Chael Sonnen accusing Islam Makhachev of "cowardice" divides MMA X: "Spitting facts," "Chael is a clown"

Chael Sonnen took a dig at Islam Makhachev following his move to welterweight, sparking reactions from MMA fans across the world. While some agreed with Sonnen's remarks, others chastised the Hall of Famer, supporting Makhachev's aim of becoming a two-division champion.

Makhachev has long aspired to become a double champion, but he was unable to do so since his close friend Belal Muhammad held the welterweight throne. However, Muhammad lost his title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, opening the door for the Dagestani.

Many in the MMA world, including Sonnen, expected Makhachev to face Ilia Topuria in a superfight after the Spaniard left his division to pursue the 155-pound belt. Instead, the 33-year-old chose to vacate his title and move up to welterweight, infuriating the UFC analyst. In a recent episode of the Good Guy / Bad Guy podcast, Sonnen criticized Makhachev, saying:

''Islam went up, not out of courage, Islam did not go up out of adding hardware to put on his mantle. He went up with one condition, which is I don’t have to fight Belal Muhammad... That’s not a sign of courage. That’s a sign of cowardice... You have an undefeated number one ranked world champion [Topuria] who’s chasing you down... You are so interested in getting away from this guy that you not only leave your belt, you leave your division.''

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Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:

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Fans soon rushed to the comments section to share their reactions.

One fan wrote:

''Chael is a clown''

Another stated:

''Spitting facts. UFC not the same anymore''

Other fans wrote:

''Has Topuria beaten everyone in his division before running away''

''Gotta love how now its "#1 ranked world champion who’s chasing you down…" but if Islam beats him 30 seconds later the entire community will say all Islam beat is FWs, JDM is much better for his legacy''

Check out more reactions below:

Fan reactions [Screenshots courtesy: @ChampRDS on X]

Ilia Topuria discusses potential welterweight showdown with Islam Makhachev

While Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev's potential fight at UFC 317 didn't materialize, MMA fans can expect a future matchup between the two, as indicated by Topuria's recent remarks.

Topuria opened up about a potential welterweight move to face Makhachev at WOW 19: Alicante press conference, saying:

''It’s not the plan I’m going to fight for the title, and then I’m going to move up to welterweight. But it depends on how circumstances develop. Depends on what the UFC wants me to do... But, out of there, everything that suits me, so do they, and I’m open to doing so.”

Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below:

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About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena