The most important career decision of Islam Makhachev had led to enormous developments in two weight classes.
After Jack della Maddalena Belal Muhammad defeated UFC 315 to win the Welterweight title, Makhachev moved a division and left its lightweight belt.
The empty belt on 155 pounds will now be on the line in the main event of UFC 317 this Saturday where Ilia Topuria is opposite Charles Oliveira.
For Makhachev, his full attention can now be compete for the first time at 170 pounds, because he seems to be a double UFC champion.
While Topuria has shared advice to Della Maddalena about how he can beat his next challenger, the pound-for-pound number one seems to be confronted with some challenges before he even steps into the octagon in the Octagon as a good weight.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Islam Makhachev admits that he is struggling to give extra weight before moving good weight
Islam Makhachev has long talked about moving to good weight.
Not only does the Russian want to prove its dominance by achieving success in a second weight class, getting away from lightweight also means that his training camps are not so heavily focused on making weight.
There is much talk about how effective Makhachev will be in a higher weight class without the stress of a difficult cut, where his team believes that it will get the best out of him.
Although this can still be the case, the 33-year-old recently revealed that his move was not without any problems.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Makhachev admitted that although he tries to set up some extra weight in the smart way, his body did not properly adapt to this at this stage.
“I will try to be big. You know, it's not easy man. My whole life I cut the weight, but now, if I want to be big, my weight stays in the same position. I try to lift more. We do a program and slowly, we slowly bring what, maybe 2 kg what, maybe 2 kg [roughly 4.4 pounds] At the moment it is very difficult, but I don't want to be big by eating, eating and not training. I want to be with muscles, you know, I want to do training, a good lifting program and bring some muscles. “
Islam Makhachev did not expect his welterweight movement to take place for UFC 315
It was made completely clear for UFC 315 that as an Belal Muhammad, who trained with Islam Makhachev in the past, could hold the title of Welterweight, the lightweight champion would remain.
Makhachev told MMA Junkie that he was convinced that Mohammed Jack della Maddalena would beat, but he was very impressed by the performance of the Australians in the night.
At the same time, the pound-for-pound number one, as many, was surprised by the approach of Muhammad for the fight with the title defender who did not try to implement his struggles earlier in the fight.
'I was surprised [by] How he fought, “Makhachev told MMA Junkie.” I was surprised by his game plan. I think he made a mistake. He had the option, but he didn't use it. He might be struggling in the final round. You have to struggle from the first round if you intend to struggle. “