Islam Makhachev is not the only one who believes that he is having a greater challenge by leaving the lightweight division before the arrival of Ilia Topuria.
At the beginning of May, UFC CEO Dana White Makhachev's title holiday announced, where the Dagestani went up to Chase Two-Division Glory.
The decision of the champion to increase a second title in Welterweight means that Ilia Topuria will fight against Charles Oliveira on 28 June for the empty crown of 155 pounds on UFC 317.
With 'El Matador' who announced his decision to change weight classes earlier this year, Topuria Makhachev has branded a 'coward', claiming that the Russian star will avoid their matchup.
However, a former hunter does not think that this may be logical, given who the lightweight Kingpin will probably be confronted in his first fight on 170 pounds.
Matt Brown says that Islam Makhachev is running for a challenge by focusing Jack della Maddalena on Ilia Topuria
During an episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer on MMA Fighting gave Welterweight veteran Matt Brown his two cents on the current debate.
'The Immortal' placed itself in the corner of Makhachev and rejects the idea that the 33-year-old 'Topuria' dived '.
The decisive factor for Brown was the fact that Makhachev set his sights on newly crowned UFC -Wyter weight champion Jack della Maddalena, who described the American as a larger version of Topuria.
'I am very surprised that people say that [Makhachev ducked Topuria]”Said Brown.” That is very crazy to say. Islam that someone dives, that sentence is just not logical, those words. I just don't see that at all.
“In fact, Jack della Maddalena is a kind of larger version of Ilia in some respects. Great boxers with good power. That is a kind of their strength, great boxers with good power.
“It seems a bit counter -intuitive to go up a weight class to fight a great boxer with strength to dive a smaller man who is a great boxer with strength?”
Jack della Maddalena supported to beat Islam Makhachev by UFC Legend
The references of Della Maddalena have not prevented him from opening as a considerable underdog for his expected first defense against Makhakev later this year.
Many Tips Makhachev to achieve an achievement that his friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov have not tried to add the good weight gold to his collection.
But a man who is familiar with the game of Della Maddalena, colleague -Australian hunter Robert Whittaker, supports his countryman to shock the MMA world again.
“That is always the question that everyone asks when someone goes up or down a division; there are so many strangers involved,” Whittaker said on Submission Radio. “But say that, I think Islam can do everything that does not, but much better.
“I thought Jack was useful to fight, but it was a fight. I don't think it will be an easy fight for Jack, but I believe in Jack; he has that X-factor, he is hungry there.
'Just like at Belal [Muhammad]Just like with Gilbert Burns, I think he can do the impossible. '
When Della Maddalena and Makhachev collide, the first revenge will seek for the other ruling Australian champion of the promotion, two -time featherweight Kingpin Alexander Volkanovski.
In 2024, the Dagestani became twice as better from 'Alexander the Great', first through a narrow decision and then with a brutal knockout in their short-note rematch.
Volkanovski will undoubtedly help the preparation of his farmer, with valuable minutes in the cage with Makhachev.