Chael Sonnen, a former UFC fighter and analyst, recently addressed his controversial remarks about Islam Makhachev not fighting Ilia Topuria. On his YouTube channel, Sonnen clarified that he didn’t intend to label Makhachev a coward, calling him a great competitor while asking if he chose to leave the lightweight division to avoid Topuria’s challenge.
Chael Sonnen fought in the UFC from 2005 to 2017, competing for titles in middleweight and light heavyweight with a 31-17-1 record. Known for his wrestling and bold trash-talk, he faced stars like Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. Now a prominent MMA analyst, Sonnen shares insights on his YouTube channel and ESPN, often stirring debate with strong opinions.
His recent comments about Makhachev gained attention after he suggested the former lightweight champion dodged Topuria. Sonnen’s clarification aims to clear up the misunderstanding, focusing on the context of Makhachev’s move to welterweight.
Sonnen’s Clarification on Makhachev Comments
On his YouTube channel, Sonnen addressed his earlier remarks.
“I was describing a scenario, and what I called him was a coward, and what got quoted by ESPN and something called MMA Censored [Uncensored], which got a pretty good social media following, was I referred to Islam as a coward,” he said. “Now, I went back and watched it and thought, ‘Man, if I said that, I would have misspoke.’ I just wouldn’t use that word about Islam. I don’t find him to be a coward, I find him to be a great competitor.”
Sonnen explained his concern was about the sequence of events.
“But I did describe the scenario, and the scenario I described was that he gets confronted, and it does matter, it matters the order of events. Did Islam inform the UFC of his intention to move to 170 pounds to fight for the title prior to the UFC offering him Ilia Topuria? If the UFC offered and showed that they wanted a title defense against the undefeated 145-pound champion and he said no, and he said no to the extent that he was willing to leave the division and be stripped [of the title]?”
Islam Makhachev, a Dagestani fighter with a 26-1 record, won the UFC lightweight title in 2022 by submitting Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He defended it three times, beating Alexander Volkanovski twice and Dustin Poirier once, earning the No. 1 pound-for-pound ranking. In early 2025, Makhachev vacated the lightweight title to pursue the welterweight belt, targeting champion Jack Della Maddalena after his win over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 on May 10, 2025.
Makhachev’s move followed Topuria’s decision to vacate his featherweight title in February 2025 to chase the lightweight belt, hoping to face Makhachev. Instead, Makhachev’s departure left the lightweight title open. Makhachev responded to Sonnen’s initial comments on May 22, 2025, saying, “Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport. But average athlete who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk won’t understand that.”
Ilia Topuria, with an undefeated 16-0 record, vacated his featherweight title after defeating Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024 and Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October 2024. His move to lightweight aimed for a title shot against Makhachev, but Makhachev’s exit shifted the division. Sonnen previously suggested on March 11, 2025, that a Topuria win over Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan, or Justin Gaethje could lead to a major fight with Makhachev.
Sonnen’s clarification defends Makhachev’s reputation, stressing he doesn’t believe Makhachev fears Topuria but questions if the UFC offered the fight before his welterweight move.
