Khamzat Chimaev has given a candid take on the prospect of Islam Makhachev making a leap to higher weight classes down the line.
Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Renato Moicano in the headline bout of Saturday’s UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Originally, the Dagestani champion was set to make his fourth title defense against Arman Tsarukyan, but just a day before the fight, “Ahalkalakets” was forced to withdraw due to a back injury.
The reigning UFC 155-pound champion has long voiced his desire to become a two-division champion by moving up a weight class, vowing not to retire until he achieves this goal. However, standing in the way of Makhachev’s quest for a second UFC title is welterweight champ Belal Muhammad.
Despite this, Makhachev has made it clear that he would steer clear of a clash with “Remember the Name” due to their shared respect. Makhachev’s manager has even hinted that, if necessary, his client could bypass welterweight altogether and leap straight to middleweight in the future to claim ‘champ-champ’ status.
During a recent interview with Aslanbek Badaev, “Borz” weighed in on the possibility of Makhachev making the leap to the 185-pound division. Chimaev offered a measured response, stating that if anyone was truly capable of climbing weight classes and dominating, it would be UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“Well if Islam wants to, and Abdelaziz wants, let him go and try, Chimaev said. “I don’t know. i can’t give an asnwer about Islam now as I haven’t trained with him. Maybe it’s possible, maybe not. I anyone could move [and complete] at 170 or 185 [pounds], it would be Khabib. As for Islam, if have many doubts becuase of his last fight at 155. It was tough for him. Although I had a tough fightwith Gilbert Buns [at 170], then I moved up to 185 and it was easier [to fight] there. Maybe Islam will have the same situation. He might move up and it will become much esasier. Well only the Octagon can show.”
Khamzat Chimaev is asked if Islam Makhachev is capable of competing at 185:
“If anyone could move up [and compete] at 170 or 185 it would be Khabib. As for Islam, I have my doubts because of his last fight. It was tough for him.”
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Makhachev is on an impressive 14-fight win streak, with his latest victory coming at UFC 303 in June 2024. There, he secured a gritty fifth-round submission over Dustin Poirier to successfully retain his title.
