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It’s time for Islam Makhachev to fight lightweights again
Islam Makhachev quickly rose to become the best lightweight in the UFC shortly after his friend and mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, stepped away from the sport. In 2022 Makhachev beat Charles Oliveira to claim the UFC lightweight title that Nurmagomedov vacated two years prior.
Since then he has defended the title twice against UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. The first defence was a close, albeit unanimous, decision at UFC 284 last February. The second defence was more emphatic, ending in a head kick to punches KO win inside the first round at UFC 294 in October.
With the UFC’s top featherweight firmly in Makhachev’s rear-view mirror, it’s time for the Dagestani to take on challengers who are more at home at 155 lbs.
Makhachev, who is ranked number one pound-for-pound in the promotion, has Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier ranked behind him at lightweight. Poirier and Gaethje would be fresh match-ups for him and Gaethje (who beat Poirier last time out) seems like the obvious candidate for the next title shot.
Behind those well known talents in the rankings is someone else Makhachev has already fought (and beaten). And one top UFC lightweight thinks that fighter could beat the champ (and that the champ knows it).
Is this the fighter Islam Makhachev is afraid to face?
Dan Hooker was on The MMA Hour last month where he discussed Islam Makhachev and the one fight he thinks he wants to avoid.
Hooker, who fought and lost to Makhachev himself in 2021, thinks Makhachev would rather retire than fight Armen Tsarukyan again. Tsarukyan was last seen at UFC Austin dismantling Beneil Dariush on route to a first round KO.
Makhachev and Tsarukyan faced off in April, 2019 at UFC St. Petersburg. Makhachev won that fight by unanimous decision. The contest earned a Fight of the Night bonus for both fighters. This bout was Tsarukyan’s UFC debut. On the night, the closeness of the fight was chalked up to Makhachev under-performing.
However, with Tsarukyan rising up the ranks and scoring impressive victories along the way, many are wondering if that close fight was indicative of Tsarukyan’s abilities, instead of Makhachev just having an off night.
That’s what Dan Hooker thinks, at least.
“Yeah, they had a pretty close fight in the first one,” said Hooker. “Yeah, he could beat him. He’s not going to fight him. I guarantee he’ll retire by the time Arman gets there, for sure. It’s too risky, there’s too much risk. There’s too many other easier fights out there that he’d rather fight. There’s easier fights out there, stylistically.”
“There are bigger names,” continued Hooker. “No one’s going to buy an Arman Tsarukyan pay-per-view. No one’s tuning in to the press conference. No one’s giving $80 for the pay-per-view. You’d rather watch Islam fight McGregor or Gaethje or something like that.”
Hooker then went on to say he might draw the short straw and have to fight Tsarukyan himself when he returned from arm surgery.
“I don’t like the guy, I think he’s an idiot. I think he’s annoying. Can he fight? A hundred percent. That’s why he’s a very talented young fighter, but he’s just annoying. He’s just a dweeb. I just don’t like him.”