Islam Makhachev, the former UFC lightweight champion, has vacated his 155-pound title to chase a welterweight championship against Jack Della Maddalena later this year. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, spoke to MMA Junkie about this daring move, underscoring Makhachev’s unparalleled success in the lightweight division and his readiness to make history as a two-division champion.
Abdelaziz highlighted Makhachev’s remarkable achievements, stating:
“Islam has beaten everyone in this division, literally. Dan Hooker, Arman [Tsarukyan], Charles Oliveira. He’s on a 15 fight winning streak, finish eight of his last nine opponent. Does anybody deserve to go fight for a second title [more] than Islam?”
This reflects Makhachev’s dominance, having defeated top contenders and defended his title four times, a UFC lightweight record.
Makhachev’s Historic Lightweight Reign and Welterweight Pursuit
The decision to move up stemmed from changes at welterweight. Abdelaziz revealed:
“The reason was he wasn’t gonna do it because Belal [Muhammad] was the champion. The UFC, I was talking to Dana and he’s like, ‘If anybody deserve it, Islam can do whatever he wants.’ And, ‘If Islam goes up, he’s the champion.’”
With Muhammad losing the welterweight title to Maddalena at UFC 315, Makhachev seized the chance to challenge for the 170-pound belt. Abdelaziz noted that the lightweight division will proceed with Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria fighting for the vacant title at UFC 317.
“You have these two guys Charles Oliveira and Ilia fighting, and they can fight for the title,” he said. “But everybody know who’s still the champion of this division, because he never lost the title, right? Now Islam gets to fight at the end of the year, fight Jack Della Maddalena, who’s who’s a really good fighter, all credit due.”
Despite vacating the belt, Abdelaziz insists Makhachev’s legacy as lightweight champion remains unchallenged.
Makhachev’s lightweight journey began with a submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022, claiming the vacant title. He defended it against Alexander Volkanovski twice, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano, showcasing his versatility with knockouts and submissions. His 15-fight win streak, starting after a 2015 loss, includes eight finishes in his last nine fights, solidifying his status as a dominant champion.
Abdelaziz expressed confidence in Makhachev’s welterweight potential, stating:
“Nobody in the UFC right now, in any division, is doing what Islam Makhachev is doing. Finishing guys at this level, putting on unbelievable fights, knocking people out with head kicks, just smashing people. I’m going to tell you something: he’s going to be a problem for a lot of these guys. I believe at welterweight, you’re going to get a bigger, not depleted, stronger Islam Makhachev, and I believe he is going to be a problem for the whole division.”
He further claimed, “He will have the two belts on top of his shoulder because he’s still the lightweight champion.” via MMAMania
Abdelaziz’s statement reflects his belief that Makhachev’s dominance transcends weight classes, even as he relinquishes the 155-pound title to pursue welterweight glory.
