Islam Makhachev sees no need to compete at lightweight anytime soon.
The reigning 155-pound champion soon vacates his title so it can go up for grabs in Saturday’s UFC 317 main event between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. Makhachev won’t be out of the UFC championship picture for long as he is expected to face newly crowned 170-pound king Jack Della Maddalena later this year.
After defeating Oliveira for a vacant title at UFC 280 in 2022, Makhachev (27-1) went on to successfully defend it four consecutive times (a UFC record) and extend his current win streak to 15. The No. 1 Pound-for-Pound fighter in the world explained how he came to the decision to chase a second title in an interview with MMA Junkie.
“Because right now it’s the best time,” Makhachev said. “I was waiting for [Arman] Tsarukyan because he have also a very good win streak and people were waiting for this fight. He pulled out in the last fight and I don’t see some interesting fights in my division. That’s why I made the decision to move up because now they have a new champion, a very good fighter, Jack Della Maddalena, and it’s a fight making me train every day, make me wake up early morning.”
Prior to the announcement that Makhachev and Topuria would not be fighting one another and instead fighting for titles in other divisions, fans were given hope that the highly anticipated might come to fruition when a picture showed up on social media featuring Makhachev meeting up with UFC executives.
However, Makhachev has now thrown water on the rumor, saying that a Topuria bout was not formally discussed at that time.
“Everybody think [UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell] came to make fight with Topuria, but he was here, we talked about fight against the winner between Maddalena and Belal [Muhammad],” Makhachev said. “He told me, ‘I know Belal is your friend, but this is a sport.’ Shake hands, fight, after the fight, respect, and that’s it. Just see who is the best fighter in the world. We have big discussions about that and I told him let’s wait for the fight when Belal fights with Maddalena. We will see after that what we have to do.
“Because right after the fight [against Renato Moicano at UFC 311] in Los Angeles, Hunter came to my locker room, ‘Now it’s the good time, any day, when you want to move up. You have the opportunity, just tell us.’”
Makhachev had initially hoped to still be recognized as lightweight champion entering his bout with Della Maddalena, but soon realized that wouldn’t work logistically.
“I want to hold the belt from the lightweight, but it’s not possible,” Makhachev said. “Because I fight in January and we wait, if I fight with Maddalena, when is it going to be? October, November? Fight again in February, Ramadan is beginning. Holding more than one year the lightweight belt, it’s not what I want to do.”
Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev is yet to be officially booked, but Makhachev is eyeing a pay-per-view in October or November. Should it land in November when the UFC typically makes its annual visit to Madison Square Garden in New York, Makhachev would be thrilled to compete at an arena he considers to be “legendary.”
“It’s going to be a hard fight,” Makhachev said. “I saw his fight against Belal, he’s good. He’s good. When he began fighting in UFC, he had problems with wrestling, but now he’s improved because I see him training a lot with wrestlers, with the grapplers, and that’s why he’s a champion right now and he’s good everywhere.
“But we will see who is the best fighter in the world. Very soon.”
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I’ll believe pretty much every Jon Jones story that’s out there at this point.
Jon Jones and I use to hang out just about every day when I was in town from 2011-2014 . One night we went out and I said to him “bro why are you doing all of this , let’s just hang out with the ladies and have fun , the extra stuff isn’t needed , they’re already here with us”.…
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) June 25, 2025
Too accurate.
PROSECUTOR: and here we have Exhibit A, one of the potential murder weapons: a tiny little knife like a little scared girl would use…JONES: *finishes fighting off his agitated lawyer and explodes to his feet* NO WAY WOULD I USE THAT PUSSY SHIT, I USED A MACHETE
— Phil Mackenzie (@EvilGregJackson) June 25, 2025
“Raw Dawg,” indeed.
More like “ReguNate,” am I right?
I mean…
So many things.
What’s something you miss about MMA? Something that hasn’t been around in a few years. For me it’s promotions like M-1 and ACB. I also miss the Bellator tournaments they did. Inside MMA on Axs TV. Also loved when TUF did the fights to get into the house.
— Shawn Bitter (@mmawizzard) June 25, 2025
Who wants a subscription?
Kevin Holland (28-13, 1 NC) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (19-5); UFC 318, July 19
Johnny Walker (21-9, 1 NC) vs. Zhang Mingyang (19-6); UFC Shanghai, Aug. 23
Brian Ortega (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Aljamain Sterling (24-5); UFC Shanghai, Aug. 23
It’s Fight Week Hump Day and I have to admit I’m not feeling that spark for UFC 317 yet, which seems weird because we have Ilia Topuria going after a second belt against one of the most exciting fighters ever and the underappreciated Alexandre Pantoja seeking a fourth straight title defense, plus a handful of other compelling fights.
I’m sure by Friday I’ll be properly hyped, but I’m curious where y’all are at right now?
Poll
What’s your level of excitement for UFC 317?
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