Pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev is actively preparing for his upcoming bout. The Russian fighter, who secured the welterweight title in his debut in that division last year by dominating Jack Della Maddalena for over 19 minutes, has now set his sights on his next challenge.
The two-division UFC champion is anticipated to make his inaugural defense of the welterweight belt in August. The No. 2 contender, Ian Machado Garry, is the likely opponent for this highly anticipated matchup.
Makhachev and Garry have been engaging in online exchanges, with “The Future” repeatedly questioning Makhachev’s delays in their potential fight, citing various reasons.
Although Makhachev sustained a hand injury earlier this year, he has since fully recovered, as evidenced by recent training footage.
Islam Makhachev’s Next Opponent is Determined
In a recent conversation with Ushatayka, Islam Makhachev disclosed that his next opponent has been verbally agreed upon, though an official contract has not yet been signed.
“Well, the opponent is verbally known, but there are no confirmed agreements signed or contracts at the moment. However, I have already commenced the basic phase of my preparation.”
Regarding the canceled superfight against Ilia Topuria, which was reportedly planned for the White House card, Islam Makhachev stated his readiness to compete on June 14. The fight ultimately fell apart when his potential opponent requested an exorbitant purse, leading the promotion to abandon the bout.
“They contacted me. They confirmed the fight. We agreed. I gave my verbal consent. They did not send the contract. The next day, they informed me that the opponent was demanding some immense compensation, and the UFC simply declined, so it’s no longer a possibility.”