Ali Abdelaziz confirms that Islam Makhachev
will compete for the welterweight title this year, whether Jack
Maddalena is ready to fight or sidelined due to injury.„Islam will fight for the title this year regardless of whether
Maddalena is injured or ready to fight. This is the… pic.twitter.com/95tPUc73ID— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
May 14, 2025
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Islam
Makhachev manager Ali Abdelaziz is sure that Dagestani will
fight for the welterweight title this year, regardless of the
opponent.
The entire landscape of the lightweight and welterweight divisions
have changed in the past few weeks. Makhachev has long been
planning a move to 170 pounds, but friend Belal
Muhammad being the champ stood as a hurdle. However, Muhammad
was dethroned by Jack
Della Maddalena in an upset at UFC 315
last weekend. Makhachev officially vacated his lightweight title on
Tuesday, and Dana White confirmed that he will fight Maddalena for
the belt eventually.
Had Muhammad won, Makhachev would have defended his lightweight
strap against Ilia
Topuria, who will now face former champ Charles
Oliveira for the vacant strap at UFC 317
on June 28. Meanwhile, Abdelaziz claims to have been promised
that Makhachev will fight for the welterweight title this year.
According to Abdelaziz, the
UFC bosses promised to make Maddalena vacate the title if he is
not ready to fight due to an injury or other reasons. They even
allegedly cited the example of Jamahal
Hill, who had to vacate his light heavyweight title months
after winning it against Glover
Teixeira in 2023. And Abdelaziz trusts the UFC brass who have
seemingly always kept their word with him.
“Islam will fight this year,” Abdelaziz told MMAjunkie.com.
”Regardless [of] Maddalena injured, not injured, hurt. This was the
word given to me by Hunter, by Dana, by everybody. He said,
‘Jamahal
Hill got injured, we vacated him.’ Islam will fight for the
title. And these guys, their word is gold to me. They always,
whatever they say, they do. And he’ll fight someone, it can be
anybody… If Jack is not ready, Islam will fight for the belt, not
an interim belt, for a real UFC belt.”
Top UFC exec Hunter
Campbell was in Dagestan for negotiations weeks before UFC 315,
which would decide the fate of two divisions. Abdelaziz praised
Campbell for the visit and believes things wouldn’t have been as
smooth without it.