Islam Makhachev is constructing his legacy contained in the Octagon.
On Tuesday, Dana White introduced that Makhachev was vacating his light-weight championship in a bid to maneuver up and acquire UFC gold in a brand new weight class. Although no official date or location was introduced, Makhachev will problem newly minted welterweight world titleholder Jack Della Maddalena later this 12 months.
With a win over JDM, Makhachev will turn into one of many few fighters in UFC historical past to assert titles in two completely different divisions and take one large step in direction of solidifying himself as certainly one of, if not the best ,fighter in promotional historical past.
“It was type of nearly mutual,” Makhachev’s supervisor, Ali Abdelaziz, instructed Submission Radio whereas discussing the previous light-weight champ’s resolution to maneuver up. “You already know, Islam goes to maneuver up. He did every thing. He beat Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan, Dan Hooker, a lot of the guys within the high 10 or 15. He’s on a 15-fight profitable streak, completed 9 of his final ten opponents. The one factor he’s not doing within the division is placing individuals in physique luggage…
“Now, his dream is all the time to have two titles, proper? Once you go forward and do that, you get an opportunity to combat for the welterweight title. That is what makes your legacy nice. If Islam goes up there and defends this title thrice, he’s the best of all time. He’ll break Anderson Silva’s report… He’s constructing an excellent legacy for himself, and you’ll’t blame the man.”
With Islam Makhachev’s Transfer Up, Ilia Topuria will face ‘Do Bronx’ this Summer time
Because of Makhachev’s transfer from 155 to 170, former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will combat Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on Saturday, June 27, throughout Worldwide Struggle Week for the vacant light-weight crown.
Makhachev and Topuria have been lengthy linked to a light-weight conflict, however with Della Maddalen’s defeat of Belal Muhammad this weekend, the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ in the end opted to maneuver up, depriving us of an intriguing showdown between himself and ‘El Matador.’
