Former UFC middleweight title challenger, Chael Sonnen, can’t seem to make up his mind when it comes to Islam Makhachev’s decision to vacate the lightweight strap in order to pursue a second title in the 170-pound division, something Makhachev has been asking for since 2023.
Former UFC featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria, who also vacated his title to chase a second strap in a heavier weight class, claims Makhachev “ran away” from the challenge.
“I don’t believe that Islam’s scared to fight anybody,” Sonnen told Daniel Cormier back in March. “I think the evidence of that fact would be the fact that he switched opponents and took on Renato Moicano [at UFC 311] with no training camp, no preparation, just because it’s the right thing to do, and made sure that the golden rule was followed, which is the show must go forward.”
Makhachev (27-1) also entertained the promotion’s request to fight featherweight champion Alex Volkanovski on two separate occasions, first at UFC 284 and then again at UFC 294 (on short notice). Sticking around for yet another featherweight on the rise — at his own expense — seems like a big ask.
“I also think it’s a little bit insulting to be the one to have to ask Islam, ‘Will you fight a ‘45 pounder’ considering that would make the third ‘45 pounder that Islam was forced to face,” Sonnen continued. “And the only thing Islam has ever told us is that he himself would like to change weights. So, if he himself is not allowed to do the one thing that they’re asking him to do three times over, I’m light on that. I don’t think it happens.”
It didn’t happen, and now Topuria will fight Charles Oliveira for the vacant strap at UFC 317. I’m not sure what happened over the last few weeks to compel Sonnen to change his tune, but now the former Bellator bruiser is making it sound like Makhachev was running scared.
“Islam did everything you could do to avoid that [Topuria] fight,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel earlier this week. “That’s just the truth, guys. That’s just what happened. I know Islam, I like Islam a lot, (but) it’s still what happened. Islam did everything you could conceivably do to not fight Ilia, including leave the division, including leave the championship.”
I guess it beats leaving the promotion.
“‘Hey, if you don’t fight this guy, we’re going to strip you of your championship,’” Sonnen continued. “‘Strip me of my championship.’ There is nothing in our industry that is a stronger way to get away from somebody than to leave the division and even leave the championship behind. You can’t paint the credit on Islam for moving up to 170 pounds, in a handpicked match.”
Sounds like Makhachev is fed up with “Uncle Chael.”
“Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport,” Makhachev wrote on Twitter. “But average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that. So please [sit] and watch how others doing it, Uncle Chael.”
Some call it cheap, others call it stolen.
Makhachev, 33, will challenge 170-pound champion, Jack Della Maddalena, for the welterweight title at one of the promotion’s unnamed pay-per-view (PPV) cards later this year. Makhachev’s success at welterweight could determine his future at 155 pounds — or eliminate it entirely.
