"I would put Islam Makhachev on ice" - Demetrious Johnson charts a future for the UFC lightweight champ that is against Dana White's wishes
Demetrious Johnson recently laid out a potential trajectory for Islam Makhachev that diverges from Dana White's intention. The reigning UFC lightweight champion last competed at UFC 311 in January, where he secured his fourth consecutive title defense in a short-notice bout against Renato Moicano.
After extending his winning streak to 15 fights, speculation is running rampant within the MMA community about who Makhachev’s next opponent will be. Initially, Ilia Topuria appeared to be the frontrunner after vacating his UFC featherweight title to move up to the 155-pound division. However, there is currently no clear confirmation on whether that matchup will materialize.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Johnson weighed in on the 155-pound title landscape, suggesting various possibilities for Makhachev’s next move. He noted that the Dagestani champion could either defend his title or pursue a second belt, depending on the outcome of the welterweight title clash between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315:
"I would put Islam Makhachev on ice and see what happens in this 170-pound division with Jack Della Maddalena vs. Belal Muhammad. If Jack is able to get past Belal Muhammad, I think you give Islam Makhachev the opportunity to go up to be double champ. I know Dana White said he doesn’t want to have to do this again, but when you look at the 155-pound division, Islam has pretty much cleared that out and he’s waiting for a new contender."
Check out Demetrious Johnson's comments below (10:23):
Makhachev has previously voiced a strong desire to move up to the 170-pound division in pursuit of becoming a two-division champion. However, the UFC CEO has taken an unclear position on fighters seeking to hold multiple titles simultaneously.
Michael Bisping backs Justin Gaethje as potential challenger for Islam Makhachev
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Michael Bisping addressed the uncertainty surrounding Islam Makhachev’s next opponent.
The UFC Hall of Famer endorsed Justin Gaethje as the most deserving contender for the next lightweight title shot over other top names like Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, both of whom have already staked their claim for a chance at the belt:
"Now, Justin Gaethje hasn’t fought Islam Makhachev, so that would be a fresh title [contender]... I think we would all sign off on Justin Gaethje vs. Islam Makhachev... So there’s Topuria being dismissive, there’s Oliveira talking sh*t... You’ve got Justin Gaethje, a fan favorite, a company man that’s always putting on great fights."
Check out Michael Bisping's comments below (3:50):