![Chael Sonnen weighs in on lightweight title picture [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/e51e1-17449863939870-1920.jpg)
![Chael Sonnen weighs in on lightweight title picture [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chael Sonnen recently shared his thoughts on the current shake-up in the UFC lightweight division that has caught Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje and Islam Makhachev in a chaotic situation. There has been plenty of uncertainty as there has yet to be an announcement on who will be challenging Makhachev next.
Notably, Topuria and Gaethje have both made a strong case for why they should receive a title shot. The former featherweight champion relinquished his title with an unbeaten record in order to move up to 155 pounds. Meanwhile, Gaethje performed well in his latest bout against Rafael Fiziev.
Sonnen uploaded a video to his Instagram account and claimed Makhachev is eyeing a move to welterweight. He mentioned that the other contenders are basically in limbo until the Dagestani makes his decision:
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"Islam is talking about, 'Hey, before I do anything, I gotta see what happens with the title fight at welterweight'... Ilia Topuria left the [featherweight]... undefeated. It's hard to imagine that you could put an undefeated world champion in any division and at a minimum he does not get to be a number-one contender. [Gaethje] thinks there's gonna be an announcement that he's going to be fighting for the world championship... Islam would agree to that."
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Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:
Ilia Topuria tells Joe Rogan he was promised lightweight title fight
Ilia Topuria recently told Joe Rogan that he was promised a lightweight title fight after vacating his featherweight championship.
During his latest appearance on the JRE MMA Show, Topuria mentioned that he should receive the same opportunity other champions before him had received and finds himself deserving of a lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev:
"Of course [UFC promised]. They give that chance to everyone, why not to me? They gave it to Henry Cejudo, they gave it to Conor McGregor, they gave it to Georges St-Pierre, they gave it to Jon [Jones]... everyone. And I proved that I deserve that shot. As you said, I knocked out two of the all-time greats."
Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (1:00:20):
