Latest news with #Makhachev
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Islam Makhachev reacts to Ilia Topuria taking No. 1 pound-for-pound spot in UFC rankings
A post shared by UFC Eurasia (@ufceurasia) Islam Makhachev is unbothered by Ilia Topuria overtaking him in the official UFC rankings. For many years, Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) made it clear he was striving to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He spent a solid chunk of time holding down the position during his dominant and record-setting reign as lightweight champion, but now that he's moved on from the division and is currently without a belt, that opened the door for someone else. Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) walked through that door at UFC 317 in June, when the former featherweight champion moved up in weight and knocked out Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant 155-pound belt left behind by Makhachev as he jumps divisions in his own career and readies to challenge welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena later this year. With Topuria being a hot item in the sport and becoming the first to claim belts in two divisions while undefeated, he is now ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound on the UFC's official rankings. This doesn't frustrate Makhachev, he said, because he thinks it's all designed to build toward an eventual fight between "El Matador" and himself. "Well, it's marketing," Makhachev told UFC Eurasia during Saturday's UFC on ABC 9 event in Abu Dhabi (H/T: Championship Rounds on X). "They did it on purpose for hype, to hype up the fight. People already have interest in this fight. They're doing the right thing. We will fight for first place.' Islam Makhachev reacts to Ilia Topuria taking his spot as the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world"Well, it's marketing. They're doing it on purpose to promote this fight... So they do it right, and we'll be fighting for the #1 spot in the rankings." 👀🎥 @ufc Whether all of this is building toward a matchup between Makhachev and Topuria remains to be seen. Topuria has expressed a desire to follow Makhachev up to 170 pounds and attempt to become the first in UFC history to claim titles in three separate weight classes. UFC CEO Dana White recently said the super fight could materialize if each man wins one more fight. There are a number of potential contenders in play for Topuria's first defense at 155 pounds, including Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett, Arman Tsarukyan or a rematch with BMF champ Max Holloway. Makhachev, meanwhile, will attempt to join the group of 10 previous fighters to capture belts in multiple weight classes when he faces Jack Della Maddalena, which he said is "90 percent" on the way to being finalized and announced.
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Khabib Nurmagomedov claims Jack Della Maddalena is tougher test than Ilia Topuria for Islam Makhachev
Khabib Nurmagomedov has claimed that his friend and mentee Islam Makhachev will have a tougher time against Jack Della Maddalena than he would against Ilia Topuria. Makhachev followed in the footsteps of Khabib, his childhood friend, by winning the UFC lightweight title in 2022, but he gave up the belt in June to pursue the welterweight title. The Russian, 33, is expected to challenge Della Maddalena for that strap later this year, though many fans would have preferred to see Makhachev keep the lightweight title and defend it against Topuria. Topuria vacated the featherweight belt in February with an eye on a lightweight title shot, and he ended up fighting Charles Oliveira for the vacant gold after Makhachev left the division. Topuria knocked out Oliveira in round one to stay unbeaten. But while many fans see Topuria vs Makhachev as arguably the best fight that could be made in MMA right now, Khabib thinks 'JDM' will be a tougher foe for his friend than Topuria would. 'I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam's career,' the retired Khabib, 36, told Adam Zubayraev in Russian. 'That's my opinion. 'Not Charles, no one else,' he added, referencing Makhachev's submission of Oliveira to win the lightweight title. 'None of those other fighters. That's just my personal opinion. 'First of all, Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good, and in grappling, he scrambles really well – if you've watched him. 'For me, if I were preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I'd be more concerned – and am more concerned – about Maddalena.' Della Maddalena, 28, won the welterweight title in May by outpointing Belal Muhammad, a teammate of Makhachev. The Australian put on a clinic in striking and defensive wrestling, extending his win streak to 18. JDM actually lost his first two MMA fights, in 2016, but he has not lost since. He now prepares to face a fighter on a 15-fight win streak in Makhachev. The latter's sole loss in MMA occurred in 2015, when he was knocked out by Adriano Martins, but his ensuing dominance has drawn comparisons to that of Khabib. While Makhachev is a much more dynamic striker than Nurmagomedov was, Makhachev is similarly effective with his wrestling. Nurmagomedov retired unbeaten in 2020 after retaining the lightweight title for a then-record-equalling third time. He proceeded to move into coaching, helping guide Makhachev to a record-breaking four lightweight title defences. Most fans see Makhachev or Topuria as the UFC's current pound-for-pound No 1 fighter, with the other as No 2.
USA Today
23-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Khabib Nurmagomedov: Jack Della Maddalena tougher for Islam Makhachev than Ilia Topuria
Khabib Nurmagomedov is not expecting it to be a given that Islam Makhachev will roll through Jack Della Maddalena and become a two-division UFC champion. Former lightweight titleholder Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC), who has the most successful defenses in divisional history, will venture to welterweight later this year when he challenges champion Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) for the belt and the opportunity to further enhance his legacy. Many MMA fans wanted Makhachev to stay at 155 pounds and face Ilia Topuria, who since captured the vacant strap with a first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June. That didn't happen, and it's not because of ducking or fear. Makhachev explained to MMA Junkie in a recent interview that he's pushed by wanting greatness of a second belt, and his coach Nurmagomedov said it's going to be no easy task. 'I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam's career," Nurmagomedov told Hustle Show. "That's my opinion. Not Charles (Oliveira), no one else. None of those other fighters. Not even Ilia, if that fight were to happen. That's just my personal opinion. "First of all, Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good. And, in grappling, he scrambles really well if you've watched him. For me, if I was preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I'd be more concerned about Maddalena." Nurmagomedov isn't isolated in his stance. Makhachev also praised Della Maddalena as a tough test when breaking down the expected contest. With 15 straight octagon victories on his resume, Makhachev will have the opportunity to not only become the 11th in UFC history to claim belts in two separate weight classes, but he can also tie Anderson Silva's longstanding record of most consecutive UFC wins at 16. 'It's going to be a hard fight," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "Honestly, it's going to be. I saw his fight against Belal (Muhammad). He's good, man. When he began fighting in the UFC, he had problems with wrestling, but now he's improved because I've seen him training a lot with wrestlers and grapplers, and that's why he's champion right now. He's good everywhere. But we will see who's the best fighter in the world very soon.'
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Khabib Nurmagomedov Points to Jack Della Maddalena's Size Advantage Over Islam Makhachev Amid UFC Rule Change Push
Images via Imagn: Islam Makhachev, Jack Della Maddalena and Khabib Nurmagomedov With Ilia Topuria winning the UFC's 155-pound crown and Islam Makhachev slated to fight for the welterweight title later this year, the future of the promotion is certainly looking bright. However, many fans were dismayed at the fact that they didn't get to see the two best fighters in the promotion settle their feud inside the Octagon. Moreover, experts even cited that the Dagestani would make easy work of fighters at 170lbs, which included the reigning champion, Jack Della Maddalena. However, UFC Hall of Famer and Makhachev's mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, has other thoughts. Khabib Nurmagomedov Believes Jack Della Maddalena to Be the Toughest Challenge of Islam Makhachev's Career In a recent interview with Adam Zubayraev on the Hustle Show, Nurmagomedov said that JDM would be a much tougher opponent for Makhachev than Topuria. 'I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam's career. That's my opinion, not Charles, no one else. None of those other fighters. Not even Ilia, if that fight were to happen. That's just my personal opinion.' The Hall of Famer cited JDM's size and strength as the reason for his analysis and added, 'First of all, Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Things You Should Stop Wearing After 40 Undo And, in grappling, he scrambles really well if you've watched him. For me, if I was preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I'd be more concerned about Maddalena (than Ilia).' With Dana White announcing the headliners for UFC 320 and UFC 321, it is possible that JDM and Makhachev would slug it out for the 170-pound gold at UFC 322 in November at Madison Square Garden. Khabib Nurmagomedov Suggests a Big Change in the Current UFC Fight Rule Book The UFC's standard rules in 2025 still follow the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, first introduced back in 2001. These rules were brought in to help legitimize the sport, moving it away from its early reputation as "human cockfighting" during the late 1990s. With the new framework came time limits, judges, weight classes, and the 10-point must scoring system, all aimed at making MMA more professional and mainstream. However, Khabib Nurmagomedov is now suggesting some major changes to these long-standing rules. He now mentors top talents like Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, guiding them toward championship success. With his wealth of experience, Khabib believes it's time for a rule overhaul. In the same interview with Zubayraev, Khabib shared a bold idea: 'I'd change the rules. Like, you step into the Octagon – regular fights are 15 minutes, title fights are 25, right? I'd say no rounds. No rounds at all. I always wondered – what's the point of rounds? What's the point of it all? It's for entertainment, they pause for ads and all of that.' The UFC Hall of Famer believes the current round-based format prioritizes business and television over the purity of sport. He argued that eliminating rounds would make fights more authentic and less driven by commercial breaks. 'I get it – it's for business. But if we're talking sport, I'd get rid of rounds, no rounds at all. They just step in – that's it. There should be rules, no strikes to the back of the head, no groin strikes, that sort of thing, yeah, but I'd still get rid of rounds.' Also read: Former UFC fighter Ben Askren shares emotional ride-home message after surviving complex lung surgery For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 318: Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier weigh in on Islam Makhachev's move to welterweight
NEW ORLEANS – Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier gave their breakdown on how Islam Makhachev does at 170 pounds. Holloway (26-8 MMA, 22-8 UFC) defends his BMF title against Dustin Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) in a trilogy bout, which headlines Saturday's UFC 318 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) event at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Now permanently at 155 pounds, Holloway thinks former champion Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will do well at a weight class above, but thinks UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) won't be an easy fight for him. "I think he'll be fine. I think he'll be good, but people be sleeping on Jack," Holloway said during Wednesday's media day. "I think Jack is one of the best fighters in the world right now, and I think people are going to find that out when that match happens. I'm hearing rumors maybe October. I think it's going to be a fun fight, smart fight, but a lot of people counting out Jack for I don't know what reason. "They keep counting him out. It kind of reminds me of when I was coming up, and (people) counting me out in a bunch of different fights. I mean, (Makhachev) is the No. 2 pound-for-pound in the world right now, but he's the No. 2 pound-for-pound for a reason, so you've got to respect that. But don't sleep on Jack. I think it's going to be a tough and fun fight." Poirier fought Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 302. He was submitted in Round 5, and expects Makhachev to have success at welterweight. "He's a big guy," Poirier said. "I think he's going to fill into that weight. He's a really big 155'er. His lifestyle outside of training camp is going to be a little bit more comfortable, and he'll fill into that weight class no problem. He could be champion there for sure. "I think the beginning of the fight is going to tell the story, like how well JDM does getting up, how well JDM does at keeping Islam off of his legs, off of the cage. It's tough to call that because JDM is a big guy, athletic. I'm excited about that – a lot of fun fights in the future."
