed that title-winning performance with submission wins over Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje. Now, having won two of his last three, Oliveira looks to reclaim the throne on June 28 when he faces former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria for the lightweight title at UFC 317.
Dustin Poirier
Speaking of Dustin Poirier, he also made a major impact on the lightweight division after an 11-fight stint at featherweight. He made an immediate statement in his lightweight debut, knocking out Diego Ferreira in the first round. Since then, Poirier has fought 20 times at 155 pounds. While he hasn’t captured an undisputed title, he’s become a household name for the consistent, epic battles he delivers every time he steps into the Octagon.
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His lightweight career includes two monumental wins over Conor McGregor—redeeming his earlier loss to McGregor back at featherweight. He also claimed the interim lightweight title in a five-round war with Max Holloway in 2019. Along the way, he’s been part of unforgettable matchups with Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Dan Hooker and Michael Chandler. Poirier will make his final walk to the Octagon on July 28 when he faces Holloway for the BMF title at UFC 318.
Honorable Mentions
Max Holloway:
As mentioned at the outset, there are a few fighters who’ve not only found success moving up to 155 but also made history. These athletes may not have the same tenure in the division as Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier, but their impact is undeniable. One of the most notable is Max Holloway who, despite being just 1–1 at lightweight, delivered one of the most unforgettable moments in UFC history.
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At UFC 300, Holloway moved up to challenge then-BMF titleholder Justin Gaethje. For 24-and-a-half minutes, it looked like a smooth-sailing victory for Holloway, but in the final seconds of the fifth round, he pointed to the center of the Octagon and traded with Gaethje, knocking him out in a moment that’s widely considered as one of the greatest knockouts of all time.
Conor McGregor
The same can be said for Conor McGregor, whose 1–3 record at lightweight doesn’t exactly jump off the page. But it was what he did in his first fight in the division that cemented his name in the history books forever.
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After going a perfect 7–0 at featherweight—including capturing interim gold against Chad Mendes and unifying the title with a 13-second knockout of José Aldo—McGregor moved up two weight classes to welterweight for a pair of heated matchups with rival Nate Diaz. Once that chapter closed, McGregor, still holding the featherweight title, made his move to lightweight. There, he knocked out Eddie Alvarez in dominant fashion to become the UFC’s first simultaneous two-division champion.
The Next To Make The Leap?
Ilia Topuria
If there’s one fighter with the potential to follow in these athletes’ footsteps, it’s former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who returns to lightweight at UFC 317 to face Charles Oliveira. After knocking out Alexander Volkanovski to win the featherweight title, then defending the belt by finishing Max Holloway, Topuria now has a chance to take out a third legend. A win over Oliveira to capture lightweight gold would not only make history, but also place Topuria firmly in the conversation as one of the most accomplished fighters of his generation.
UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 28, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!