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Islam Makhachev has vacated his UFC lightweight title to move up and compete in the welterweight division. This decision has drawn reactions from Chael Sonnen, who also caught the attention of Josh Thompson.
Like Makhachev, Ilia Topuria has also relinquished his UFC featherweight title to compete in the lightweight division. In a recent video posted on his Instagram account, Sonnen asserted that Makhachev's decision to move to the welterweight division was a strategic choice to avoid a potential matchup with Topuria.
"Islam did everything you could do to avoid that fight... That's just what happened... Islam did everything you could conceivably do to not fight Ilia, including leave the division, including leave the championship."
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During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, Thompson responded to Sonnen's remarks regarding Makhachev supposedly 'ducking' Topuria. In his reply, the former UFC fighter noted that 'The American Gangster' has a particular aversion to Russian, especially Dagestani, athletes, and said:
"He is a Russian/Dagestan wrestling hater... He will give you the business when it comes to talking about the Sambo and Dagestan, and Russian athletes. This is Uncle Chael at his finest. He is American through and through. So if it has anything to do with Russian wrestling or Dagestan wrestling or Sambo, he is going to take the other side."
Check out Josh Thompson's comments below (53:44):
Ali Abdelaziz gets honest about Islam Makhachev not fighting Ilia Topuria
Since becoming the UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev has successfully defended his title four times. Two of these defenses were against former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
In light of these two fights, Makhachev's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, explained the reasons for avoiding a match against Ilia Topuria in a recent interview with MMA Junkie. He said:
"Listen, if he [Makhachev] have to fight Ilia [Topuria], no problem. He would have fought Ilia, but when Islam go out there and finish Ilia, he was almost fourth [at featherweight], right?...If Islam go there [and] beat him, right, that people going to say he beat a 45-pounder, right. He beat Alexander Volkanovski two times. He beat a 45-pounder... You understand he have nothing to gain [from] beating Ilia."
Check out Ali Abdelaziz's comments about Islam Makhachev below (4:36):
