Islam Makhachev is indeed heading for a major fight, though not the one many anticipated. UFC CEO Dana White announced on Tuesday that the lightweight champion is moving up to the 170-pound division to challenge the new welterweight king, Jack Della Maddalena, and will vacate his lightweight title in the process.
This ascent was rumored for months, driven by Makhachev`s desire for a second belt, but initially complicated by his friendship with then-welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. That obstacle was removed when Muhammad lost the title to Della Maddalena this past Saturday, paving the way for the Makhachev-Della Maddalena clash, set for a date and location yet to be determined.
While this bout offers Makhachev a chance to bolster his pound-for-pound status or Della Maddalena an opportunity for major stardom, the news hasn`t pleased everyone, especially those hoping to see Makhachev stay at lightweight. Undefeated featherweight champion Ilia Topuria had previously vacated his belt and announced plans to compete at 155 pounds, leading to widespread speculation and excitement about a potential superfight between arguably the two best fighters in the world.
However, that highly anticipated matchup is off the table for now. Instead, Makhachev takes on Della Maddalena, while Topuria will now face Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 317 on June 28. This outcome has left many fans feeling they were “robbed” of the more desired superfight.
