There’s a new UFC ruler at 170 pounds who has proven to be almost impossible to beat.
Islam Makhachev ascended to the top of a second division on MMA’s biggest stage in the main event of UFC 322 on November 15.
After vacating the lightweight throne to pursue history up at welterweight, Makhachev dominantly beat Jack Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden to become the eleventh two-division UFC champion.
Following a result that pushed him back to the top spot in the official pound-for-pound rankings, many have suggested the Dagestani will likely extend his record-tying 16-fight winning streak in 2026.
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Who is the pound-for-pound best fighter in MMA?
Chael Sonnen tells Islam Makhachev’s rivals what they must do to beat him
Among those looking to stop that being the case next year is Ian Machado Garry, a recent winner at the UFC’s debut event in Qatar.
Garry beat Belal Muhammad to stake his claim for a first title shot, and UFC legend Chael Sonnen saw something from the Irishman that he believes will be essential for any welterweight hoping to defeat Makhachev.
During an episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast alongside Daniel Cormier, ‘The American Gangster’ stressed the importance of staying off the cage given the usual strategy employed by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fighters.
“I will share this with you,” Sonnen began. “If you keep your back off the fence, it ups your chances of not being taken down by anyone on Team Khabib.
“Step one is corner the guy in the fence, then you get the underhook, you find your way to the body, then you start tangling the legs, then you drag him down to the canvas.
“An open mat double-leg, an open mat swing-single, a fireman’s carry, these type of things, just isn’t something that that team does,” he added.
“One thing Garry did a great job of (against Muhammad), and he did it for (15) minutes, is he kept his damn back off that fence. And when he hit the fence, he’d bounce off it.
“If he can do that against Islam…”
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The debate over Islam Makhachev’s next fight rages on
It is not yet known which top welterweight will get the chance to put Sonnen’s words into action, but it is clear who the champ and his team want next.
Makhachev is hoping to fight Kamaru Usman for his first title defense, despite the former welterweight king going 1-3 inside the Octagon since losing the belt over three years ago.
The likes of Garry and Carlos Prates have pushed back on that after their recent wins, while Shavkat Rakhmonov’s expected return from injury also promises to throw a spanner in the works.
Who should Islam Makhachev fight next?
As the manager for both Makhachev and Usman, it’s no surprise that Ali Abdelaziz has been pushing for that fight on social media.
Whether Dana White and the UFC matchmakers will agree with that as the next step remains to be seen.
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