The UFC 294 event in Abu Dhabi witnessed a spectacular rematch between Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski, which ended up with a brutal knockout. Post Makhachev’s victory, many top lightweights showed their interest in taking on the Dagestani. But amid all of this, a former two-division UFC champion thought otherwise. UFC commentator Daniel Cormier recently shared his thoughts on having a Conor McGregor vs. Islam Makhachev fight on an episode of ESPN MMA DC & RC show. He was of the opinion that this fight has the potential to become the biggest UFC money fight.
As per the records, the current biggest UFC money fight is Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor, which took place five years ago in 2018 at UFC 229. It fetched around 2,400,000 PPV buys and made $180 million, which stands as the biggest ever money fight in the history of the UFC.
During the interview, Cormier laid out his reasons why the Dagestani fighter should defend his lightweight championship against McGregor next. He said:
“I think Islam should fight Conor McGregor next. It’s built-in. It’s the biggest money fight the UFC can make, and why not? You have Islam Makhachev – who looks to be a guy that’s gonna be a dominant champion. In order to have that dominant champion go to the next level of superstardom, you need a foil. You need a guy that can elevate him. The guy that can elevate him to that level is Conor McGregor.”
The shared rivalry between ‘The Eagle’ and McGregor would help create significant hype for the potential fight. Also, Nurmagomedov training Makhachev will surely be a push in the lead-up if the fight happens. Given all this, Cormier thinks Makhachev vs. McGregor will mint huge money.
Islam Makhachev has shown significant results when it comes to his fight records. He even tied with his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov on title defenses (3) in the UFC. And with this pace, he might even surpass Nurmagomedov’s legacy.
Will Islam Makhachev surpass Khabib Nurmagomedov’s legacy?
‘The Eagle’ has a legacy that not many have matched in the UFC. After his retirement, Nurmagomedov’s close friend Makhachev has proved himself quite a few times in the lightweight division and is ready to go the extra mile to cement his name as the greatest.
After his UFC 294 victory, the Dagestani expressed that he is ready to fight any fighter, be it Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje. Moreover, he is willing to take challenges outside of his 155lbs weight class, something which Nurmagomedov didn’t do during his time in his UFC run.
While expressing his interest in fighting for the welterweight title, Makhachev recently responded to a call-out made by Colby Covington on Twitter. Thus, it is evident that if the opportunity arrives, Makhachev is ready for the move.
Makhachev has already established himself as one of the greatest UFC lightweights of all time. A welterweight championship in his cabinet, however, will ensure his place in the UFC’s Hall of Fame.
