Former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is setting up possible blockbuster battles as he moves forward into the welterweight class. Makhachev already has his eye on a battle past that and has stated clearly who he next wants should he defeat Jack Della Maddalena to take the 170-pound belt at UFC 322.
Usman is Makhachev’s first title defence opponent in the welterweight category. His justification? The most well-known name accessible, Kamaru Usman, a former champion, would immediately improve his new division’s visibility.
To question, “Why Usman?”, he says that Usman is the greatest name in welterweight, and he defeated Joaquin Buckley, who is also among the challengers. Given both fighters’ past ranking among the pound-for-pound elite, Usman has answered the call-out and said the fight would be historic.
From a strategic perspective, though, Makhachev is still concentrating on the near-term aim: Makhachev and Maddalena at UFC 322. Only then will he make the case for Usman.
Makhachev also said a battle with Topuria is on his agenda, though only once his contract at 170 lbs is taken care of. The two have a complex past; Topuria was supposed to fight Makhachev at lightweight, but the Russian star gave up the belt and went up instead.
“Ilia is the lightweight champion right now; he keeps talking about the battle against me,” Islam Makhachev remarked on media day. With rumors of a showdown at the White House ceremony in 2026 fueling the conjecture, the possibility of the battle has spread to even bigger levels.
Makhachev is clearly defining his course as other welterweight hopefuls like Sean Brady, Ian Machado Garry, and Belal Muhammad are also jockeying for title chances. For him, the order is evident: lock the belt and then negotiate the battle that increases his legacy and commercial attraction. Though the goal is clear, it remains to be seen if the promotional machine, rankings, and timing will fit.