"To hell with weight classes" - Chael Sonnen claims UFC 300 could feature "super fight" between two reigning UFC champions
Chael Sonnen believes the UFC 300 event on April 13, 2024, could feature a super fight between two reigning UFC champions.
Taking to his YouTube channel, MMA fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen expounded upon why he foresees the possible champion vs. champion super fight taking place at UFC 300. Sonnen alluded to White's appearance on the Full Send podcast a few weeks ago and highlighted that the UFC boss hinted that a UFC super-fight could be on the horizon.
Sonnen indicated that Dana White seldom uses the term 'super fight.' He harked back to the UFC's pre-2001 era when the Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) owned the UFC before White took over as president under the Fertitta brothers' UFC ownership. Sonnen stated:
"I can go way back to the SEG days where super fight did mean something. It meant to hell with weight classes, to hell with rankings. That's what it meant. I'm going to bring you the fight -- the fight you've all wanted, the fight you thought you couldn't get because of weight classes, because of different barriers, because of different protocols. Is that what Dana is talking about?"
Chael Sonnen acknowledged that Belal Muhammad merits the next title shot against UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, with Muhammad even serving as the backup fighter for Edwards' most recent matchup. Alternatively, he noted that many in the MMA community have speculated that Shavkat Rakhmonov could possibly leapfrog Muhammad into a title fight against Edwards.
Sonnen then pointed out that current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has been relentlessly lobbying for a title shot against Edwards at welterweight. Sonnen further alluded that UFC 300 is a special event, which would mean that White would book matchups that he wouldn't book under regular circumstances.
Sonnen implied that White and the UFC could book a Leon Edwards vs. Islam Makhachev welterweight title bout at UFC 300. He said:
"There is still one guy that's called out Leon. And we didn't give it a lot of attention because we didn't think it was possible ... Do you know who that guy is? Are you thinking? That guy is named Islam Makhachev. That's the other guy."
Watch Sonnen discuss the topic below (6:50):
Leon Edwards' plans could sabotage potential UFC 300 fight with Islam Makhachev
Leon Edwards has asserted that he'd like to move up in weight and capture the UFC middleweight title in 2024. 'Rocky' appears to have his sights set on the winner of the UFC 297 matchup between UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and challenger Dricus du Plessis.
Meanwhile, lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev has long been campaigning for a welterweight title shot against Edwards.
Considering the variables at play, a potential Leon Edwards vs. Islam Makhachev super fight seems unlikely to materialize at UFC 300 in April 2024. The UFC hasn't officially announced Edwards and Makhachev's next matchups. Regardless, fans can expect additional details concerning the UFC 300 fight card to unravel soon.