Islam Makhachev will be moving up to challenge the new welterweight champion by the end of the year.
At UFC 315, Jack Della Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad to win the 170-pound title which opened the door for the lightweight champion.
The Russian has vacated his belt with Ilia Topuria now facing Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317 on International Fight Week to crown a new champ at 155 pounds.
Makhachev has already turned his attention to Della Maddalena but the Aussie’s team is hoping that the challenger will do the majority of the travelling for their eventual clash.
The UFC has already been to Australia once this year for a PPV card but Perth’s own Della Maddalena wants to try and change that.
Ali Abdelaziz says that there’s no way Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev happens in Australia
Islam Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz is confident that his fight with Jack Della Maddalena will not take place in the champion’s backyard.
Makhachev has fought in Perth once before when he defended the lightweight title against Alexander Volkanovski in a great fight.
With Della Maddalena wanting to avenge Volkanovski’s loss, this location does add an extra narrative to this fight but Abdelaziz doesn’t see events playing out this way.
In fact, he doesn’t necessarily believe it will take place in Abu Dhabi which the promotion usually visits in October for a PPV card.
He instead believes that a clash of this magnitude could take place in either of the two biggest destinations for fights in the United States.
“I already know, listen, it’s not. It might not even be in Abu Dhabi. This is a big enough fight [that] it’s going to be in New York, Madison Square Garden, or it’s going to be in Las Vegas. If they said it’s going to be in Abu Dhabi but it’s not going to be in Perth or Australia or none of these places.
“In reality, Islam fighting for the welterweight title this year. JDM getting injured, getting sick, whatever happens to him, it’s going to be somebody else fighting Islam for the welterweight title… If JDM is not ready, Islam will be fighting someone else for the welterweight title.
“That’s what the UFC told me and I have no other reason not to believe that.”
Ali Abdelaziz says Islam Makhachev is as strong as Magomed Ankalaev
Ali Abdelaziz is confident that fight fans will see the best of Islam Makhachev up at welterweight now that he won’t have to cut as much weight.
Some of the former lightweight champion’s previous opponents have spoken about the remarkable physical strength that he brings into the Octagon.
Abdelaziz seconded this by making a stunning comparison between Makhachev and the UFC’s current light heavyweight champion.
“I’ve been training with Islam for 10 years and I train with almost every welterweight,” Abdelaziz told Submission Radio. “I manage almost all the welterweights in the top 10, four or five of them. I know what Islam brings to the table and I know what everybody brings to the table.
“Islam is as strong as Magomed Ankalaev. He’s a beast man, he’s a freak of nature. He’s talented and he’s so technical, he’s a problem man.”