Islam Makhachev’s team refuses to let go of title status despite UFC belt decision

The UFC lightweight division is currently in flux as its reigning king, Islam Makhachev, has vacated the throne to move up to welterweight and challenge Jack Della Maddalena. In light of this, the lightweight ranks will have a new champion at UFC 317 in June, as former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will face former lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira for divisional gold.

The question now is, with Makhachev letting go of the 155-pound strap, does this mean we'll never see him fight in the division again? Or will he move back down once he wins the welterweight title to become a simultaneous double-champ?

To Makhachev's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, the answer is quite vague, to say the least. To him and his team, despite officially relinquishing the 155-pound throne, Makhachev is still the lightweight king. Abdelaziz said in an interview with MMA Junkie:

"He [Makhachev] will have the two belt on top of his shoulder because he's still the lightweight champion. Listen, you have two guys fighting like, when Khabib [Nurmagomedov] retired as a lightweight champion, you understand, as pound-for-pound number one king. Islam is the pound-for-pound number one king. He never lost his title, you understand? You know, and you never know."

Abdelaziz then reiterated that Makhachev refused to move up to welterweight so long as his friend Belal Muhammad was still the division's champion. Since Muhammad lost the belt to Della Maddalena at UFC 315 last weekend, the Dagestani champion now has the green light. Abdelaziz then added:

"I believe Islam will be the welterweight champion and he'll be a double champion."

Check out his comments below (3:06):

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Ali Abdelaziz explains why Islam Makhachev chose not to defend his belt against Ilia Topuria before moving up

MMA Junki's Mike Bohn then asked Ali Abdelaziz why Islam Makhachev held out on defending his lightweight belt before moving up. Because if he successfully defends the lightweight strap from Topuria, there's reason to believe that the UFC may have allowed him to keep the belt as he moves up to welterweight.

When asked about this, Abdelaziz 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 [former UFC featherweight champion] Alexander Volkanovski two times. He beat a 45-pounder. You understand he have nothing to gain [from] beating Ilia." [4:36]