Islam Makhachev continues to solidify his legacy as one of MMA’s most dominant forces. The UFC lightweight champion has showcased his skills against elite competition, establishing himself as a formidable presence in the sport.
Makhachev claimed the vacant lightweight title with a submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He successfully defended it with a decision win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 284 and followed it up with a knockout win in their rematch at UFC 294.
Most recently, at UFC 302, Makhachev submitted Dustin Poirier, further cementing his reign. His next title defense is set for Jan. 18, 2025, at UFC 311, where he will face Arman Tsarukyan in a highly anticipated rematch.
In a recent interview with Yukah MMA (h/t Bloody Elbow), Makhachev addressed questions about his career longevity and whether he has a specific retirement age in mind.
“I wouldn’t say it’s that bad; if I feel like I have stopped [developing], then that’s it — I have to quit. No, [there is no age in mind], I don’t associate anything with age… [Artur] Beterbiev is 39 years old, and he’s the best boxer in the world. Years are not the limit. I don’t have any [title] numbers at all [in mind].”
When asked how he would recognize when it’s time to step away from the sport, Makhachev explained that he’ll rely on comparisons with his training partners.
“I train with a lot of young guys in the gym. If I see that I can’t keep up, that they are catching up with me, overtaking me, then why should I torture myself? I’ll stop [then].”
For Makhachev, the focus remains on continuous improvement and maintaining dominance, with no immediate plans to slow down.
At UFC 311 in Los Angeles next month, Islam Makhachev — the number one pound-for-pound fighter — will defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan. This highly anticipated bout is a rematch five years in the making, as the two previously faced off in April 2019 in a Fight of the Night clash.
Makhachev is not just looking to retain his belt; he’s aiming to make a definitive statement by finishing Tsarukyan.
“With Volkanovski, I told everyone I had to end all doubts and get the finish. That’s why in the second fight, I’m going to be looking for the finish to make everyone shut up,” Makhachev said to ESPN MMA, reflecting on his mindset.
Some fans believe Tsarukyan could have beaten Makhachev in 2019 if he’d had a full training camp. Now, the Russian-Armenian has the chance to prove them right — or wrong. For the champ, however, familiarity with his opponent gives him confidence.
“Honestly, I like to fight a second time,” Makhachev said. “I don’t like rematches, but when I fight the same opponent again, I know everything they can do, so there won’t be any surprises. Sometimes, like when Dustin [Poirier] defended my wrestling or submission skills, it surprised me a little. But when I know what my opponent will do, I have more options.”
Islam Makhachev, the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, has the record to justify his place at the top. Next month, at UFC 311 in Los Angeles, he will put his lightweight title on the line against Arman Tsarukyan.
Makhachev, a longtime friend and training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s, is coached by Javier Mendez, who also guided Khabib throughout his career. Mendez believes history will repeat itself, predicting that the current champ will follow in “The Eagle’s” footsteps and retire early.
“He’s going to probably do what Khabib [Nurmagomedov] did and retire at 35,” Mendez said. “Well, Khabib did it a lot earlier, but I think 35 is the magic number for these guys. They have that in their head, that 35 is the cut-off point. Some will go over, but I think Islam is already set financially. He’s done really well with his money, so I think it will probably be lights out after 35.”
The UFC champion is currrently 33 years old. A matchup that has fans buzzing is a potential superfight between Makhachev and featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria. However, Mendez has dismissed that bout as something they are not currently considering.
“I think it’s great that he’s motivated,” Mendez said of Topuria. “He’s a champion, for sure. He’s proven it. He’s gone up in weight. I also was told his coach said he was 187. Islam, I don’t think, has ever been that heavy. When he starts training camp about two months out, Islam is about 179, 178.
“The guy [Topuria] is a great fighter. He’s got the best boxing hands in the business, I feel — most technical. He can do a lot of damage if he goes up in weight, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m not interested in that fight whatsoever at the present time. I’m interested in [Islam] defending against Arman, and then who knows — maybe the welterweight title will be available at that particular time.”
Arman Tsarukyan is set to face Islam Makhachev in a highly anticipated rematch for the UFC lightweight championship on Jan. 18 at UFC 311. This clash comes nearly six years after their first encounter in April 2019, which Makhachev emerged victorious from via unanimous decision.
Since their initial meeting, Tsarukyan has been on an impressive run, fighting 10 times with a record of 9-1. His sole defeat during this stretch came via decision against Mateusz Gamrot. Currently riding a four-fight winning streak, the Russian-Armenian’s recent victories include dominant performances over top contenders Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira.
Makhachev, with an overall record of 26-1, has maintained his position as one of the most dominant forces in the division. His only career loss came via first-round knockout to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in 2015. While Martins has since parted ways with the UFC, he is playing an indirect role in the upcoming fight. Tsarukyan trained with Martins during his training camp at American Top Team, as revealed through posts from both on Instagram.
Fans were quick to give their thoughts on the link-up, with some laughing off any suggestion Martins’ presence could benefit the challenger come fight night in Los Angeles.
This does absolutely nothing wtf is he gonna remember about one KO 9 years ago
UFC 311 promises to be a blockbuster event, with the 155-pound title fight headlining the card. Additionally, the co-main event will feature a UFC bantamweight championship bout between current champion Merab Dvalishvili and rising contender Umar Nurmagomedov, adding another layer of excitement to an already stacked card.
However, unlike his long-time training partner and the former 155-pound king, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has had several tough fights and moments of serious adversity inside the Octagon. One of those difficult tests was against late notice replacement Arman Tsarukyan in 2019 where the Armenian was able to really push the man that many considered to be on his way to being a top contender.
At UFC 311 in January, they will run it back for the lightweight gold in Los Angeles and in order to help him prepare, the challenger has brought in another man that caused Makhachev some serious problems. Through 27 pro fights, the current champion has only ever tasted defeat once.
In his second fight with the promotion at UFC 192 in 2015, he was knocked out in the first round by Brazil’s Adriano Martins who at the time, had 22 more pro fights on his record. After Makhachev missed a big overhand left, Martins countered with his own and dropped the Russian with the referee immediately stepping in.
Following back-to-back losses to Leonardo Santos and Kajan Johnson after this win, Martins was cut from the UFC, ending his run in the promotion with an overall record of 4-3. In March this year, he defeated Donovan Desmae to snap a run of six fights without a win that dated back to his final UFC fights.
He’s now set to return to the cage later this month but before then, Tsarukyan looked to engage in a bit of mental warfare with his next opponent by sharing a gym photo of him and the only man to defeat Makhachev.
Arman Tsarukyan is training with Adriano Martins ahead of his fight against Islam Makhachev
Adriano is the only man to knock out Islam Makhachev 😅
While the aftermath of the Dec. 7 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the flyweight title picture to the lightweight championship conversation.
At UFC 311, set for the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Jan. 18, reigning kingpin Islam Makhachev will open his account for the new year, once again in defense of his 155-pound gold. After following his crowning against Charles Oliveira with retentions opposite Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier, the Dagestani will next run it back with top contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili looks to defend his gold for the first time since winning it at the expense of Sean O’Malley. In his way of a continued reign will be the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.
Procházka, Moicano, de Ridder, Set The Stage For High-Profile Headliners At UFC 311
Before Makhachev and Dvalishvili defend their belts, a number of other notable names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major UFC 311 card.
And opening the UFC 311 main card will be promotional newcomer Reinier de Ridder. The former two-division ONE championship titleholder debuted this past November in a grueling clash with Gerald Meerschaert at the Apex. If he’s to move to 2-0 in the Octagon, the Dutchman must add to the woes of Kevin Holland, who most recently fell to an injury TKO loss opposite Roman Dolidze.
Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over ranked light heavyweights Johnny Walker and Bogdan Guskov, as well as a top 10 heavyweight bout between Jailton Almeida and Serghei Spivac.
See below for the full UFC 311 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (lightweight)
Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
Preliminary Card:
Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
Nate Diaz, known for his fiery temperament and no-nonsense attitude, found himself at the center of yet another altercation — this time after the UFC 311 press conference in Las Vegas.
The incident occurred backstage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where Diaz hurled a water bottle in the direction of UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev and his team.
Diaz’s reputation for such antics is well-documented. He caused chaos by throwing a water bottle at Chase DeMoor during the MF & DAZN X Series 6 event in New Orleans. Perhaps his most infamous bottle-throwing incident came at the UFC 202 press conference in 2016, when he and Conor McGregor exchanged cans and bottles, creating pandemonium.
This time, tensions escalated as Diaz shouted, “Pull up, b*tch,” before launching the bottle. Members of Makhachev’s entourage, including Tagir Ulanbekov and Magomed Zaynukov, were nearby. Zaynukov retaliated by tossing an object back at Diaz. Security intervened quickly, corralling Diaz as he continued to yell at Makhachev.
The Russian, who was present for the UFC 311 on-sale press conference, appeared unfazed by the commotion. Despite the outburst, the focus of the evening eventually shifted back to the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins, where Diaz accompanied main card fighter Kron Gracie.
This latest altercation underscores Diaz’s penchant for stirring up drama, ensuring his presence is always felt — whether inside or outside the octagon.
UFC 311 will kick off the promotion’s pay-per-view schedule for 2025, and MMA News has you covered with this week’s press conference.
The MMA leader has business to attend to in Las Vegas on Saturday night before focus turns to next year’s opening numbered event, but Friday will see attention briefly on the Jan. 18 card in Los Angeles before the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins.
Appearing on stage with mic in hand will be the four UFC 311 headliners — Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov.
UFC 311, set to play out inside the Intuit Dome, will be headlined by Makhachev’s (26-1) fourth defense of the lightweight title. Since capturing it at the expense of Charles Oliveira in 2022, the Dagestani has turned away two challenges from featherweight legend Alexander Volkanovski and one from Dustin Poirier.
Makhachev could now be set for his toughest test to date as he runs it back with the charging Tsarukyan (22-3). The Russian-Armenian secured his first shot at gold with a victory over Oliveira at UFC 300 this past April. And given how competitive his 2019 fight with the champ was, he’s confident of being the one to start a new chapter at 155 pounds.
There will also be title stakes in the co-main event, meanwhile, as Dvalishvili (18-4) puts his newly won bantamweight belt on the line for the first time. Four months on from unseating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 inside the Sphere, the Georgian is tasked with blemishing the perfect record of Nurmagomedov (18-0) if he’s to add a successful retention to his résumé.
A number of other intriguing matchups are scheduled for the stacked card. The current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:
Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (lightweight)
Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Clay Carpenter (flyweight)
Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
The mixed martial arts leader is set to open its pay-per-view schedule for 2025 in style, having confirmed championship defenses for both Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili for UFC 311.
And following additions like Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill and Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland, as well as returns for Jailton Almeida and Johnny Walker, a pair of blockbuster headliners are now official.
UFC CEO Dana White took to social media this week to confirm that the long-rumored rematch between Makhachev (26-1) and Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) for the lightweight gold will indeed headline the event on Jan. 18.
And despite his callout of other contenders, bantamweight king Dvalishvili (18-4) will put his belt on the line against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0), who looks to set the stage for his stablemate’s defense in the final fight of the night by adding to the team’s trophy cabinet.
Makhachev has recorded three defenses since defeating Charles Oliveira to achieve champ status. After back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkanovski in 2023, the Dagestani most recently turned back the challenge of Dustin Poirier. Makhachev is now set to run it back with a charging contender whom he narrowly outpointed back in 2019. Tsarukyan enters his first title shot riding momentum from a triumph over Oliveira at UFC 300.
Dvalishvili, meanwhile, will be making his first defense at UFC 311, five months on from his victory over Sean O’Malley at the Sphere. That result extended his winning run to 11 straight fights and followed success opposite former champions Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, is yet to taste defeat inside the cage. The Russian most recently staked his claim for a championship opportunity by getting the better of the highly regarded Cory Sandhagen across five rounds in Abu Dhabi.
With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:
Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
Following the year that Ilia Topuria has had, some fans are coming around to the idea of seeing him move up a weight class in the future. Many are growing tired of the want for every fighter to become a two-division champion rather than achieving total dominance in their own weight class and this was the case with “El Matador” at first.
However, after he did exactly what he said he would do and stopped Max Holloway at UFC 308, it’s becoming hard to deny him what he wants. With his back-to-back wins over “Blessed” and Alexander Volkanovski, Topuria has proved that he’s one of the best in the world right now.
“We’ll have to talk. It will happen 100 percent. He’s been talking about me non stop, he probably wants to let us know something but I have no idea what. Well, we will talk and find out… We will fight if we have to.”
Despite saying that they can make the fight happen if it’s called for, Makhachev went on to say that he isn’t particularly excited about the idea. The 155-pound champion had his own plans to move up a weight class until his training partner Belal Muhammad became the welterweight champion in July.
Having defeated Volkanovski twice whilst “The Great” was the featherweight champion, it makes sense why he wouldn’t want to fight another titleholder from the division below just yet.
“In terms of my fighting career, I have no interest in fighting Ilia Topuria. He represents another weight class so what if we fight and I beat him, what’s there for me? I won’t win another belt and everybody will once again say that I beat a featherweight and that’s it. But, if people really want to see him lose, well, we can do it.”
Islam Makhachev says he and Ilia Topuria need to talk and find out what’s up…👀
UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev watched on as another teammate claimed 155-pound title glory in a major promotion.
Gadzi Rabadanov, a former Eagle FC competitor and Bellator contender, was among those competing with gold on the line at the 2024 PFL World Championship last Friday, where both PFL Global and inaugural PFL MENA belts were dished out.
The Dagestani figured on the main card opposite Brent Primus, whom he earned the right to face in the lightweight final by outpointing Solomon Renfro and Elvin Espinoza in the regular season before knocking out Michael Dufort in the semifinal.
With the result, the Makhachkala native won gold in a major promotion, took home $1 million in prize money, and marked the latest from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s famed team to earn champion status.
That was no doubt unsurprising to those who’ve trained with him, one being Makhachev. The UFC’s lightweight kingpin has long touted Rabadanov for success, and he praised his teammate’s victory in a social media post this past weekend.
“Congratulations brother @gadzhi_rabadanov. I think in this Grand Prix you’re just beginning to reach your potential… And now a well-deserved rest.”
Rabadanov has joined UFC’s Makhachev and Bellator standout Usman Nurmagomedov as the three lightweight titleholders in the major US-based organizations.
In the past, Nurmagomedov has been tipped by his team to succeed Makhachev as the 155-pound king on MMA’s biggest stage. But with Rabadanov earning global praise for his 10th straight win, perhaps he, too, will pursue success in the Octagon down the line.
One UFC fighter who has no love lost for Conor McGregor has let his voice be known after the result of the Irishman’s recent civil trial in Ireland.
UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev took to social media after McGregor was found liable for assault of a woman that took place in late 2018. Makhachev praised the court case’s ruling against the Dubliner and claimed there is more about the former two-division UFC titleholder that has yet to come out.
“It was a matter of time till this filthy b****** be exposed,” Makhachev posted on X. “Alcoholic, drug junkie and rapist. Many more facts to come out, trust me!”
It was a matter of time till this filthy bastard be exposed. Alcoholic, drug junkie + rapist. Many more facts to come out, trust me! https://t.co/XTtJ0CJwZk
Islam Makhachev Praises ‘Exposure’ Of Conor McGregor After Jury Rules Against Him In Sexual Assault Case
A jury at Dublin’s High Court ruled that McGregor must pay €248,000 ($257,000) to Nikita Hand, who accused McGregor of sexually assaulting her in a hotel room.
According to Hand, the Irishman raped her in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018, following the two meeting at a Christmas party. McGregor is alleged to have restrained Hand on a bed and bruised her.
The UFC fighter and his team have vehemently denied the allegations, claiming that McGregor and Hand’s interactions were completely consensual and that Hand is trying to exploit the situation for profit.
Makhachev is the protégé of Khabib Nurmagomedov, the retired undefeated former UFC lightweight champion and longtime rival of McGregor’s. “The Eagle” and “The Notorious” are famous for a highly intense rivalry that led up to their infamous bout at UFC 229 — and, more infamously, the bout’s aftermath.
At the PFL’s Battle of the Giants event, Paul Hughes was one of the biggest stories of the night following his great performance. The Irish lightweight was considered to be one of the brightest rising talents in the sport but in a huge step-up against AJ McKee, he showed that he’s the present as well as the future by beating him via the scorecards.
Just like he wanted to face McKee so that he could make a statement, Hughes knew exactly who was in his sights after getting his hand raised. “Big News” called for a fight with Bellator lightweight champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, which has since been confirmed for January 25 in Dubai in one of the best match-ups that the promotion could possibly put together.
The challenger also did a lot of the heavy lifting for the PFL when it comes to marketing this fight after on the mic, he pitched it as Dagestan vs Ireland 2. The promotion has ran with that tagline when the fight was announced yesterday, setting it up as the second chapter to the biggest fight in MMA history between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.
In a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Hughes said that evening the score by getting some revenge for “The Notorious” by beating Khabib’s cousin next time out is a big source of motivation for him. He doesn’t see this being the decider either, teasing the potential of a trilogy bout with the UFC’s lightweight king, Islam Makhachev further down the line.
“Yeah 100%, I’m going to make it 1-1 for the boys definitely and maybe in the future, make it 2-1. I’ll find out where Islam’s at and maybe do that in the future but I’ll not get ahead of myself now. Usman’s an incredibly, incredibly dangerous fighter that I have to be on my game to beat.”
Charles Oliveira will join fans in watching Islam Makhachev’s anticipated title defense against Arman Tsarukyan. The bout is expected to showcase the lightweight champion Makhachev facing the rising contender at UFC 311 on January 18, though the UFC has not yet officially confirmed the fight.
Oliveira is familiar with both fighters, having suffered losses to each. He lost to Tsarukyan by decision at UFC 300 after previously falling to Makhachev by submission in their title fight at UFC 280. Speaking to New York Post Sports, Oliveira shared that, if the fight is finalized, he would lean toward Makhachev as the likely victor.
“They have very similar styles, and I think each has to watch for the same things,” Oliveira said. “They need to be cautious with the striking, as both have some striking ability, but they also need to be very mindful of each other’s ground game.”
He continued, “It’s a very close matchup style-wise, but I think Islam has a slight edge over Arman. He’s just a bit stronger. But when it comes down to it, either of them could come out on top.”
Oliveira is set to face Michael Chandler next Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Michael Chandler has been out of action for almost two years, having last fought Dustin Poirier in November 2022. Outside of TUF 31, he’s spent most of this time waiting for Conor McGregor, but after the upheaval around UFC 303, he finally moved on to fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 309.
Following his razor-close split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300, Oliveira is currently the #2 ranked UFC lightweight in the world. So, defeating him should put Chandler in line for a title shot.
Chandler fought frequently in the UFC since his debut against Dan Hooker. It appears he wants to compensate for the two-year hiatus by fighting as many high-profile names as possible before 2025.
Chandler recently appeared on the SHAK MMA YouTube channel for an interview. When asked if he would fight McGregor or Makhachev after a win over Oliveira, “Iron” stated that getting the UFC lightweight title is his priority. He also feels the need to settle the rivalry with “The Notorious” which began with TUF 31.
“The title is the number one goal but there is some unfinished business. Chandler vs. McGregor TUF 31, it needs, that chapter needs to close to some point. Conor wants that fight. He’s talked about it openly in public, in interviews. Obviously, I want that fight. I’m not focused on it right now. I’m focused on Charles, but it’ll be interesting you know. Because you also got to remember, Islam is fighting probably in January, could be late January. He’s gonna go into Ramadan in February, all of March, won’t be able to go till training camp, won’t be able to fight till June July. I’m not trying to wait till June or July. So, Conor could sneak in there, we could see Chandler vs. Oliveira, Chandler vs. Conor, Chandler vs. Islam, Chandler vs. Max. The craziest four or five fight-run in a 12-month period that anyone’s ever seen.”
Besides Makhachev and McGregor, “Iron” is also interested in fighting former UFC featherweight champion and the reigning BMF champion Max Holloway in 2025. Fans have been eagerly waiting to see this fight too, as both fighters boast an aggressive, fearless, and striking-heavy fighting style.
It’ll be interesting to see how many superfights Chandler can be a part of before the end of 2025. For now, he needs to focus on beating Oliveira, who already holds a TKO win over him.
UFC commentator Jon Anik believes Islam Makhachev is right to hold the pound-for-pound throne over fellow champions like Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, and Ilia Topuria.
Not many topics have received the kind of discourse and scrutiny as the P4P debate in 2024, largely down to UFC CEO Dana White’s fury at the current order.
Leading the way is lightweight kingpin Makhachev, who followed a pair of title defenses against Alexander Volkanovski in 2023 by stalling the late-career championship ambitions of Dustin Poirier this past June.
For White, that’s ludicrous. His view is that heavyweight titleholder Jones is the clear and obvious choice, despite not yet defending his gold in the 19 months since his crowning and competing just once since February 2020.
Before getting back to top spot, “Bones” also has to climb above Alex Pereira. After reeling off three straight title defenses in 2024, the light heavyweight champ occupies the number two position.
And most recently, Topuria staked his claim and received the nods from some in the community after completing a memorable year of activity with a featherweight defense against Max Holloway. Like he did Alexander Volkanovski this past February, “El Matador” floored “Blessed” with his brutal power, putting himself in a good position to collect the Fighter of the Year accolades.
During a recent interview with MMA reporter Kevin Iole, Anik assessed the current standings, explaining why he gives the clear advantage to Makhachev over Topuria when it comes to P4P.
He also detailed why he doesn’t consider Jones worthy of top spot at this moment in time (cover your eyes, Dana).
“I am but one man with one opinion. … Ilia Topuria’s accomplishments this year are undeniable. To do what he did to Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway successively, relatively close or in their fighting primes, is otherworldly. But for me, KI, Islam Makhachev’s ability to find that takedown and find that submission in his last title defense against Dustin Poirier is about as good as it gets, right?
“And he was the guy (pound-for-pound number one) going in, so I don’t know that he loses that perch for me. I have always put 155 pounds on a pedestal. I do believe 155 pounds is the deepest division,” Anik continued. “For me, it is Islam Makhachev every day of the week. Jon Jones is in the conversation, but inactivity I think largely takes him out of the discourse.”
Makhachev has held the crown ever since usurping Jones weeks after his knockout win over Volkanovski in October 2023.
Following Ilia Topuria’s successful title defense this past weekend, the coach of UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev has assessed the possibility of a champ vs. champ collision down the line.
Topuria cemented his grip on the featherweight gold in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 308 pay-per-view, which he headlined opposite fan favorite Max Holloway eight months on from his crowning at the expense of Alexander Volkanovski in Anaheim.
At just 27 years old, Topuria has already established himself as one of the featherweight division’s all-time greats. And at such a young age, the Georgian-Spaniard has plenty of time to achieve his other ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage.
That unsurprisingly includes two-division glory, and having already recorded a vicious KO up at 155 pounds back in 2022, Topuria is confident in his chances of adding the UFC lightweight belt to his trophy collection.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Javier Mendez — coach of current lightweight titleholder Makhachev — reacted to Topuria’s triumph in Abu Dhabi.
The AKA trainer threw praise on the featherweight champ, notably branding his boxing the best in mixed martial arts. With that in mind, he wouldn’t be looking to have Makhachev throw down with the Spaniard in a potential super fight down the line.
“I mean, when he took Max down with ease in the first round, I said, ‘That’s the way you fight MMA.’ And he has a very strong stand-up game,” Mendez said. “I would think that he’s probably the best boxer in the whole entire division. He’s really crisp and very on point with his boxing, and therefore you see how he uses it really, really well. His boxing, I think, is his best attribute out of everything he does. He’s impressive, very impressive. … I’ve been saying he’s a good boxer. But last night proved to me that he’s the best boxer presently in the UFC. Actually, in the entire world. He’s the best boxer in MMA.
“That would be an area I’d be foolish to want to try to go up against, boxing for boxing. That’s not a smart move, you know? And it just would be like, if Ilia decided to go submission for submission with Islam, that’s not a smart move on his part either,” Mendez continued. “So, it’s all strategy, and how you approach it, how your fighter approaches it, and, you know, what mistakes you can correct while the fight is going on. That’s what I think is more important than anything. When the fight does get matched, it’s just your gameplan, your strategy, executing it, you know?”
And if Topuria was to attempt to beat Makhachev at his own game, Mendez warned that he’d be taking on a challenge only achieved by the great Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“The only person that really did the most with him was Khabib. And at the end of the day, the longer you grapple with Islam, the worse it’s going to get,” Mendez concluded.
The lightweight champ didn’t have much to say in the aftermath of the UFC 308 main event and didn’t address a potential clash with his featherweight counterpart down the line. Instead, Makhachev offered his congratulations to Topuria and some comforting words for the defeated Holloway.
Congrats champ it was amazing Keep your head up Max you are a legend #UFC308
The Dagestani’s focus, then, is no doubt entirely on the challenge seemingly awaiting him in January 2025, as he prepares to run it back with Arman Tsarukyan.
The manager of Islam Makhachev believes Dana White’s attempt to downplay the UFC lightweight champion’s status as pound-for-pound best is entirely down to his efforts to promote Jon Jones.
“Bones,” a former light heavyweight kingpin who captured the heavyweight gold in his divisional debut last year, is set to make his long-awaited return to defend the belt in the UFC 309 main event next month.
Among White’s claims is the suggestion that the rankings panel have massively messed up by putting Makhachev in the pound-for-pound top spot over Jones.
“Listen, it’s the reason why Dana White is the pound-for-pound greatest promoter on this planet,” Abdelaziz explained. “Jon Jones is fighting next month. He’s fighting a guy (in Stipe Miocic), he’s probably going to be -800 against. (This is) the best way to promote this fight, to promote Jon Jones.
“Dana never promoted Jon Jones for some reason. But now he’s on Jon Jones’ wagon. Guess what? This promotes Jon Jones, too,” Abdelaziz continued. “He can say he’s the greatest of all time. Islam Makhachev right now currently is the pound-for-pound greatest fighter in the world by far. It’s not even second place. But Dana’s Dana. People think he’s talking gospel.”
White isn’t along in disagreeing with Abdelaziz’s take.
Makhachev’s expected next challenger, in-form Russian-Armenian contender Arman Tsarukyan, also put Jones above the lightweight champ while discussing the pound-for-pound order in a recent interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.
Arman Tsarukyan sides with Dana White on UFC's pound-for-pound debate.
“(Islam Makhachev) doesn’t deserve it. I agree the No. 1 pound-for-pound is Jon Jones.”
Max Holloway may still have unfinished business to settle in the UFC’s lightweight division.
Holloway is gearing up to challenge reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 308, set to take place this Saturday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Holloway stunned the MMA world with a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 in April, making a strong argument for a shot at the lightweight title. However, divisional champion Islam Makhachev hadn’t considered the new BMF titleholder as a potential challenger at the time.
That said, Makhachev seems open to the idea — if “Blessed” can convincingly take down Topuria in their upcoming bout.
Pulled off one of the best KOs in UFC history to win the BMF title 💪@BlessedMMA is coming back for the featherweight throne at #UFC308
During a recent interview with Demetrious Johnson, Holloway discussed his choice to return to the featherweight division following his victory over Gaethje. The Hawaiian revealed that his return to 145 pounds might be a short-term decision and that he could potentially face Makhachev next year.
“Blessed” stated that going up against Makhachev would be akin to facing UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, calling it a significant opportunity that could further elevate his already storied career.
“You’ve got to do great things,” Holloway said. “We had that fight booked with Khabib a while back. They call Islam the Khabib 2.0, so I want all the taste. I want all the smoke. It’d be an honor to fight that guy and try to etch my name in the history book. First thing’s first is Ilia. If I had my choice, why not? Why not be able to fight Islam?
“Islam never ever wanted to fight me even when I was saying I was coming up to [155 pounds]. After fighting the guy that he was supposed to fight next, he still was saying, I don’t know why I would fight him. But then, recently, his tone changed, and he was like, Oh yeah if I can get past Topuria, he’d be open to fighting me. I was like, OK, that’s all we needed. We just needed that little crack in the door. I’ll squeeze my way through the rest; don’t worry about it.”
Makhachev is riding high after his third successful lightweight title defense, having secured a submission victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June. The Dagestani is anticipated to face Arman Tsarukyan, likely at UFC 311 next year, although no official announcement has been made by the promotion as of yet.
Should he achieve redemption for his 2021 defeat to “Do Bronx,” Chandler’s eyes will seemingly turn to the next assignment for champion Islam Makhachev, who is expected to put his 155-pound gold on the line in a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan.
During an appearance on Uncrowned’s The Ariel Helwani Show this week, Chandler looked ahead to that contest and provided a surprisingly one-sided prediction.
The former three-time Bellator champion acknowledged that Tsarukyan gave Makhachev a run for their money when they shared the cage in Moscow five years ago. But when it comes to their high-stakes second dance, Chandler doesn’t think the Russian-Armenian will be competitive.
“I fancy Islam (in that fight),” Chandler said. “I’ll be sitting there cageside seeing who my next opponent is. I think Islam is just — he has evolved a lot over the last couple of fights. He’s going to get the takedown. If he does get the takedown, I think he can get the submission. And obviously, he showed against Poirier that he’s something to be reckoned with on the feet these days.
“So I think Islam gets the job done, and I don’t think it’s that close,” Chandler continued. “I’m not necessarily saying he dominates Arman, but I do think he takes this one pretty handily. … I think Islam has come a long way. … I don’t think it will be as close as the last one was.”
While Chandler would prefer to be the one who unseats Makhachev in 2025, should Tsarukyan achieve the feat instead, ready-made animosity certainly exists to set up a future clash.
“Iron” and “Akhalkalakets” have long gone back and forth on social media, with Tsarukyan most recently mocking the #6-ranked contender following his decision to finally move on from the long-delayed Conor McGregor fight.
Ilia Topuria’s ambitions to compete in a potential ‘champ vs. champ’ showdown have intensified in recent weeks, but a popular MMA analyst doesn’t think now is the time for such a matchup.
Topuria’s excitement was palpable during a recent live stream on Instagram, where he enthusiastically answered a fan’s question about his ability to defeat Makhachev. The 27-year-old Spaniard confidently asserted that he could easily overcome Makhachev, stating that it would be the fight he would pursue after handling Holloway.
Ilia Topuria says he hopes to fight Islam Makhachev after Max Holloway 👀
“Of course [I think I can beat Islam]… Makhachev real soon. Hope Makhachev will be next after this fight.”
“Younger guys like Ilia Topuria going, ‘Oh yeah, I’m going to fight so and so up here,’” Thomson said. “I’m like, dude, you haven’t defended your title one time. You beat the guy coming off of a head-kick knockout. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How about you defend it against Max, the fight I’m really excited for?”
Thompson further emphasized that Topuria should concentrate on solidifying his standing in the featherweight division before calling out others. He also mentioned that “El Matador” might be seeking these high-profile matchups primarily for social media popularity.
“Ilia Topuria needs to clear out the division. He’s fought a lot of guys in there, but there are still many opponents for him to face. He shouldn’t even be mentioning that; the UFC shouldn’t be entertaining that. This whole thing, I think, is about social media—swipe right, swipe left, up, down, real fast. I need self-gratification right now; that’s what they’re looking for: ‘what can I do to make the most money?’”
Topuria captured the 145-pound title with a stunning second-round knockout of former champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February. He remains undefeated in his seven Octagon appearances, with five of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
Alex Pereira defended his UFC light heavyweight belt for the third time in 2024 at UFC 307. He stopped Khalil Rountree via TKO in the fourth, further skyrocketing his popularity.
Pereira’s exciting fighting style and consistency are second to none in the UFC at the moment. With five title fight wins already, he’s solidified his legacy and fans now expect to see him in the heavyweight division or take on Magomed Ankalaev.
Kamaru Usman has all the praise in the world for “Poatan” after his UFC 307 victory. So much so, that he called the UFC light heavyweight kingpin the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world over Islam Makhachev.
Kamaru Usman Explains Why Alex Pereira Is His Pound-For-Pound Best Fighter Despite Islam Makhachev Having More Tools
On the latest episode of the Pound 4 Pound With Kamaru & Henry podcast on YouTube, Usman and Henry Cejudo debated who deserves to be the P4P best fighter after UFC 307. While “Triple C” still gave the title to Makhachev, Usman had a new opinion after “Poatan” dismantled Rountree’s game plan masterfully.
According to the former UFC welterweight champion, fighters in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions should be judged differently. At anything over 200 pounds, having a strong ground game is a challenge because of the strength and energy required.
“I have to admit when, and this is a part of being a man, you have to admit when you feel like you’ve made an error. And in the revelation lately, what I’ve come to is, I realized I’ve been judging Alex Pereira based on what I would be judged at. There’s a lot more men that weigh, walk around on this earth close to 170 to 185 pounds.”
So, Usman no longer holds Pereira accountable for not showcasing his grappling because it is simply not prevalent enough in his weight division. He’s been decimating the top light heavyweight and middleweight contenders with ease, which is enough for “The Nigerian Nightmare” to call him the P4P best UFC fighter.
Usman broke down the UFC 307 main event and appreciated how Pereira looked calm throughout the fight. Against a dangerous southpaw like Rountree, he decided to rely on his jab instead of the left hook that usually wins him matches.
“I think he is pound-for-pound king because of the way he’s able to fight. Not the way he’s able to fight but the way he’s able to make his opponents fight and the way he’s able to dispose of his opponents. I love Islam and his abilities, I think Islam of course has more tools in the shed but for what you have to work with, Alex Pereira I believe he’s the pound-for-pound.”
The UFC welterweight acknowledged that fighters with relentless wrestling like Merab Dvalishvili have been succeeding in the UFC lately. However, he also pointed out that such a fighting style is usually present in lower weight classes, and even Magomed Ankalaev wouldn’t replicate Dvalishvili’s style at light heavyweight.
“I can’t be biased to the standard that I’m held to. The standard that Islam is held to because there’s a lot more men that weigh Islam’s size and my size than they do Alex Pereira’s size. So, with what Alex Pereira has to work with, he’s disposing of these guys that way so I have to give that to him.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov has seemingly confirmed when reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev will return to action.
Makhachev has had just one outing in 2024 — a hard-fought submission win over Dustin Poirier at the Newark-held UFC 302 event to record his second defense of the 155-pound title.
For the third straight year, the Russian was then being lined up to headline the promotion’s annual October pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi. But an injury that required surgery scuppered those plans and ruled Makhachev out for the remainder of 2024.
Khabib Leaks January UFC Title Defense For Makhachev
During a recent interview (via Ushatayka), Khabib provided an update on Makhachev’s return after injury stalled plans for a second assignment in 2024.
While he stayed short of confirming a location or opponent, “The Eagle” did reveal that his protégé has accepted a bout offer from the UFC for an event in January 2025, likely UFC 311.
“UFC offered us a fight already, in January. We accepted it,” Nurmagomedov said. “UFC will announce very soon where it will take place and who will be Islam’s opponent. I will not make an announcement myself, but I can say that we are focused on January.”
Although his name wasn’t mentioned, there’s little doubt about Tsarukyan’s status as next in line for a shot at title glory following his decision win over former champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 this past April.
Islam Makhachev became the UFC lightweight champion in October 2022 by defeating Charles Oliveira. His second-round submission win was commanding, and many rightly predicted that he would keep the belt for quite some time.
Makhachev beat P4P No. 1 Alexander Volkanovski via decision in his first title defense and knocked him out with a head kick in the rematch. He then submitted Dustin Poirier in the fifth but also proved that his striking prowess is second to none in the lightweight division.
Arman Tsarukyan, who Makhachev beat via unanimous decision in 2019, is likely to be the next title challenger. According to Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, the lightweight kingpin needs to turn ‘heel’ to make the most of his outstanding run in the UFC…
Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen Explain How Islam Makhachev Can Become UFC’s Biggest Star By Pursuing Floyd Mayweather’s Approach
In a recent episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy on the ESPN MMA YouTube channel, Sonnen and Cormier expressed concern over the current state of UFC champions. Because most of the champions have only recently won their belts, the company doesn’t boast a lot of stars.
After calling Jon Jones and Alex Pereira the two most popular fighters on the roster, Cormier advocated that Makhachev has the potential to replace them once they’ve retired or lost. However, he would have to tone down the politeness.
Sonnen agreed with the former UFC heavyweight kingpin. According to the veterans, a heel turn would benefit Makhachev greatly as he already drops cold statements but in a rather respectful manner. For readers unaware of the term, a heel in pro wrestling is the person who plays the villain.
Here’s Sonnen appreciating Makhachev for his personality that just needs to be marketed in MMA circles the right way:
“Okay, that guy is so charismatic, and he is so secretly funny. If he was to do a heel turn, I mean, come on, he said one of the great heel lines ever. He said a whole bunch of professors should be taking their black belts back from guys. Like that angle and that is blasphemy in this sport and nobody even knows got it. It was like this G-rated line, he didn’t use profanity, he didn’t yell. When he said it, he said it nicely.”
Over the years, Sonnen himself, Michael Bisping, and Colby Covington have proved that a heel personality can sell amazingly well in the UFC as well. According to Cormier, Makhachev can boast about his superior skills and diss all the lightweights. He could follow in the footsteps of Floyd Mayweather and aim to reach a stage where people tune in to watch him lose.
“I think that’s the move for Islam. He needs to get you and I to write him promos. We should write him promos. We write promos telling how much better he is than everyone. I would make him tell everybody that they don’t deserve to be in there with him and he’s just going to lord over this division until he decides to retire.”
A lot has changed in the last couple of years for the UFC. The roster features many new exciting talents, but dominant champs like Israel Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski, and Kamaru Usman also lost their belts.
In its different eras, the UFC has benefited heavily from megastars like Chuck Liddell, Conor McGregor, and Ronda Rousey. However, it looks like the company now wants its brand to reign supreme. If people trust the UFC to be the premier MMA organization in the world, they won’t evaluate the quality of the card based on the stars it has.
Having said that, popular fighters are still a boon, if not a necessity, for the UFC. According to Daniel Cormier, the promotion currently lacks champions that can sell pay-per-views like their predecessors…
Daniel Cormier Explains Why Islam Makhachev, Belal Muhammad, Ilia Topuria, Merab Dvalishvili, And Other UFC Champs Aren’t Stars Yet
On the latest episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy on the ESPN MMA YouTube channel, Cormier and Sonnen discussed the current UFC champs. According to the former UFC heavyweight kingpin, only Jon Jones and Alex Pereira are proven draws for the UFC.
“Is there a void of that big star? Because right now, it feels like only Jon Jones and Pereira, Pereira and Jon Jones might be the only two Champions right now that are completely moving the needle.”
All the other champs in the promotion have either just reached the top or don’t have the most exciting fighting style and mic skills. The iconic duo also talked about how MMA has evolved drastically in recent years, making it unlikely for new champions to beat title defense records set by Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Demetrious Johnson, and other greats.
“Jon Jones right now is a proven draw. He will sell pay-per-views. Alex Pereira, under right circumstances, will sell pay-per-views. But then when I list these other names to you, Chael, Zhang Weili, the 25 pound champion is the Brazilian, Pantoja, Merab Dvalishvili, Ilia Topuria, Islam Makhachev, Belal Muhammad. Let’s keep going.”
DC backed his claims by mentioning the not-so-great numbers generated by Makhachev vs. Poirier at UFC 302. He also revealed that Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya did decent, but the number was much lower than what “The Last Stylebender” was bringing in at his peak.
“The problem is the game has gotten so hard now. Anderson had what? 11 title defenses. Jones had like 13. Who’s doing that anymore?”
“Poatan” is 37 and “Bones” might consider retirement after fighting Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Cormier believes that the UFC has yet to find proper replacements for its biggest stars at the moment which could be detrimental.
