UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has teased that one UFC 300 star would need a spectacular finish to earn a shot at his 155lb title.
UFC 300 might be topped by the light heavyweight and women’s strawweight titles, but the enormous PPV will also feature two key fights in the lightweight division: Justin Gaethje vs Max Holloway, and Arman Tsarukyan vs Charles Oliveira.
It’s already been a headline-grabbing week for the champ
Over the past few weeks, Islam Makhachev has been called out for his apparent inactivity as a champion, with multiple fighters suggesting that he should have already faced Justin Gaethje earlier in the year.
Yesterday, Makhachev fired back at these comments by comparing the schedules of the top contenders: “For the record: since 2021 I fought 7 times, while Holloway did 5 fights and Justin just 4. Do your homework before talking trash about your champ.”
As we countdown to this weekend’s enormous PPV, the champ has now said that whilst UFC 300 will likely identify who is next for the 155lb title shot, not everyone will enter the cage on equal footing.
Islam Makhachev on which UFC 300 star has the ‘slimmest’ chance of a title shot
Whilst much of the recent conversation online has been around Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier, UFC 300 this weekend has a whole host of potential future opponents for the lightweight champion.
Speaking via the UFC Eurasia YouTube channel, Makhachev shared how “I think we’re in a position now where we’ll be looking for a real contender” emerging at UFC 300 in Las Vegas.
“There are so many applicants, but one needs to be identified, and I think these are the types of fight now where Gaethje is fighting, Oliveira and Tsarukyan are fighting, I think one of this pair will be my next opponent.”
When asked why he omitted Max Holloway from this particular list, Makhachev said that this was because ‘Blessed’ had the smallest chance out of the four to earn a lightweight title shot:
“If there is some kind of finish, some unusual, spectacular one then I think there is some chance [for Holloway]. But of the four fighters, I think he has the slimmest chance.”
Yet the champ also admitted that merit is easy to come by but hard to differentiate at the top of the lightweight tree: “I don’t know anymore who deserves it, but I already fought Oliveira and Tsarukyan – it would be interesting to fight with Gaethje.”
Interestingly, Makhachev also added that should Arman Tsarukyan earn a big win over the former champion, that would mean that “he’s close” to earning a rematch.
“A maximum of two fights separates him from the title shot, I think our rematch is inevitable [so] let’s give him [a chance of] revenge.”
The lightweight champion teases a big move for his next PPV
Whilst there is a certain expectation that Makhachev will remain a staple of any major UFC card that is hosted in the Middle East, with Abu Dhabi having become a home-away-from-home for many athletes of similar backgrounds, Makhachev also teased a big move for his next bout.
When asked whether he would like to headline an arena in Abu Dhabi in October, the champion said that he’s eyeing a potential American showcase at the world’s most famous arena – Madison Square Garden.
“I don’t know, I already fight in Abu Dhabi every year, maybe somewhere else. At the end of the year is Madison Square Garden, where there is an event in November. It would be interesting for me to fight there too – in such an arena, all fighters and boxers dream of fighting.”
Coincidentally, Charles Oliveira recently said that should he win at UFC 300 this weekend, his ideal timeline would be fighting Makhachev for the title at the end of the year, in October – December, with MSG typically being a November PPV card.
UFC 300 goes down this weekend from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.