Islam Makhachev may end up fighting Max Holloway at some point in the future, but not anytime soon.
The UFC lightweight champion is currently booked to headline UFC 302 on June 1st against Dustin Poirier. Holloway has secured a shot at the lightweight title with his highlight buzzer-beating KO win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 earlier this month, but Makhachev is currently eyeing a new BMF titleholder. I haven’t put it in.
“If he beats a few more guys in my division, we can compete,” Makhachev told the New York Post. “I don’t want to give him a chance right now because there are some candidates who have to win. Now we have Dustin, next is Armand. [Tsarukyan].I think there are some [work] In my department, he [work] in his department.
“Maybe if he wins the next game. [if] he punches [Ilia] Topuria, I might have finished all two races. ”
Makhachev won the title by stopping Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in October 2022, then defended it twice against then-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, and at UFC 284, he won the title in mixed martial arts’ 2023 fight. -He won by decision in the title of the year, then was knocked out with a thunderous head kick. UFC 294 eight months later.
Makhachev, who faced Volkanovski twice, believes he deserves a chance at Champ Champ status before facing another former featherweight champion for the title.
“It’s my dream fight. I have to fight for the next 170 weight class,” Makhachev said. “I have to fight Leon Edwards.
“We’ve already given some chances from 145.” [division]That’s why he needs a chance to win a second belt. ”
