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Chael Sonnen Warns UFC: Move Islam Makhachev To 170 Or Watch Him ‘Retire Like Khabib Did’

Former fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen thinks the UFC has a big decision to make regarding lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev’s future. Makhachev started his year on the right foot last month, becoming the first champion at 155 pounds to record four consecutive defenses. The Dagestani did so at the expense of late-notice replacement opponent Renato Moicano, whom […]

Former fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen thinks the UFC has a big decision to make regarding lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev’s future.

Makhachev started his year on the right foot last month, becoming the first champion at 155 pounds to record four consecutive defenses. The Dagestani did so at the expense of late-notice replacement opponent Renato Moicano, whom he submitted in the first round at UFC 311.

Moving forward, the 33-year-old has expressed his desire to achieve two-division glory. And it would appear that the timeframe on that coming to fruition could be short, with Makhachev’s coach suggesting late last year that the Russian could look to depart the sport on top soon enough.

In the eyes of Sonnen, such an event would only be brought about if the UFC forces the champ to remain at 155 pounds — a factor he also saw as the leading cause of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement as titleholder back in 2020.

“Khabib did not retire because he didn’t want to fight Conor (McGregor) a second time. The UFC showed him the wrong numbers,” Sonnen said in an interview with MMA Junkie. “Every time they had a meeting, they showed more commas and more zeros, but it was the wrong number. If they had made the weight class 170 (pounds), they would have caught Khabib for one more fight.

“The number one reason any combat athlete retires is that they don’t want to make that weight anymore. Sooner or later, it bites everybody in the ass,” Sonnen continued. “Islam can either retire like Khabib did. Khabib didn’t want to tell anybody he didn’t want to make the weight, and no combat athlete will ever admit that. … So, they can either eventually part ways with Islam and watch him retire and talk about what could have been, or they can move him out of the goddamn weight class. That’s the truth.”

One potential stumbling block in the way of a welterweight move for Makhachev is the presence of friend and occasional training partner Belal Muhammad on the throne. Because of that, the Dagestani has even pondered a two-division move up to middleweight to challenge Dricus Du Plessis.

It remains to be seen what lies in the future of Makhachev, but in Sonnen’s eyes, a continued stay at lightweight will soon signal the end of the champ’s career.

Sean Strickland On Islam Makhachev’s Middleweight Hopes: ‘Stay In Your Weight Class!’

Sean Strickland intends to remind Islam Makhachev that the UFC’s distinct weight classes exist for a reason. Following his commanding fourth title defense against Renato Moicano at UFC 311, the lightweight champion’s aspirations to conquer a second weight class have reached new heights — something he has been expressing for some time now. However, the […]

Sean Strickland intends to remind Islam Makhachev that the UFC’s distinct weight classes exist for a reason.

Following his commanding fourth title defense against Renato Moicano at UFC 311, the lightweight champion’s aspirations to conquer a second weight class have reached new heights — something he has been expressing for some time now.

However, the Dagestani champion faces a difficult conundrum, as he is on good terms with reigning welterweight champ Belal Muhammad, which complicates his path toward two-division glory.

As a result, Makhachev has proposed an ambitious vision, declaring that his physique and skill set are more than capable of propelling him up two weight classes to take on middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis.

“Stillknocks” has already cautioned the 155-pound champion that he might be biting off more than he can chew, suggesting it would be wise to rethink his bold move — a sentiment that Strickland fully supports.

Strickland is poised for a title rematch with Du Plessis, which will headline UFC 312 next weekend. If “Tarzan” secures victory in this highly anticipated showdown, it’s almost unfathomable to think that the first defense of his second reign as 185-pound champion could be against Makhachev.

During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Strickland was probed about the possibility of facing Makhachev should the Russian champion decide to step into his division.

“We fought on the same card once, right? Bro, I actually really like that guy,” Strickland told. “He’s actually a really f**king good dude, which is funny because I think a lot of Muslims don’t like me because I talk a lot of sh*t. But he’s a good dude.”

The outspoken American fighter went on to suggest that Makhachev might be able to handle a move up to welterweight, but stepping into the middleweight division would be a bridge too far for him.

“Again, there’s weight classes for a f*king reason. Stay in your weight class, maybe do 170 [pounds], but there are weight classes for a f**king reason, dude. I don’t want to talk too much sh*t on you because I like you, but stay in your weight class.”

Strickland and Makhachev both featured on the UFC 302 card this past June, where Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title with a submission victory over Dustin Poirier, while “Tarzan” triumphed over Paulo Costa, securing himself a second shot at the middleweight crown.

Michael Venom Page Questions Islam Makhachev’s No.1 P4P Status: It’s Too Early

Michael Venom Page Questions Islam Makhachev’s No.1 P4P Status: It's Too Early The debate over Islam Makhachev’s status as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in MMA continues to generate discussion, with…

The debate over Islam Makhachev’s status as the number one pound-for-pound fighter in MMA continues to generate discussion, with prominent voices like Michael ‘Venom’ Page weighing in. Page, who is competing in the UFC this weekend, recently shared his thoughts on Makhachev’s dominance and the pound-for-pound rankings.

Michael ‘Venom’ Page Talks Islam Makhachev and P4P

Islam Makhachev is a protege of the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov and teammate of Khabib Nurmagomedov who has been on an extraordinary run in the UFC. Makhachev has defended his lightweight title multiple times, including victories over elite opponents such as Alexander Volkanovski (twice), Charles Oliveira, and Dustin Poirier. His most recent win came against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 via first-round submission, setting a new record for lightweight title defenses in UFC history.

Islam Makhachev on Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov 1

Michael ‘Venom’ Page praised Makhachev’s skills, calling him “unbelievable” and a “force to be reckoned with.” However, he expressed reservations about labeling the UFC lightweight champion as the definitive pound-for-pound best. “Is he an incredible mixed martial artist? 100%. Is he a force to be reckoned with? 100%. Pound for pound? I don’t know yet,” Page said. He acknowledged Makhachev’s potential to become one of the greatest of all time but suggested that it might still be “early” to crown him as the top fighter across all divisions.

According to fan controlled rankings on Tapology and UFC official rankings, Islam Makhachev is unanimously chosen as the current top position on MMA’s overall pound-for-pound.

The English athlete Michael ‘Venom’ Page was a popular figure in Bellator with incredible knockouts. He is now competing in the UFC’s welterweight division. This weekend at UFC Riyadh, he will face the undefeated ‘Bullet‘ Shara Magomedov in a middleweight bout.

The debate over pound-for-pound supremacy will likely persist as fighters like Islam Makhachev continue to build their legacies while competitors and media like Page offer critiques from within the sport.

Dricus Du Plessis Willing To Fight Islam Makhachev For ‘Easy Payday’ When It Makes Sense

Dricus Du Plessis seems inclined to entertain a potential champ vs. champ showdown with Islam Makhachev, though he isn’t fully sold on the proposition just yet. Even before his dominant fourth title defense at UFC 311 against Renato Moicano, reigning lightweight champion Makhachev made no secret of his ambitions to claim gold in a second […]

Dricus Du Plessis seems inclined to entertain a potential champ vs. champ showdown with Islam Makhachev, though he isn’t fully sold on the proposition just yet.

Even before his dominant fourth title defense at UFC 311 against Renato Moicano, reigning lightweight champion Makhachev made no secret of his ambitions to claim gold in a second weight class.

However, a key obstacle stands in his way — Makhachev finds himself in a bit of a dilemma, as his strong relationship with current welterweight champion Belal Muhammad makes pursuing that matchup a tricky situation.

Consequently, Makhachev has put forth an audacious idea, expressing that he has the frame and tools necessary to ascend two weight classes and challenge Du Plessis for the middleweight title.

During a recent interview with mainevent, “Stillknocks” weighed in on Makhachev’s bold ambitions, offering a nod of respect for his exceptional talent.

However, Du Plessis made it clear that the Dagestani champion might be aiming a bit too high, suggesting that while Makhachev is undeniably skilled, he’s simply not on the level required to face a true 185-pound powerhouse like himself.

“It’s hard to really think and take it seriously right now,” Du Plessis said. “I’ve got a big fight coming up, so I didn’t make anything of it. If we get to a situation where we are not at right now — he’s an incredible fighter, make no mistake. He was so incredibly good against Moicano. He proved once again why he is the pound-for-pound best in the world.

“[But] I don’t care how good you are — he obviously trains with 185 [pound]ers in his gym, so he knows. He doesn’t train against me. Believe me, it’s not the same thing. Even on a technical level, the standup. His wrestling and grappling is phenomenal. I’d just overpower him, that’s what I think.

“Stillknocks” is set to defend his middleweight title against his former rival, Sean Strickland, in the headlining bout of UFC 312 on Feb. 8. If he emerges victorious, a showdown with the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev would likely be next on the horizon.

However, Du Plessis made it clear that if the UFC comes calling or special circumstances arise, he would be more than willing to shatter Makhachev’s dream of becoming a two-division titleholder.

“It makes a massive difference. He’s a big lightweight, but I’m a big middleweight. There’s a big difference between a big lightweight and a big middleweight. But if there’s ever the situation where there’s no fight for me, no fight for him that makes sense, I’ll be more than happy to do that. Easy payday.”

The 31-year-old South African was last in action at UFC 305 this past August, where he triumphed over former champion Israel Adesanya, submitting him to successfully defend his title for the first time.

Islam Makhachev Teases Change Of Stance On Fighting ‘Friend’ Belal Muhammad: ‘We Will See How The (Rakhmonov) Fight Goes…’

Islam Makhachev has made it very clear in recent times that his goal is to become a two-weight world champion by moving up to welterweight. He’s already tied for the second longest win streak in UFC history, meaning that isn’t exactly a whole queue of new and exciting opponents for him to face at lightweight. […]

It would be a shame if we don’t get to see the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport today get the opportunity to really test himself and in some ways, now might be the right time to pull the trigger. However, there is one issue with that plan.

Belal Muhammad has previously spent time training with Makhachev and the rest of their team before he won the 170-pound title at UFC 304 in July last year. Even if they both agreed to face each other, Muhammad already has his next title challenger lined up after Shavkat Rakhmonov defeated Ian Garry at UFC 310 when the champion withdrew due to an injury.

In the following video, originally posted by Ushatayka, the 155-pound king talks about the options for his next fight where he suggests that two-weight supremacy will be his next challenge.

“I don’t see a lot of work to do in my division, I beat almost everybody. I think about moving up to 170 and I can stay there.”

There is, of course, the small matter of his former training partner being the current champion at welterweight but Makhachev has made comments both before and after UFC 311 which suggest that he isn’t against the idea of challenging Muhammad if it means getting his hands on a second belt. He said that whilst he isn’t going to say anything for sure, there are conversations that need to happen in the near future.

“I don’t want to make any statements, we will see how the fight goes. I have not spoken to the UFC since my last fight, we need to sit and talk these moments.”

Fantasy Head-to-Toe Breakdown: Islam Makhachev vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Former UFC lightweight champion has long been considered one of the best fighters in the division’s history — and arguably one of the greatest fighters ever,…