Chael Sonnen has fully leaned into his role of ‘bad guy’ to Daniel Cormier’s ‘good guy’ as of late, especially when it comes to Islam Makhachev.
Sonnen has been quick to criticize Makhachev’s movements post-UFC 315, suggesting that the lightweight champ has been ducking worthy opponents. The most notable of those lately has been Ilia Topuria.
Makhachev’s decision to chase down Jack Della Maddalena’s welterweight title has left Topuria adrift. The Georgian-Spanish fighter moved up to lightweight in a bid to challenge Makhachev for his title. But with Russian’s proposed jump to welterweight, it looks likely Topuria will fight Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.
That could be a fight for the vacant Lightweight Championship – a title set to be vacated by Makhachev.
Sonnen’s criticism of the Lightweight Champion has drawn the ire of a few within the industry. Former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson countered Sonnen, branding him a ‘Dagestani hater’ during an episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast.
But it seems now that Makhachev has had enough of the UFC Hall of Famer’s disparaging comments. The reigning lightweight champ has hit back at Sonnen through a brutal response on X.
The post justified Makhachev’s strategy while also firing some personal shots at not only Sonnen’s career as a fighter, but his career as an analyst and commentator.
“Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport,” he wrote on X. “But average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that. So please seat and watch how others doing it, uncle Chael.”
Makhachev signed off his tweet with the hashtag ‘#doublechamp’, indicating his focus on the rare UFC accomplishment.
Chasing hype and money is not the same as chasing greatness in sport. But average athlete, who built his way to the top with cheap trash talk, won’t understand that. So please seat and watch how others doing it, uncle Chael. #doublechamp
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) May 22, 2025
While Sonnen continues to be a prominent voice in MMA, his achievements as a fighter do not match up to Makhachev’s. Sonnen never clinched a major title in MMA, finishing with 31 wins and 17 losses. Makhachev, meanwhile, sits on a 27-1 record, having not lost a fight in almost 10 years.
Islam Makhachev’s two-division champion status is a long-term aspiration
While Chael Sonnen views Islam Makhachev’s pursuit of Jack Della Maddalena as a clear avoidance of the unbeaten Ilia Topuria, Islam clearly views two-division champion status as a crucial part of his legacy.
It is a feat completed by very few fighters, nine to be exact. Those include Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, as well as Sonnen’s podcast co-presenter, Daniel Cormier. It is also an achievement that Makhachev’s coach and Dagestani ally Khabib Nurmagomedov didn’t accomplish during his time in the UFC.
Some MMA analysts have also pointed to Islam’s close friendship with Belal Muhammad as a reason that may have kept him in the lightweight division. Had Muhammad successfully defended against Maddalena, UFC fans might instead be preparing for a lightweight title bout between Makhachev and Topuria instead.
Makhachev has long dreamed about two-division champion status. The impressive, but inexperienced Maddalena, presents a great opportunity to complete that accomplishment. Topuria will undoubtedly be frustrated by the reigning champ’s jump to welterweight and the vacation of the lightweight title.
But he too will get the chance to secure two-division champion status. That would be when the likely lightweight title bout against Charles Oliveira is confirmed.
