The list of UFC lightweights calling for a chance to fight Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) continues to grow, but we still seem no closer to finding out who the 155-pound champion will face next.
Former lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov—who coaches Makhachev—teased a possible move up to 170 pounds for the champ. However, he said the switch would depend on the outcome of the upcoming welterweight title fight between Jack Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and his team’s occasional training partner, Belal Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC).
“Islam wants to fight at 170", Khabib told Adam Zubayraev in an interview on his YouTube channel, "but we can’t go up there because Belal is the champion who is very close to us. We can’t exchange our relationships for belts. That’s not the way we are. Those who offer us this just don’t look at things the way we do so we have different views in this case.
“If Maddalena was the champion, Islam would fight him for sure. As far as I see it, the UFC are waiting for the event in May where Belal and Maddalena are set to fight each other. I really want with all my heart Belal to win, but if Maddalena wins, I think the UFC may offer Islam this fight for the title at 170.”
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Makhachev was originally scheduled to face Arman Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) at UFC 311 in January, but the bout fell through at the eleventh hour when the Armenian challenger withdrew due to a back injury.
Makhachev went on to submit late replacement Renato Moicano with relative ease, and Tsarukyan now reenters the growing list of contenders at 155 pounds—a list that now includes former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC).
“La Leyenda” recently vacated the 145-pound title and is hoping to be the next to face Makhachev, but Khabib believes Tsarukyan is more deserving of the next title shot.
“I think Tsarukyan would be more competitive", Nurmagomedov said. "I think Arman is a more solid fighter than Topuria. Topuria is a good fighter at 145 but we haven’t seen him at 155 yet. I expect Arman to be more competitive against Islam at 155 than Topuria."
Makhachev fought and defeated Topuria’s predecessor at 145 pounds, Alexander Volkanovski, twice in 2023. Topuria recently revealed he was promised a title shot upon moving up to 155 pounds, but Nurmagomedov doesn’t believe it’s in Makhachev’s best interest to face another featherweight champion.
“I have no idea what kind of agreements Topuria might have with the UFC, but from Islam’s point of view he has already given the featherweight champion a shot twice and Islam won on both occasions", said the former lightweight great. "Should he give them a third chance? Ok, let’s imagine Topuria gets his chance, fights Islam for the belt. Islam beats him, Topuria gets another fight and loses again. So that would mean he is a nobody at 155 and Islam beat a man who is a nobody at 155. So it matters for his legacy, his resume.
"I understand the risks for Islam too. That’s why Islam said, ‘Let him take a fight, let him become a real contender’. Islam would fight anyone. Islam said: ‘I would fight any fighter’. Ok…one, two…then they want to give us the featherweight champion for the third time? I am sorry, but Islam has his say in this conversation too as the pound-for-pound number one fighter. He's the best fighter and when he fought the 145-pound champion he flew over to Australia and fought him in his backyard.
"That’s why we as a team see Topuria as a really good fighter. He’s the champion, he defended his title, he beat very serious fighters, but all of them fight at 145 pounds. Even Holloway could do nothing when he moved up to 155 pounds."
