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Islam Makhachev's former teammate recently shared his opinion on Makhachev's future in the UFC, discussing his retirement plans. According to the individual, the Dagestani fighter may hang up his gloves after defending the welterweight title, which he has yet to win.
Makhachev made history by defending his lightweight throne four times earlier this year at UFC 311, surpassing his close friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, to solidify his legacy, the 33-year-old announced his move to welterweight to pursue a second belt after Jack Della Maddalena dethroned Belal Muhammad at UFC 315.
Makhachev also relinquished his 155-pound title as a result, with many expecting him to challenge Della Maddalena next.
In a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, Makhachev's former teammate at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), Josh Thomson, gave his take on Makhachev's retirement timeline, citing his potential opponents.
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''I think he'll [Makhachev] defend it one time and I also believe that if it's going to be probably like a Shavkat [Rakhmonov], I think it'll maybe be a Sean Brady...I think he wants to fight guys that want to fight, not guys that run around...at 34 years old though, he understands that the time is coming and I think that he's somebody that also doesn't want to take a bad loss and be like, 'All right, look, I'm done'.''
Check out Josh Thomson's comments below (57:33):
In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Della Maddalena voiced confidence in his prospects against Makhachev and gave his approval for the potential 170-pound title fight.
Charles Oliveira discusses Islam Makhachev's chances against Jack Della Maddalena
Jack Della Maddalena captured the welterweight throne from Islam Makhachev's close friend Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, prompting the Dagestani's move to the 170-pound division.
In a recent interview with Full Violence, Charles Oliveira indicated that while Della Maddalena is a difficult opponent for Makhachev, the Dagestani can win if he brings the fight to the ground, saying:
''Jack Della Maddalena has a very complicated game, because he's a guy who doesn't come to knock out fast, he comes to make you hurt. Little by little, right?...But I think Islam [Makhachev] is going to do very well in this weight, right?...I think Jack Della Maddalena is going to do the same fight he did now against Belal, hitting, moving, getting out, hurting, it's a fight. But if [JDM] lets Islam grab him and put him down, it's over."
Check out Charles Oliveira's comments below:
