Islam Makhachev: Ex-UFC veteran brings up the Jon Jones example while revealing challenges Islam Makhachev could face against welterweight bogeyman

Former UFC fighter Josh Thomson believes Islam Makhachev could face similar struggles as Jon Jones has, should he move up to the welterweight division.

Makhachev is currently expected to defend the lightweight title towards the end of 2024. While no opponent has yet been confirmed, the odds currently suggest it is between Ilia Topuria, Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje or Arman Tsarukyan. Each man believes they have their own claim for a title shot and Makhachev has regularly stated he's willing to defend his belt against anybody.

Following Makhachev's potential upcoming bout, however, it appears as though his future may not be at 155 pounds for much longer. On more than one occasion, Makhachev has expressed an interest in stepping up to welterweight to become a double champion.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Recently, Josh Thomson, alongside former octagon referee Jon McCarthy, offered their takes on what Islam Makhachev's future could be at 170 pounds.

Speaking on episode #559 of their WEIGHING IN podcast, Thomson outlined the dangers Makhachev could face against the likes of Sean Brady and Shavkat Rakhmonov.

According to 'The Punk', Makhachev could face the same challenges as somebody like Jon Jones, who has typically not had the same dominance against somebody closer to him in size. He explained:

"I think Shavkat is probably his [Makhachev] second hardest fight. The reason being Shavkat is so tall and long. Islam is normally the taller and longer fighter when he fights guys...I've said this about Jon Jones...When he's had to fight someone that's their same length and height, it starts to give them problems...I think that would give him [Makhachev] problems against Shavkat."

Check out Josh Thomson's comments below (1:07:20):

Tom Aspinall explains why his Jon Jones pursuit is different from Conor McGregor-Michael Chandler saga

Tom Aspinall believes his pursuit of facing Jon Jones is different from Michael Chandler's of Conor McGregor, as he is chasing the undisputed heavyweight title and not a payday.

While Aspinall's eventual bout against 'Bones' would likely see him rake in the biggest earnings of his career so far, the British star had doubled down on the fact it's not about money.

Speaking in a recent episode of the IMPAULSIVE podcast, Aspinall said:

"It’s not about chasing one fight. It’s about the UFC heavyweight title. I’ve got a version of the title, but I want to be the undisputed champion. That’s all it is. People keep comparing this to the Conor and Chandler situation, but this is different. It’s not about chasing Jon... It’s about the UFC heavyweight title. I want to be the undisputed champion. That’s it!"

Check out Tom Aspinall's comments below (1:35):

About the author

Will began his tenure at Sportskeeda as an MMA writer over 2 years ago and has penned over 1800 pieces so far, including 35+ exclusives, which have garnered close to 5 million views.

Will graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communications from Bournemouth University, where he was also a valued member of their communications team. His degree heavily focused on social media and writing, which eventually led him toward sports writing.

He turned into an MMA fan after witnessing Conor McGregor’s 13-second TKO win over Jose Aldo at UFC 194 in 2015. The Irishman sits at the top of his list of top-five MMA fighters of all time, which also includes world champions like Demetrious Johnson, Michael Bisping, Max Holloway, and Georges St-Pierre.

Will especially enjoys working on event days and feels his contribution to Sportskeeda’s UFC 300 coverage was one of the high points of his time with the organization. He ensures his articles are accurate by going through multiple sources, which also helps his writing be as informative as possible.

His interests away from work include football, gaming, live streaming, and listening to music.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Tejas Rathi