Islam Makhachev's Welterweight Move: a sign of courage or cowardice?
After five straight title fights, the UFC Lightweight Champion wins ready to write more history in the weight class above.
That's right, in the aftermath of UFC 315, Islam Makhachev decided that he would move to the Welterweight Division where he is looking to enter new crowned champion Jack della Maddalena for a second belt.
Although Makhachev should leave his title, just as his rival Ilia Topuria did in featherweight in the pursuit of the lightweight champion.
While some praise Makhachev to take a risk of 170 pounds, others criticize him because he was not fighting Topuria in what would probably have been the biggest fight in the UFC history since Conor McGregor versus Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Chael Sonnen calls the UFC relocation from Islam Makhachev 'a sign of cowardice'
Makhachev has now considered a switch to Welterweight and said earlier that he would not go up if his friend Belal Muhammad was still the champion.
That was a story for triple UFC title Challenger and analyst Chael Sonnen, who had to say this about Makhachev's move to Welterweight:
“Islam went up, not out of courage,” Sonen started on a good guy / bad guy.
“Islam did not go out to add hardware to put on his cloak. He went up with one condition, namely I don't have to fight against Belal Muhammad. He can sit and say:” I could beat. I wouldn't go up and because I could beat… “
“The bottom line is that you openly introduced a division that you said that none of the best guys meet. That is not a sign of courage. That is a sign of cowardice. I don't like the idea.”
Chael Sonnen suggests that Islam Makhachev was running from Ilia Topuria
In the meantime, Ilia had waited Topuria in the wings and campaign with a lightweight title fight.
Topuria will meet Charles Oliveira for the empty title on UFC 317 on 28 June. Shortly after the fight was announced, Topuria and Makhacheve exchanged words on social media, in which Spaniard Makhachev called a “coward” because he didn't see him.
“You have an undefeated number one ranked world champion that chases you,” Sonen said about Makhachev.
'[Topuria] is willing to leave his division. He is willing to walk away from his belt to chase you.
“You are so interested in getting away from this man that you not only leave your belt, you leave your division, and the whole thing is only contingent that you don't have to fight.
“This is not the way champions behave,” said Sonnen.