Islam
Makhachev doesn’t think an eventual move to 185 pounds is
unrealistic.
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The reigning UFC lightweight champ hasn’t been shy about his desire
to eventually become a two-division champion. However, a friendship
with current 170-pound king Belal
Muhammad complicates matters. If Muhammad holds on to the
welterweight belt, Makhachev sees another path to two-division
gold.
“My height allows [a move to middleweight],” Makhachev recently
told Ushatayka. “I think my physical data allows it, too. I
just need to work with my specialists, gain muscle mass, add a
little weight. I think I can try. As I already said at the press
conference after the fight, if they offered it to me tomorrow and
say they will give me time to gain weight, I would not turn it
down. I would 100% agree to fight at middleweight.
“I’m not saying that I have a better chance, that I can 100% finish
[Dricus] Du Plessis, but watching his fights, watching his style, I
think I have the keys to victory.”
Islam Makhachev talks a move to 185:
“My height allows it, I think my physical data allows it too…
I’m not saying that I can 100% finish Du Plessis. But watching his
fights, watching his style, I think I have the keys to victory.”
👀🎥 Ushataykapic.twitter.com/rK2N3mUYof
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS)
January 26, 2025
Such a hypothetical bout would likely have to be a little bit
further down the road. Du Plessis is currently scheduled to face
Sean
Strickland in a middleweight championship rematch at UFC 312
on Feb. 8, and if he wins that fight, a title defense against
Khamzat
Chimaev also looms.
Makhachev is intrigued by at least one possibility at 155 pounds —
primarily because it isn’t anyone he has previously faced in the
Octagon. Arman
Tsarukyan appears to have lost his No. 1 contender spot after
withdrawing from the UFC 311
headliner a day before the event. Charles
Oliveira has also been mentioned as a possible foe, but
Makhachev has already bested both the Brazilian and Tsarukyan in
the past. He hasn’t faced former BMF champ Justin
Gaethje, who is slated to lock horns with Dan Hooker in
a five-round, co-main event at UFC 313
in March.
„I like this idea because I haven’t fought Justin yet. If you look
at the other options, I’ve already fought [Oliveira and Arman], and
preparing for the same opponent is not such a big motivation,”
Makhachev said. “But if Gaethje shows himself well in the next
fight, we can meet.“