"Islam has to let go" - Chael Sonnen claims Islam Makhachev’s lightweight run is done, calls for welterweight commitment

UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen recently spoke about Islam Makhachev's decision to relinquish his UFC lightweight title to move up to welterweight and challenge for the belt at 170 pounds. While the collective MMA world is excited to see the Dagestani champion move up, there has been some speculation on whether he'll go back down to lightweight or not.

Sonnen believes Islam Makhachev's time at 155-pounds is over. In a video released through his social media channels, he said:

"Islam Makhachev is continuing to speak to the idea that, if he won at 170 pounds, he wasn't then going to relinquish 155 pounds - he was going to defend. Islam's still clinging to that. 'That's my division, that's my belt'. Ilia [Topuria] has to do one thing well at 155 pounds and then I'll see him."

He continued:

"Islam's story has never changed. But his circumstance has. And I want him to embrace it. Because Jack [Della Maddalena] is a hard fight. Jack's a really hard fight. And if you get through Jack, it's only going to get harder. And if Islam does have this idea of, 'If I could go back to 155 pounds', he's going to put himself, inadvertently, in the same spot that [Alexander] Volkanovski was in. Islam has to let go. That's it."

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Ilia Topuria confident that he'll beat Islam Makhachev at welterweight

For months, former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria was chasing Islam Makhachev for a possible champion vs champion superfight. He even relinquished his belt at featherweight to move up to face the Dagestani champ.

However, Makhachev refused to fight 'El Matador' due to having already beaten a featherweight champion (Alexander Volkanovski) twice in the past. When his friend, Belal Muhammad, dropped the UFC welterweight strap to Jack Della Maddalena last month, Makhachev decided to leave lightweight and challenge for the 170-pound throne.

Because of this, Topuria will now face former lightweight king Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Despite fighting for the belt that Makhachev left behind, Topuria is still not giving up on the possibility of facing him the the future. He told Shakiel Mahjouri on YouTube:

"Why not? That is my question. I used to train with people who fight in the welterweight division and I felt very good. We had very competitive rounds. I feel that I can dominate and knock out anyone in this world. When it comes to fights, I feel that I am the best fighter in the world."

He added:

"If I go to the street and someone says something to my wife, I'm not going to ask him how much is his weight and how much is his height and reach. I will go all in. And, in this case, I am going to get paid, I am going to get another world title. Then why not take the risk?"

Listen to Topuria here (1:55):