Daniel Cormier expects that Islam Makhachev will remain the lightweight champion for the foreseeable future but warns of the danger of taking two matchups.
Whilst Cormier has never shied away from his bias towards Makhachev, having been close friends with Islam and his team for a number of years, the former double champ is well aware that serious danger is lurking just around the corner for the current 155lb king.
Top of the lightweight tree to change at UFC 300
It’s all well and good speculating on potential summer matchups in the lightweight division, but the top of the 155lb tree could look entirely different in just a few weeks’ time after UFC 300.
Two key matchups take place on the April 13 anniversary PPV, both of which could very well determine which contender gets the next shot at Islam Makhachev’s lightweight belt.
Former champion Charles Oliveira takes on Arman Tsarukyan, both of whom have already faced Makhachev with limited success before Justin Gaethje takes on Max Holloway for the BMF championship later in the evening.
Daniel Cormier on Islam Makhachev’s two ‘toughest’ matchups
Out of all the potential opponents for Islam Makhachev, former double champion Daniel Cormier believes that his toughest matchups will come from two of the division’s best grapplers: Arman Tsarukyan and Mateusz Gamrot.
Speaking with Brett Okamoto and Cory Sandhagen on his official YouTube channel, Cormier argued that whilst everyone in the Top 10 would offer stern opposition for the champ, the most danger comes via the two young European wrestlers:
“I think they’re all going to be pretty hard fights but he’s good man…Honestly, Arman [Tsarukyan] or [Mateusz] Gamrot, I think it’s one of those two – those are the two toughest matchups for him.”
DC also shared his surprise at the UFC fanbase for ‘forgetting’ about Makhachev following a heated weigh-in show debate last month:
“They asked us ‘Who do we believe has the best chance to be a long-reigning champion?’ and I said Islam because he won in the way that he did, so many of the guys that he’s going to fight have fought each other and the way he beat Charles.”
Cormier said that all of this “leads me to believe that he [Islam] has the best opportunity” to be the UFC’s current longest-reigning champion, adding “Everyone chose Zhang Weili and then Ilia Topuria; like it’s crazy how you just forget about Islam and what he’s done for so long.”
Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier trade jabs on social media
Following Dustin Poirier’s enormous comeback victory over Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299, there had been speculation that ‘The Diamond’ could leapfrog the UFC 300 winners and land a title shot in the summer.
In fact, that appeared to be the favored option for Makhachev himself with the champion telling MMAJunkie how “Dustin does not deserve the title fight, but we don’t have any option right now.”
“Everybody is busy. I want to fight. I want to fight three times this year. I have to call out someone, and Poirier is free now. He showed an excellent performance and scored a beautiful knockout. He’s free now, he’s healthy, and I asked him to fight in June.”
Poirier responded to the comments by reminding Makhachev of the differences in the legacy that the pair currently retain in the MMA world:
“I’ve done more in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts than he has. I’ve been around a long time, I was doing this before it was cool and I’m still here doing it at the highest level…I could beat anyone in the world and I hope he’s next.”