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Who Islam Makhachev will next fight has become one of the most pressing questions in MMA recently. A recent tweet from Home of Fight claimed that the UFC lightweight champion is awaiting the result of Belal Muhammad's welterweight title defense against Jack Della Maddalena.
The aforementioned pair square off a month from now on May 10 at UFC 315. Makhachev has not been shy about expressing his desire to capture a second championship belt, with the welterweight strap being the most realistic title for him to claim.
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There were initial hopes of Makhachev fighting on June 28 during International Fight Week. Unfortunately, those hopes appear to have been dashed, with the Dagestani wrestler all but silent regarding his next opponent. However, his goal has never been in doubt.
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Makhachev wants to join the rare class of UFC two-division champions. However, with the welterweight belt currently held by Muhammad, his friend and training partner, he has held off on committing to a welterweight move. If Della Maddalena were to emerge victorious come UFC 315, though, his path to history opens up.
Muhammad, meanwhile, has expressed his willingness to move up to middleweight in pursuit of his own second belt, but with the primary goal of providing Makhachev with a chance to fight for the welterweight title he'd be vacating in this regard.
The UFC, though, has not made any official announcements regarding Makhachev's future. Though in the Dagestani grappler's absence, a logjam has formed in the lightweight division, with four fighters all vying for a title shot.
Islam Makhachev is also linked to a fight with Ilia Topuria
Besides Belal Muhammad, another UFC champion has been linked to Islam Makhachev's next fight. The Dagestani star is the current target of soon-to-be former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, who has made a permanent move to the lightweight division.
Unfortunately for Topuria, Makhachev seems less than interested in fighting him. Ex-UFC double champion Henry Cejudo recently claimed that Khabib Nurmagomedov could dictate who his pupil defends his lightweight title against, and that he believes Topuria still needs to prove his worthiness as a contender.
