Islam Makhachev's toughest welterweight match-up predicted by ex-UFC referee, and it’s not Belal Muhammad

A former UFC referee recently predicted the most formidable rival for Islam Makhachev at welterweight. Surprisingly, he left the reigning welterweight champ, Belal Muhammad, out of the equation.

Makhachev expressed his desire to become a two-weight division champion for the first time after defeating Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. The reigning lightweight champ's words about bagging a "second belt" during his octagon interview sparked speculations of his move to welterweight.

The welterweight division is currently ruled by Muhammad, who used his wrestling effectively to claim the divisional gold with a unanimous decision victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

A large chunk of the community might view Muhammad as Makhachev's most challenging rival at 170 pounds on account of his potential to handle Makhachev's incredible ground game. However, former UFC referee 'Big' John McCarthy picked a different contender as Makhachev's toughest potential rival at welterweight.

In the latest episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, McCarthy opined that the recently concluded UFC London main event victor, Sean Brady, could subject Makhachev to the hardest time:

"Islam Makhachev is so good. I still don’t think people actually give him the credits he deserves… But, if you ask me, ‘Who’s a hard matchup for him [at welterweight]?’ It would be Sean Brady."

McCarthy also mentioned the reasons behind his inference, saying:

"[Makhachev is] gonna have to work for a takedown. It’s not gonna come easy. Even the things like foot sweeps that he’s really good with, and things like that, are not gonna come easy against someone like Brady. If he gets Brady down, Brady’s not gonna fall into the arm triangles and things Islam loves to go to."

Check out John McCarthy's comments below (01:04:57):

---

Belal Muhammad isn't interested in a fight against Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev is on the hunt for his second title since UFC 302, but he hasn't shown much interest in fighting Belal Muhammad for the welterweight gold on account of the friendship between the two.

Muhammad has also reciprocated Makhachev's courteous nature toward him multiple times. In one of his interviews with Barstool Chicago, Muhammad said that he would never fight Makhachev since he had shed "blood and sweat" with him in training:

"I would never fight Islam [Makhachev] because that's different for me and him. We've trained together. When you're sweating with somebody and you're bleeding with somebody and you train with somebody like that, it's just a different relationship. It wouldn't be about money for me or for him I don't assume. So, I would never want to do that."

Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below: