In the UFC, an interim champion is a temporary titleholder crowned when the real (undisputed) champion can’t defend the belt for a while, usually due to injury, illness, contract issues, or long inactivity. The idea is to keep the division moving, give contenders something real to fight for, and set up a future “unification” fight between the interim champ and the original champ once they’re both able to compete.

What “interim champion” means in UFC

  • An interim belt is a temporary championship created when the reigning champ is out for an extended period but hasn’t been stripped or vacated the title.
  • The fighter who wins the interim title fight becomes the interim champion and is treated as the active champ for promotion and rankings in that division.
  • When the original champion returns, the UFC usually books a unification fight : interim champ vs. undisputed champ, winner becomes the sole undisputed champion.

Think of it like a stand‑in champion: not just a “number one contender,” but a champ with a belt whose main mission is to eventually face the original champion.

Why the UFC uses an interim champion

Common reasons the UFC creates an interim title:

  • Long‑term injury or surgery for the champion.
  • Illness or medical suspension.
  • Contract disputes (champ and UFC can’t agree on terms or dates).
  • Other long absences that would freeze a division.

This keeps:

  • Top contenders active with high‑stakes fights.
  • The division marketable with a belt on the line.
  • A clear next step: the interim champ is usually the default next opponent for the returning champion.

What happens next: unification, upgrade, or stripping

Once there is an interim champion, a few paths are possible:

  1. Unification fight happens
    • Interim champ fights the undisputed champ.
    • Winner = undisputed champion; loser loses their belt.
  2. Original champ vacates or is stripped
    • If the champ retires, leaves, or is stripped, the UFC can “elevate” the interim champion to full undisputed champ status.
  1. Interim champion defends the interim belt
    • Sometimes, if the original champ is out for a long time, the interim champ will defend their interim title against other contenders to stay active.
  1. Interim belt can be taken away
    • If an interim champ is inactive, injured, or fails a drug test, they can be stripped and lose that status, same as an undisputed champ.

Quick contrast: interim vs undisputed champion

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Aspect Interim champion Undisputed champion
What it is Temporary titleholder when the main champ is inactive.Main recognized champion of the division.
How they’re crowned Wins an interim title fight between top contenders.Wins an official title fight for the vacant or existing belt.
Goal Usually to fight the undisputed champ in a unification bout.Defend the belt against all challengers.
Status in rankings Recognized as champion‑level, often listed as champ with “interim” tag.Listed as the sole, lineal champion of the division.
What if the original champ leaves? Can be promoted to undisputed champion.Belt becomes vacant; new champ is crowned.

Mini example from recent years

  • At heavyweight, when Jon Jones was injured and out for months, the UFC booked an interim title fight so the division wouldn’t stall.
  • Tom Aspinall won that interim belt, becoming the active champion while Jones was sidelined and positioning himself for unification or eventual elevation to undisputed status.

TL;DR

In UFC, an interim champion is a temporary champ created when the real champ can’t defend the belt, keeping the division active and usually setting up a future champ vs. champ unification fight.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.