Makhachev first title defense

[RichardHarrow]

I agree that Shavkat seems like he would be the strongest contender to face Islam right now.

But that dude has 1 fight in almost 2 years. I'm not sure the UFC are too keen to give such an inactive fighter a title shot.

He was the man a minute ago. Surgerys a bish. The WW division is stacked and I can't wait for the events in 2026.

 

[VinceArch]

I hope not.. or at least I hope it is not the prevailing narrative.

Depends imo on this:

Does Ilia DEMOLISH Paddy AND Arman before moving up.

(Between you and me I do not expect Ilia to take the Arman fight, I think he is a smart dude and he knows that risk v reward is horrible for him)

However- IF...IF
IF Ilia demolishes both of those big LWs then the "just another FW thing loses a lot of credibility)

but I think all parties will.navigate such as to avoid the risk of Arman ruining the payday.



it is a fucked up and unfortunate foot note that literally all 4 of Islam's LW defenses AND his title win all fought at FW.

Yeah, I forgot that Moicano did fight Aldo at FW as did Poirier. We'll see how it all unfolds though, Ilia needs to defend that strap several times before his desired fight with Islam.

 

[Angelassassin53]

It'd be soft as fuck for him to fight Usman

Best fights we could see stylistically imo are:
Islam vs Shavkhat
Prates vs Morales for a title shot

 

[legedema]

I know, I have been saying this for years about them and as well now about Islames advantage over JDM:

Butthurt ,but why , what is it that you cant handle with those Dagestanis.
You even act like a child calling their names wrong.
How does it feel that everytime they enter the cage they allways come out victorious and you crying

 

[DapperDave]

WW has a murderer's row of killers.

Usman ain't in that row.

Just book Islam three times next year against the best of the killers. Not the old dudes or the old names or whatever. The killers.

That's what we all want to see.

 

[don't ask]

Yeah the only route to Makhachev vs Topuria is either Makhachev loses his belt & goes back down to lightweight, or Topuria defends his LW title a few times to earn a shot at the WW belt. Topuria is not leap frogging ahead of all the WW contenders any time soon.

Just wait: Topuria will leapfrog all the contenders to fight for the belt, then Chimaev will leapfrog all the contenders and come back down to fight for the belt and it'll be a year, at least, before we see the champion of the welterweight division, the most stacked division in the UFC, fight an actual WW contender.

 

[balkanbomber85]

Butthurt ,but why , what is it that you cant handle with those Dagestanis.
You even act like a child calling their names wrong.
How does it feel that everytime they enter the cage they allways come out victorious and you crying

You are this, you are that, bla bla bla.

It still doesn’t change the fact that I’m right about this one. Islame learned from Kabeeber, and they only compete when they have a significant preparation advantage over their opponents.

 

[legedema]

You are this, you are that, bla bla bla.

It still doesn’t change the fact that I’m right about this one. Islame learned from Kabeeber, and they only compete when they have a significant preparation advantage over their opponents.

fact is; they always fight who UFC wants them to fight.
UFC is the decision makers hereunto your feelings.
when was it that Islam or even Khabib refused to fight any fighter UFC asked for ?