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Islam Makhachev successfully turned away Alexander Volkanovski's attempts to dethrone him at UFC 284. The pair had a thrilling affair that showcased the full breadth of their skills. Alexander Volkanovski exhibited the strength and defensive grappling necessary to counter his foe's combination of size, wrestling, and sambo.
Meanwhile, the Dagestani phenom proved to be a much better striker than he's given credit for by outstriking his opponent for certain stretches of the fight. Unfortunately, something else was apparent in Islam Makhachev's performance. His visible reactions to his opponent's punches were very telling.
Prior to the bout, Volkanovski implied that Makhachev was struggling with his weight cut. Furthermore, the Russian's sunken and gaunt appearance during the official weigh-ins gave further credence to Volkanovski's claims. With all of this taken into consideration, perhaps it's time for Makhachev to fight at 170 lbs.
#5. Islam Makhachev is big enough to fight at welterweight
Islam Makhachev is two inches away from being six feet tall. He is a massive lightweight who cuts a significant amount of weight to weigh in at 155 lbs for his bouts. He is often described as a welterweight who chooses to fight at lightweight, and his walk-around weight is rumored to be between 190 lbs and 200 lbs.
This means he weighs more than former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington, whose weight outside fight camps is between 180 lbs and 185 lbs. The reigning lightweight champion is large enough to not only compete at welterweight but even thrive in the division.
His head coach, Javier Mendez, has even claimed that Islam Makhachev's future lies at 170 lbs after he clears out the lightweight division. It is a claim that the Dagestani phenom has confirmed.
#4. His grappling skills match up well with elite welterweights
While UFC 284 revealed the true depth of Islam Makhachev's striking, he remains a grappler at heart. The reigning lightweight champion possesses a combination of wrestling, judo, and sambo that renders him a hyper-dangerous grappling threat on the mat. This could make him a difficult stylistic matchup at welterweight.
The 170 lbs weight class features several wrestlers like Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, Belal Muhammad, and Khamzat Chimaev. Judo is the ideal counter for wrestling. Traditional wrestling takedowns involve diving toward the opponent's hips with significant momentum.
Thus, an overhook combined with a strong hip toss means that an educated judoka like Islam Makhachev can throw most wrestlers on their heads. Meanwhile, his own wrestling skills could pose problems for strikers like Jorge Masvidal, Stephen Thompson, and Leon Edwards.
#3. Islam Makhachev has a potential grudge match with Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev is the UFC's latest undefeated sensation. During his initial promotional run, 'Borz' was described as 'Khabig' due to his superficial stylistic similarities to Khabib Nurmagomedov. The two men are undefeated and are regarded as unstoppable wrestlers with great physical strength.
Unfortunately, Chimaev's history with Nurmagomedov is contentious. The two have had past troubles, with the most recent controversy surrounding Chimaev engaging Makhachev and Khabib's teammates in a cageside brawl at UFC 280 after AKA's newest star dethroned Charles Oliveira.
Past issues between their two camps could easily be highlighted by the UFC in an effort to promote a potential bout. The backstory will draw fans in and lead to a lucrative matchup for a fanbase that loves heated rivalries.
#2. Islam Makhachev will not be compromised by extreme weight cuts
If rumors are to be believed, Islam Makhachev weighs around 190 lbs when he's not training for an upcoming fight. That means he cuts an extreme amount of weight to hit the 155 lbs weight limit for his lightweight bouts. The drawbacks of doing so are well-known.
If too much water is lost during a weight cut, the fighter in question will have an improperly rehydrated body during fight night. This was evident at UFC 284. Islam Makhachev was visibly hurt far too frequently, considering his relatively good chin and that he is rarely struck flush for it to have been the result of damage buildup.
He's cutting so much weight that his brain isn't hydrated enough for him to absorb blows to the head. Furthermore, it certainly impacts his cardio. These will not be issues at welterweight, where he'll be closer to his natural weight. The weight cut won't be as extreme, and he'll be in better physical condition.
#1. A welterweight move will separate Islam Makhachev's legacy from Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov has fought at welterweight in the past. Unfortunately, this didn't take place in the UFC. Instead, 'The Eagle' last competed at 170 lbs in 2011 on the Russian MMA regional scene. Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev has never fought at welterweight but is in a prime position to do so.
The reigning lightweight champion is often linked to Nurmagomedov and has been described as his protege. Like 'The Eagle' before him, Makhachev is the lightweight champion. But if he remains at 155 lbs, he'll never escape the label of being Nurmagomedov's heir apparent.
But if he challenges either Leon Edwards or Kamaru Usman for the welterweight strap after UFC 286, he'll do something that 'The Eagle' never dared to do. If he emerges victorious, he'll have accomplished something entirely separate from anything his more famous training partner has.
