Amid claims he has no immediate plans to retire, Islam Makhachev’s potential remaining time in combat sports has been mapped out by former UFC star Chael Sonnen.
Set to hit all the headlines this weekend, Makhachev will vacate his lightweight crown at UFC 317, with arch-rival Ilia Topuria taking on his former opponent, Charles Oliveira, atop the International Fight Week card.
Meanwhile, Islam himself is set to make a move to the welterweight limit — potentially before the end of the year to challenge for the crown from the get-go.
Lining himself up to take on Australian puncher, Jack Della Maddalena, Makhachev will look to land a second divisional belt. Yet, rolling into a new division, questions have been asked regarding the Russian’s prolonged future in the sport.
And while his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has stressed the Makhachkala star has years to go in his career, Sonnen is not so sure.
Laying out a plan for the Russian, Sonnen has claimed a prolonged stint at the welterweight limit for Makhachev. And to boot, has mapped out three potential fights for the pound-for-pound kingpin.
“Islam Makhachev may only be around for three more fights,” Sonnen said on his Instagram channel.
“As I look at Islam’s fights, boy, I got three great ones. Jack (Della Maddalena) can beat Islam. That’s a very hard match. But if Islam does beat Jack — then the next two [fights], Belal (Muhamamd) and Kamaru Usman — do a legends fight,” he proposed.
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“Then, (Ian) Garry,” he continued. “Colby’s (Covington) going to have something to say about it. And then, of course, you’ve got (Shavkat) Rakhmonov. …It’d be pretty damn impressive,” Sonnen argued.
And whilst some fights are wholly unrealistic — namely, a clash with Covington and another with his friend Belal, some suggestions from Sonnen are sound. Particularly a super fight with former pound-for-pound #1, Kamaru Usman.
Usman hunts Makhachev blockbuster
Amid what is being called a retirement tour, ex-champion Usman has laid out plans for his immediate future following his win in Atlanta earlier this month.
Landing his first victory since 2021, the Auchi native made light work of the surging Joaquin Buckley and claimed he would love the chance to fight for his old crown one more time before hanging up his gloves.
And as far as his recent opponent, Buckley is concerned, Usman should be next to challenge for the 170 lbs crown. And that’s even before Makhachev makes his eventual leap to the division.
Usman should be next, man,” Buckley proposed on the Pound-4-Pound podcast.
“He got the name — he showed what he’s capable of doing. I was killin’ all these dudes, I was knockin’ ’em all out…and he came back, and showed why he’s a dominant champion,” Buckley added.
It would be a waste for him to try and fight another person and just give them an opportunity. He already gave the opportunity to me. I f*cked it up. Let that man go and get his belt back,” he asserted.
Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely. However, Usman does present a compelling case to fight the winner of Maddalena vs Islam and go out on a high.
