Islam Makhachev’s jump to the welterweight title fight at UFC 322 has generated a great deal of attention, but Daniel Cormier believes his longtime teammate is shouldering the heavier expectations. The former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion spoke about the matchup as Makhachev prepares to challenge Jack Della Maddalena in the main event at Madison Square Garden.
Makhachev arrives in New York as the top ranked pound for pound fighter in the sport and the betting favorite. He voluntarily let go of his lightweight championship to pursue another belt, which, in Cormier’s view, creates a situation where every outcome reflects directly on his legacy.
Cormier explains why the challenger carries more risk
Cormier shared his thoughts during an appearance with MMA Junkie Radio and made it clear that he believes the challenger has more on the line than the champion.
“I mean, you always put the pressure on the champion, right?” Cormier told MMA Junkie. “You’re the one who has the potential to lose the belt. That would be the easy answer. The pressure is on Islam. Islam Makhachev is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. People expect him to win in what is a very difficult fight. This will be the toughest fight of his career, but people expect him still to get the job done.
“That’s where there’s pressure, and you’re the guy who left your belt to go pursue another one. So, pressure is on Islam because going into the fight this weekend, everybody knows he gave up the belt. So in their minds, they still view him as a champion. You go lose to Jack, now for the first time in a really long time, you’re not the champion in any way, shape or form.”
FOR WELTERWEIGHT GOLD 🏆
Jack Della Maddalena vs @MAKHACHEVMMA
[ #VeChain #UFC322 | NOV 15 | 10pmET on @ESPN PPV ] pic.twitter.com/FoF9rKqxLc
— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2025
Cormier emphasized that public perception creates a unique dynamic. Many observers still view Makhachev as a champion because he stepped away from the lightweight throne voluntarily rather than losing it in competition.
The 34 year old defended his lightweight crown four times, the most in the division’s history, before deciding to chase a second world championship. He has stated throughout fight week that he sees his future unfolding at welterweight no matter how Saturday night ends.
Della Maddalena, unbeaten in the UFC, has been surging since his debut and is defending the title for the first time. While the champion has far less experience in marquee bouts of this magnitude, Cormier believes the pressure will fall more heavily on the fighter whose reputation rests on maintaining his spot atop the sport.
With both athletes entering UFC 322 on impressive winning streaks and operating at the highest level, the matchup has quickly become one of the most anticipated events of the year.
