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Michael Bisping has asserted that Islam Makhachev is the "perfect guy" to fight the winner of the Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier lightweight title contest. Bisping also explained why he feels Makhachev deserves to face the winner.
During BT Sport's UFC 267 review show, UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping spoke to Adam Catterall and Nick Peet regarding the incredible UFC 267 fight card and more. Bisping, Catterall and Peet shed light upon Beneil Dariush possibly being in the UFC lightweight title picture.
They also noted that the winner of the UFC 268 fight between Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler could fight for the title next. 'The Count' suggested that it's likelier that the UFC would accord Islam Makhachev the next title shot rather than Dariush or the others. He stated:
“If you heard Makhachev last night on the mic, he wants the title shot. If I’m him, I’m not accepting Beneil Dariush. I’ll say, ‘Yeah, he’s a great fighter. No disrespect to him. But no, I want the champ, or I want definitely…’” Bisping jestingly yelled, “’No, I want the champ!’ Simple as that. I was gonna go back on myself.”
Explaining why Makhachev deserved the title shot, Bisping continued:
“... he’s in a position to do that because he’s a massive star now. He’s got all the support of Khabib, and all the fan base that Khabib had, they’re all behind him. So, that’s a lot of people. So, there’s a lot of interest in him. As you (Peet) said, he’s finishing guys now. He’s doing it in style. He’s making it look easy. And the title is being contended for at the end of the year. That’s not long. Whoever wins that – probably Poirier, let’s be honest – needs to defend it. That’s the perfect guy. I don’t fight anyone else if I’m Makhachev.”
You can watch Michael Bisping’s analysis of Islam Makhachev and the UFC lightweight title landscape in the video below:
Islam Makhachev’s UFC 267 win was a watershed moment in his MMA career
Islam Makhachev entered the UFC 267 event on October 30 riding an impressive eight-fight win streak. Nevertheless, the biggest criticism against him was that he still purportedly lacked the marquee win that’d catapult him into title contention.
The Dagestani shut down this criticism with a dominant first-round submission win over top-tier UFC lightweight Dan Hooker. This extended Islam Makhachev’s win streak to nine. More importantly, a win over a proven elite lightweight like Hooker was a pivotal moment in Makhachev’s MMA career and solidified him as a legitimate title contender in the division.
Presently, reigning UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira is set to defend his title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 on December 11. The consensus is that Islam Makhachev could face the victor of this fight for the title in early 2022.
